Sexuality and Sexual Identity: R U Confused?

1. wordingwell.com http://wordingwell.com/sexual-identity-confusing/
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Why Does Sexual Identity have to be SO Confusing?
Let me tell you a bit about me.
I have an open mind, and I don’t judge people. I’m not racist or
prejudiced in any way.
And I think love can occur between members of the same sex.
What I don’t fully understand is all of the variations that have
arisen in recent years to define the gender/sex of some people.
Years ago, there used to be only two: male or female.
Then came another four options: lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender.
Still pretty easy to understand, and known more commonly
as LGBT.
But then the sexual-identity waters get muddied.
Along came a few more labels to make things confusing:
asexual, and pansexual, androsexual/androphilic, and
gynesexual/gynephilic, to name a few.
Sigh. It’s hard to keep up! Why does sexual identity have to be
SO confusing?
To make things even more confusing, up pop even more labels
for identifying one’s sexual identity: genderqueer, androgynous, intersex, intergender,
skoliosexual, transsexual, transitioning, and questioning.
Questioning? Really? That’s a “gender” now? Wow.
Times have certainly changed!
While I don’t necessarily understand each and every term, what I do
understand is that some people are confused about their sexuality, for
whatever reasons(s).
And I’m one of them. And I thought it’s because I’ve always been overweight.
Let me explain.
When I was in grade school, I always found myself looking at girls. But not just any girls; girls who were petite, who
had curves in all the right places. I always thought that it was because I wanted my body to like theirs. Never did it
occur to me that I might be gay or bisexual. Then again, those terms weren’t around in the 1970s or 80s… (I was a
teen in the mid 1980s, and by the time the term LGBT was in use, I was an adult, as LGBT began to be used in the
1990s.)

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Hmph.
It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized that I’m bisexual, with the split about 5% towards females and 95%
towards guys.
Settle down. I’m still me, regardless of who I am attracted to!
Would you love me if I was a girl who wanted to be a guy?
Would you still read my posts… knowing as much as you
know about me already, o faithful reader? I’m a bit unsure.
And so, to test the waters, so to speak, I’m writing about this
today, not because I want to be a guy (although I think I do
have penis envy to a certain extent) but because I want to
introduce you to an author who doesn’t quite fit the norm.On
Friday, you will meet her when I do a book review for her.
And no, I’m not telling you her name just yet. I want it to be a
surprise.
To clear things up, if you are wondering… I’m quite happy
with who and what I am.
But not everyone is.
Are you?
And do you know why someone’s sexual identity has to be SO confusing?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, so don’t be shy. Speak up. Enlighten me. Let’s talk about this.
Lorraine Reguly is a Canadian-based
English teacher-turned-author who offers
both WRITING and EDITING services to
anyone in need, bloggers included! She
blogs on various websites and, if
you subscribe to her newsletter, she will
send you a copy of her ebook, 20 Blog Post
Must-Haves.
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