Wait, what does that mean?

Heterosexual: (“straight”): people who tend to be sexually attracted towards members of the opposite sex

Homosexual: (gay, lesbian): people who are sexually attracted towards members of the same sex (male-male, female-female)

Bisexual: (“bi”): people whose sexual orientation is towards members of both sexes (male and female)

Transgender: those who are born as a male or female, but expresses their gender in ways that are different from society’s expectations of their biological gender (source)

Transsexual: those who are born with the biological sex of male or female but are aware of being a gender opposite to that biological sex (sometimes described as “being trapped in the body of an opposite gender”). Sometimes a person who is transsexual will undergo medical treatments including hormone therapy and a “sex change” (or sexual reassignment surgery) to change their biological sex to match their gender identity (male to female, female to male)

Asexual: An asexual is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. Unlike celibacy, which people choose, asexuality is an intrinsic part of who they are. (source)

Two Spirited: a term used in First Nations culture to describe someone who is gay, lesbian or bisexual

How do I know if I am any of these?

You may not know what to call your sexual feelings. You don’t have to rush and decide how to label yourself right now. Sexual identities and feelings develop over time. Many teenagers have intense sexual feelings at puberty. Sometimes your sexual feelings may be so strong that they are not directed toward a particular person or situation, but seem to show up from out of the blue. As you get older, you will figure out to whom you are really attracted.

You may feel that you are attracted to people of the same sex. You may find yourself falling in love with one of your classmates or developing a crush on an adult of the same sex.

Many adults may tell you that you’re too young to call yourself any of these… Or they might say you?re going through a phase… Or that you don’t know what you’re talking about. It is true that for some people, being attracted to someone of the same sex lasts only during adolescence. Some young people know for sure that they are lesbian, gay or bisexual, but others are not so certain. Sexual awareness develops over time, so don’t worry if your preferences are not clear now. As you grow older your feelings will likely become more focused.

Am I Normal?

Yes, you are normal! It’s perfectly natural for people to be attracted to members of their own sex. But it’s not something that is always accepted in our society. Many people, therefore, suppress their real feelings because of the prejudice against two-spirited, gay men, lesbians, trans-gendered, trans-sexuals and bisexuals.

Most scientists agree that a person’s sexual orientation is determined at a very young age, or maybe even before birth, and that we do not generally “choose” our sexual orientation. Others believe that they choose their who they are and are not attracted to.

We’re sometimes told that it’s sick, perverted, sinful, or abnormal to feel an intense love for someone of our own sex. These are homophobic reactions that express some people’s fear or hatred of homosexuals. It’s normal and healthy to be yourself, whether you’re lesbian, gay, transgendered, transsexual, two-spirited, bisexual, heterosexual, or something different entirely. What’s really important is that everyone likes and respects oneself and others, regardless of one’s sexual orientation.

What if how I feel isn’t in that list?

Sexuality can be fluid for some people, can exist in shades of grey and sometimes doesn’t fit into a neat little category. There’s no reason why you have to identify as just one thing, or have to be perfectly what that identity says in two sentences. “It’s complicated” is a perfectly valid identity. You may feel a left out at times but finding a community that understands that you are questioning can be a strong support for times like these.