Sexual orientation

Research shows that 5 to 10% of the world’s population is homosexual or bisexual. However, this is difficult to calculate exactly because it is not always completely clear when someone falls within these groups.

Sexual orientation, or orientation, is about amorous or erotic feelings you have toward another person. The orientation is in principle innate (nature), but can also be influenced by external factors, such as society, upbringing or culture. In one culture, one form of orientation is less accepted than the other and will therefore be expressed less or not at all. However, this is only about expression, and not about existence. The orientation itself is fixed in a person and is consistent, but this need can be suppressed by learned factors (nurture).

In principle we can speak of four groups of sexual orientation:

Heterosexuality: Amorous or erotic feelings for a person of the opposite sex;
Homosexuality: Amorous or erotic feelings for a person of the same sex;
Bisexuality: Amorous or erotic feelings for a person of either sex;
Asexuality: Erotic feelings for another person are lacking, for both sexes.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality (homoios = equal; sexus = gender) already existed in Roman times. The emperor Nero is said to have been the first person to marry someone of the same sex. At this time there was not so much a taboo on the gender someone was attracted to, but on the level of activity during sexual intercourse. In principle, men were not allowed to be passive, and women were not allowed to be active. It was also about social status.

The taboo on homosexuality often arose with the rise of religions that prohibited a relationship or marriage between two men or two women. However , this does not alter the fact that it was only seen as ,bad, by religious people.

Bisexuality

Bisexuality (bis = double; sexus = gender) is particularly misunderstanding and is often seen as ,wanting to have it both ways,. There is often a distinction between social, emotional and sexual attraction. Socially, a bisexual person is focused on both their own and the opposite sex, while emotionally he or she is more focused on women. Sexually, one usually does not match identity so much, so someone may feel sexually attracted to one gender, but start a relationship with the other.

The statement is often heard that it is not so much about gender, but about the person. Even with bisexuality it is very difficult to determine whether people belong within this group. Someone who notices that they have feelings for their own gender (in addition to the other gender) may be more likely to say that they are homosexual.

Asexuality

Asexuality is about the lack of sexual attraction or interest and is also innate (or deeply ingrained). This is not a voluntary and conscious choice. Sexual act and intercourse can still occur.

There are four types of asexuality :

A sexual drive, but not sexually attracted to another person. No sexual interaction;
Sexually attracted to another person, but no sexual drive. Emotional bonds, but no need for sexual interaction;
Sexually attracted to another person and a sexual drive, but no sexual interaction;
No sexual drive, no sexual attraction to another person, no emotional bonds. Emotional friendships, but no need for love or sex.

Distinction between orientation and identity

Sexual orientation is not the same as sexual identity. The first is about an internal preference that you have in someone else, regardless of what you ultimately prefer. It is therefore an innate factor. According to researcher Dick Swaab, it was found that a distinction can also be made in the brain between homosexuals and heterosexuals, with a Swedish study subsequently finding that in homosexuals the left and right hemispheres of the brain are the same size, while in heterosexuals the right hemisphere is slightly larger.

Sexual identity is about the influence of external factors. This is about nurture: the acceptance or rejection by society, in a culture and during upbringing. It is about the final choice of a person and what he or she identifies with. Does someone see themselves as homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual or asexual? Of course, nature also plays a role in this, but the biggest role is reserved for nurture.

Prevent

It is difficult to determine which part of the population falls under homosexual ed, as the definition is not entirely clear. As already indicated, orientation is determined by both nature and nurture, and so there can be a man with homosexual feelings who comes out, who does not come out, a man in a heterosexual marriage but who secretly seeks homosexual men, etc. etcetera. The same, of course, applies to women.