Our sexual orientation is a fundamental feature of who we are. We are attracted to people of our same sex, opposite sex, both sexes, or more than one gender. For example, a woman may be attracted to a man. For some, it is their only sexual desire. For others, it is a matter of a strong sense of self. Whatever the case, sexual orientation is a crucial part of who we are.
The research on sexual orientation is ambiguous. It is not always clear what constitutes a strong or weak level of attraction to a partner. During the teen years, people often experience the beginnings of sexuality and first become aware of their orientation. This phase is marked by experiences with same-sex partners, such as the onset of sexual experimentation. However, early experiences with same-sex attraction do not necessarily predict how a person will become as an adult. Some teens retain the same-sex feelings they felt as teenagers and others grow out of them. Also, children form their gender identities at a young age. By the age of three, most children believe they have a particular sex.
According to Weinrich and Weinberg, there is no consensus on what causes an individual to be gay. Some researchers have even criticized the use of the Kinsey scale, which takes into account two dimensions of sexual orientation: overt sexual experience and psychosexual reactions. However, the authors of this paper point out that by collapsing these two dimensions, the authors missed out on valuable information. In addition, they have not yet established which of these dimensions is dominant.