Answers to Your Questions FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION & HOMOSEXUALITY INCE THE !MERICAN 0SYCHOLOGICAL AND GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH !SSOCIATION HAS CALLED ON PSYCHOLOGISTS BEING MALE OR FEMALE GENDER IDENTITY THE STO TAKE THE LEAD IN REMOVING THE STIGMA PSYCHOLOGICAL SENSE OF BEING MALE OR FEMALE OF MENTAL ILLNESS THAT HAS LONG BEEN ASSOCIATED AND SOCIAL GENDER ROLE THE CULTURAL NORMS THAT WITH LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL ORIENTATIONS DElNE FEMININE AND MASCULINE BEHAVIOR 4HE DISCIPLINE OF PSYCHOLOGY IS CONCERNED WITH THE WELL BEING OF PEOPLE AND GROUPS 3EXUAL ORIENTATION IS COMMONLY DISCUSSED AS IF AND THEREFORE WITH THREATS TO THAT WELL BEING IT WERE SOLELY A CHARACTERISTIC OF AN INDIVIDUAL 4HE PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION THAT PEOPLE LIKE BIOLOGICAL SEX GENDER IDENTITY OR AGE WHO IDENTIFY AS LESBIAN GAY OR BISEXUAL 4HIS PERSPECTIVE IS INCOMPLETE BECAUSE SEXUAL REGULARLY EXPERIENCE HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE ORIENTATION IS DElNED IN TERMS OF RELATIONSHIPS NEGATIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS 4HIS PAMPHLET WITH OTHERS 0EOPLE EXPRESS THEIR SEXUAL IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION ORIENTATION THROUGH BEHAVIORS WITH OTHERS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND INCLUDING SUCH SIMPLE ACTIONS AS HOLDING HANDS SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND THE IMPACT OF PREJUDICE OR KISSING 4HUS SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS CLOSELY AND DISCRIMINATION ON THOSE WHO IDENTIFY AS TIED TO THE INTIMATE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT LESBIAN GAY OR BISEXUAL MEET DEEPLY FELT NEEDS FOR LOVE ATTACHMENT AND INTIMACY )N ADDITION TO SEXUAL BEHAVIORS What is sexual orientation? THESE BONDS INCLUDE NONSEXUAL PHYSICAL 3EXUAL ORIENTATION REFERS TO AN ENDURING AFFECTION BETWEEN PARTNERS SHARED GOALS PATTERN OF EMOTIONAL ROMANTIC ANDOR SEXUAL AND VALUES MUTUAL SUPPORT AND ONGOING ATTRACTIONS TO MEN WOMEN OR BOTH SEXES COMMITMENT 4HEREFORE SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS 3EXUAL ORIENTATION ALSO REFERS TO A PERSONS NOT MERELY A PERSONAL CHARACTERISTIC WITHIN SENSE OF IDENTITY BASED ON THOSE ATTRACTIONS AN INDIVIDUAL 2ATHER ONES SEXUAL ORIENTATION RELATED BEHAVIORS AND MEMBERSHIP IN DElNES THE GROUP OF PEOPLE IN WHICH ONE A COMMUNITY OF OTHERS WHO SHARE THOSE IS LIKELY TO lND THE SATISFYING AND FULlLLING ATTRACTIONS 2ESEARCH OVER SEVERAL DECADES HAS ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE AN ESSENTIAL DEMONSTRATED THAT SEXUAL ORIENTATION RANGES COMPONENT OF PERSONAL IDENTITY FOR ALONG A CONTINUUM FROM EXCLUSIVE ATTRACTION MANY PEOPLE TO THE OTHER SEX TO EXCLUSIVE ATTRACTION TO THE SAME SEX (OWEVER SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS How do people know if they USUALLY DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF THREE CATEGORIES are lesbian, gay, or bisexual? HETEROSEXUAL HAVING EMOTIONAL ROMANTIC OR !CCORDING TO CURRENT SCIENTIlC AND PROFESSIONAL SEXUAL ATTRACTIONS TO MEMBERS OF THE OTHER SEX UNDERSTANDING THE CORE ATTRACTIONS THAT FORM GAYLESBIAN HAVING EMOTIONAL ROMANTIC OR THE BASIS FOR ADULT SEXUAL ORIENTATION TYPICALLY SEXUAL ATTRACTIONS TO MEMBERS OF ONES OWN EMERGE BETWEEN MIDDLE CHILDHOOD AND EARLY SEX AND BISEXUAL HAVING EMOTIONAL ROMANTIC ADOLESCENCE 4HESE PATTERNS OF EMOTIONAL QOR SEXUAL ATTRACTIONS TO BOTH MEN AND WOMEN ROMANTIC AND SEXUAL ATTRACTION MAY ARISE 4HIS RANGE OF BEHAVIORS AND ATTRACTIONS HAS WITHOUT ANY PRIOR SEXUAL EXPERIENCE 0EOPLE BEEN DESCRIBED IN VARIOUS CULTURES AND NATIONS CAN BE CELIBATE AND STILL KNOW THEIR SEXUAL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD -ANY CULTURES USE ORIENTATION nBE IT LESBIAN GAY BISEXUAL OR IDENTITY LABELS TO DESCRIBE PEOPLE WHO EXPRESS HETEROSEXUAL THESE ATTRACTIONS )N THE 5NITED 3TATES THE MOST FREQUENT LABELS ARE lesbians WOMEN ATTRACTED $IFFERENT LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE TO WOMEN gay men MEN ATTRACTED TO MEN HAVE VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES REGARDING THEIR AND bisexual people MEN OR WOMEN ATTRACTED TO SEXUAL ORIENTATION 3OME PEOPLE KNOW THAT & BOTH SEXES (OWEVER SOME PEOPLE MAY USE THEY ARE LESBIAN GAY OR BISEXUAL FOR A LONG DIFFERENT LABELS OR NONE AT ALL * This brochure focuses on sexual orientation. Another 3EXUAL ORIENTATION IS DISTINCT FROM OTHER APA brochure, !NSWERS TO 9OUR 1UESTIONS !BOUT COMPONENTS OF SEX AND GENDER INCLUDING 4RANSGENDER )NDIVIDUALS AND 'ENDER )DENTITY ABIOLOGICAL SEX THE ANATOMICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL addresses gender identity. 2 TIME BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY PURSUE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE WITH OTHER PEOPLE 3OME PEOPLE ENGAGE IN !LSO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LESBIAN GAY AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY WITH SAME SEX ANDOR OTHER BISEXUAL PEOPLE IN EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING SEX PARTNERS BEFORE ASSIGNING A CLEAR LABEL APPEARS TO REMAIN WIDESPREAD TO THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION 0REJUDICE AND 4HE ()6!)$3 PANDEMIC IS ANOTHER AREA IN DISCRIMINATION MAKE IT DIFlCULT FOR MANY WHICH PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE TO COME TO TERMS WITH THEIR SEXUAL LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD ORIENTATION IDENTITIES SO CLAIMING A LESBIAN NEGATIVE EFFECTS %ARLY IN THE PANDEMIC THE GAY OR BISEXUAL IDENTITY MAY BE A SLOW PROCESS ASSUMPTION THAT ()6!)$3 WAS A hGAY DISEASEv CONTRIBUTED TO THE DELAY IN ADDRESSING What causes a person to THE MASSIVE SOCIAL UPHEAVAL THAT !)$3 WOULD have a particular sexual GENERATE 'AY AND BISEXUAL MEN HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THIS DISEASE orientation? 4HE ASSOCIATION OF ()6!)$3 WITH GAY AND 4HERE IS NO CONSENSUS AMONG SCIENTISTS BISEXUAL MEN AND THE INACCURATE BELIEF THAT ABOUT THE EXACT REASONS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL SOME PEOPLE HELD THAT ALL GAY AND BISEXUAL DEVELOPS A HETEROSEXUAL BISEXUAL GAY OR MEN WERE INFECTED SERVED TO FURTHER STIGMATIZE LESBIAN ORIENTATION !LTHOUGH MUCH RESEARCH LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE HAS EXAMINED THE POSSIBLE GENETIC HORMONAL DEVELOPMENTAL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INmUENCES ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION NO lNDINGS HAVE What is the psychological EMERGED THAT PERMIT SCIENTISTS TO CONCLUDE impact of prejudice and THAT SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS DETERMINED BY ANY discrimination? PARTICULAR FACTOR OR FACTORS -ANY THINK THAT 0REJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION HAVE SOCIAL AND NATURE AND NURTURE BOTH PLAY COMPLEX ROLES PERSONAL IMPACT /N THE SOCIAL LEVEL PREJUDICE MOST PEOPLE EXPERIENCE LITTLE OR NO SENSE OF AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LESBIAN GAY AND CHOICE ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION BISEXUAL PEOPLE ARE REmECTED IN THE EVERYDAY STEREOTYPES OF MEMBERS OF THESE GROUPS What role do prejudice and 4HESE STEREOTYPES PERSIST EVEN THOUGH THEY discrimination play in the ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE AND THEY ARE OFTEN USED TO EXCUSE UNEQUAL TREATMENT OF lives of lesbian, gay, and LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE &OR EXAMPLE bisexual people? LIMITATIONS ON JOB OPPORTUNITIES