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- Health Information for a Better Life
Sexuality and Gender
Sexual orientation refers to the gender (or genders) of the people
we have feelings of attraction and affection toward both emotionally
and physically.
This is an important part of our total self-identity; how we see
ourselves and how others see us. It is one of the most difficult
parts of ourselves to talk about and understand. Also, understanding
our sexual orientation can happen at any time during our lives. Here
are the words used to describe sexual orientation:
To be...
Transgendered is an umbrella term, relating to how some
individuals express their gender identity. For some it might mean
changing their gender, perhaps surgically; for others, to dress in
the clothing of the "opposite" gender; for some, to be free to
express themselves as neither male or female; and, for others it
means having been born with ambiguous genitalia.
Heterosexual is to have feelings of affection and attraction,
both emotionally and physically to people of the opposite gender.
This is also called "being straight".
Homosexual is to have feelings of affection and attraction,
both emotionally and physically to people of the same gender. Lots
of people refer to this as "being queer".
Here are some other terms you may have heard before:
Lesbian is to be
a woman who has feelings of affection and attraction, both
emotionally and physically to women.
Bisexual is to be a woman or a man and to have feelings of
affection and attraction, both emotionally and physically to both
men and women.
Gay is to be a man who has feelings of affection and
attraction, both emotionally and physically for other men.
Two-Spirited people is a contemporary term more commonly used
by Aboriginal people in reference to individuals who may be gay,
lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. Historically for many indigenous
cultures of North America, these individuals were believed to
possess positive attributes, leadership skills, and spiritual
powers. In a general way, this term honours and expresses the
diversity of one's sexual orientation and the source of one's
creation, which is the male and female body and spirit.
