Sexual Identity

The way we and others understand and experience who we are based on all or some of our sexualities, including things like sexual orientation, relationship models, what sexual activities or practices we’re into and more.

Articles and Advice in this area:

Advice
  • Sam Wall

Identity can be such an obnoxious creature sometimes. Just when you think you’ve got it all sorted out, some new evidence pops up and you have to rethink things. And I don’t need to tell you how frustrating that shift can be, because you’re in the middle of it. It can be doubly trying if you’ve…

Advice
  • Mo Ranyart

Unchained’s question continued: Around the beginning of this year, I was walking to the bus stop after college and when I was waiting for the traffic lights to give me pass for some odd reason I remembered the article about asexuality I had read on the newspaper’s magazine… and then I remembered…

Advice
  • Sam Wall

To start off with, I can assure you that you’re not the first person to be in this situation. So you don’t have to feel as though you’re the only straight person traveling in queer circles who’s ever felt uncomfortable with the way straightness is discussed. And believe me when I say the advice I’m…

Advice
  • Mo Ranyart

Hi, bifabulous! Congrats on becoming more aware of your own sexuality! Sadly, you’re right: some people do harbor misconceptions and sexist notions about bisexual women. Racism and sexism added to the mix make the issue even thornier; as you said, there are a lot of harmful stereotypes about Asian…

Article

When everyone seems to be so preoccupied with labels, it’s hard to really explain to someone that you’re a ‘genderqueer-gendernonconforming-demisexual-‘gay’-transman’ and not have them look at you funny.

Article
  • Heather Corinna

Everyone has a sexual orientation and a sexual identity. Here are some basics and not-so-basics about what orientation is, some of the ways we can talk about it, how to figure yours out, and finding support.

Advice
  • Robin Mandell

Have all of your straight friends had sex with a guy if they’re girls, or with a girl if they’re guys? If not, how do they know they’re straight? See how silly that is? Hopefully they will, too. It’s not sage to make orientation something anyone needs to “prove” with sex for a whole lot of reasons…

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

If it’s wrong for people to engage in sex with someone without knowing and disclosing all of who they are, might be or become, or will be, in any respect, including sexually, for all of their lives, then every single person on earth who has ever engaged in sex has been doing wrong. We could say…

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

Based on everything I know and have learned working in sex and relationships for many years, people don’t tend to have or sustain healthy relationships when they do big things for or with partners they don’t also want to do and feel good about themselves. Taking out the garbage, doing the dishes…

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

There are gay or bisexual men who love or like anal sex, it’s true. But there are also gay or bisexual men who don’t like it, or who just aren’t interested in it. There are heterosexual men who don’t like anal sex or aren’t interested in it, either. There are also heterosexual men who like or love…