PARENTING ,ESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE IN THE AND RELATIONSHIP RECOGNITION ARE OFTEN JUSTIlED 5NITED 3TATES ENCOUNTER EXTENSIVE PREJUDICE BY STEREOTYPIC ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT LESBIAN GAY DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLENCE BECAUSE OF THEIR AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE SEXUAL ORIENTATION )NTENSE PREJUDICE AGAINST LESBIANS GAY MEN AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE WAS /N AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL SUCH PREJUDICE AND WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE TH DISCRIMINATION MAY ALSO HAVE NEGATIVE CENTURY 0UBLIC OPINION STUDIES OVER THE S CONSEQUENCES ESPECIALLY IF LESBIAN GAY AND S AND S ROUTINELY SHOWED THAT AMONG BISEXUAL PEOPLE ATTEMPT TO CONCEAL OR DENY LARGE SEGMENTS OF THE PUBLIC LESBIAN GAY AND THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION !LTHOUGH MANY BISEXUAL PEOPLE WERE THE TARGET OF STRONGLY LESBIANS AND GAY MEN LEARN TO COPE WITH THE HELD NEGATIVE ATTITUDES -ORE RECENTLY PUBLIC SOCIAL STIGMA AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY THIS OPINION HAS INCREASINGLY OPPOSED SEXUAL PATTERN OF PREJUDICE CAN HAVE SERIOUS NEGATIVE ORIENTATION DISCRIMINATION BUT EXPRESSIONS OF EFFECTS ON HEALTH AND WELL BEING )NDIVIDUALS HOSTILITY TOWARD LESBIANS AND GAY MEN REMAIN AND GROUPS MAY HAVE THE IMPACT OF STIGMA COMMON IN CONTEMPORARY !MERICAN SOCIETY REDUCED OR WORSENED BY OTHER CHARACTERISTICS 0REJUDICE AGAINST BISEXUALS APPEARS TO EXIST AT SUCH AS RACE ETHNICITY RELIGION OR DISABILITY COMPARABLE LEVELS )N FACT BISEXUAL INDIVIDUALS 3OME LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL PEOPLE MAY MAY FACE DISCRIMINATION FROM SOME LESBIAN AND FACE LESS OF A STIGMA &OR OTHERS RACE SEX GAY PEOPLE AS WELL AS FROM HETEROSEXUAL PEOPLE RELIGION DISABILITY OR OTHER CHARACTERISTICS MAY EXACERBATE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF PREJUDICE 3EXUAL ORIENTATION DISCRIMINATION TAKES MANY AND DISCRIMINATION Q FORMS 3EVERE ANTIGAY PREJUDICE IS REmECTED IN THE HIGH RATE OF HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE 4HE WIDESPREAD PREJUDICE DISCRIMINATION AND DIRECTED TOWARD LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL VIOLENCE TO WHICH LESBIANS AND GAY MEN ARE INDIVIDUALS IN !MERICAN SOCIETY .UMEROUS OFTEN SUBJECTED ARE SIGNIlCANT MENTAL HEALTH & SURVEYS INDICATE THAT VERBAL HARASSMENT CONCERNS 3EXUAL PREJUDICE SEXUAL ORIENTATION A AND ABUSE ARE NEARLY UNIVERSAL EXPERIENCES DISCRIMINATION AND ANTIGAY VIOLENCE ARE MAJOR SOURCES OF STRESS FOR LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL What is “coming out” and why 3 PEOPLE !LTHOUGH SOCIAL SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL IN COPING is it important? WITH STRESS ANTIGAY ATTITUDES AND DISCRIMINATION 4HE PHRASE hCOMING OUTv IS USED TO REFER TO SEVERAL MAY MAKE IT DIFlCULT FOR LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL ASPECTS OF LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL PERSONS PEOPLE TO lND SUCH SUPPORT EXPERIENCES SELF AWARENESS OF SAME SEX ATTRACTIONS THE TELLING OF ONE OR A FEW PEOPLE ABOUT THESE Is homosexuality a mental ATTRACTIONS WIDESPREAD DISCLOSURE OF SAME SEX disorder? ATTRACTIONS AND IDENTIlCATION WITH THE LESBIAN GAY .O LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL ORIENTATIONS ARE AND BISEXUAL COMMUNITY -ANY PEOPLE HESITATE TO NOT DISORDERS 2ESEARCH HAS FOUND NO INHERENT COME OUT BECAUSE OF THE RISKS OF MEETING PREJUDICE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ANY OF THESE SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS AND DISCRIMINATION 3OME CHOOSE TO KEEP THEIR AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY