Adults are often better equipped to explore and understand their sexual identities more fully.
Sexuality can also change with age.
Questioning your sexuality can be a journey of discovery, but it can also bring feelings of stress.
Michela Buttignol for Verywell Mind / Unsplash
Learning more about yourself can help you find joy in healthy sexual relationships and affirm your sexuality.
Here is what the words in that acronym stand for.
Lesbian
A lesbian is a woman who is attracted to people of her same gender.
However, women can identify as gay instead of or in addition to identifying as lesbian.
Bisexual
Someone who is bisexual is attracted to more than one gender.
If someone thinks they may be bisexual but isn’t yet sure, they may identify as bi-curious.
TheBisexual Resource Centercan help you learn more.
As mentioned above, gender identity is not the same as sexual orientation.
Queer or Questioning
Queer is an umbrella term for anyone who isn’t heterosexual.
Questioning is the word for people who are in the process of discovering their sexual orientation.
you might be questioning at any age, for as long as is appropriate for your unique journey.
Intersex
People who areintersexwere born with bodies that don’t fit completely into the male/female gender binary.
Just like the transgender label, intersex is not a sexual identity.
Asexual
Asexualityis the term for a person who doesn’t experience sexual attraction to other people.
Individuals who are asexual may refer to themselves as “ace.
“The Asexual Visibility and Education Networkcan help you learn more.
Greysexuality, orgraysexuality, also falls under the asexual identity.
For some people, none of the terms in LGBTQIA accurately describe their sexuality.
Share your feelings with them, letting them know that you’re unsure about your orientation.
Fluidity
Sexual orientation can change at any time of your life.
If you’re experiencing a shift in your own attractions, your sexuality may be changing.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
Additionally, as we age our priorities change.
What you once found attractive in others might now be off-putting.
For some people, their sexuality never stops changing.
Those people might consider themselves sexually fluid for life.
Bottom Line
Questioning one’s sexuality can happen at any age.
There are many different sexual identities, and finding which one fits you best may take some time.
Your identity also might change over time throughout your life.
2019;56(7):811-826. doi:10.1080/00224499.2019.1577351
