Sexual Orientation Development Essay

The case research paper was interesting and informational to me. Sexual orientation development as a topic caught my attention throughout the reading. The process of forming our sexual identities is natural and interrupting it could be psychologically damaging to an individual. Sexual identity exploration and development has now been under study for more than three decades. During adolescence, young people explore and discover their own self. Teenagers are increasing redefining their sexual identities raising the question if labels such as gay or bisexual have become meaningless in modern fluidity. Exploring the current significance of sexual identity labels was the hypothesis of the paper. Sexual identity development progresses from the initial awareness of sexual attraction to engage in sexual behavior and finally disclosure of sexual identity to others. Sexual identities are, therefore, defined by sexual attraction, behavior, and relationships as per individual. Some individuals, especially the gay, may hesitate to disclose their sexual identities because of the belief that it could be intolerable to their society. The lack of role models or an unfavorable environment in family and faith is at the core of conformation from non-heterosexual sexual identities.

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It was interesting that 80% of the surveyed teenagers identified themselves as heterosexual. Also, 70% of the non-heterosexual teenagers identified themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual. Over half of them reported a bisexual identity. Only 19 out of 2500 were resistant to adopting any labels and instead chose to write-in their own responses falling in the category of pansexual. These also tended to be younger which means that the older had more developed identities or had conformed to social norms. The information related to my sexual orientation development as an individual. The environment I grew up in was not safe for non-heterosexual identities and I lacked education about what I was experiencing in sexual development. Moreover, my gender was which was distinguished buy my sexual identity was undeveloped yet its exploration felt like a taboo. Being attracted to individuals of the opposite sex was not as scary as being attracted to those of the same sex. However, I failed to notice that my sexual identity was not defined by my emotions but my behavior instead and that it was a process of organic growth. Having thoughts and acting on them are two different things. Finally, I learned that I was just being homophobic and that society had made me think of homosexuals as abnormal and wrong. Today, I realize that my sexual identity has shaped me as an individual and my overall sense of well-being even my relationships with others. I have come to discover my identity as a heterosexual and to appreciate other people despite their sexual orientation.

References

Stephen T. Russell, Thomas J. Clarke, Justin Clary. (2009). Are teens "post-gay"? Contemporary Adolescent's sexual Identity Labels. Springre Science and Business Media.