Sexual orientation is a spectrum, and there are many different terms that can be used to describe the various identities that exist within it.
Over the last couple of years, the conversations about sexualities and sexual orientations have increased significantly. Here in Kenya, popular businesswoman Michelle Ntalami made headlines recently, after she revealed that she identified as an Androsexual.
In this blog post, we will explore different types of sexualities and their meanings.
1. Asexual: A person who does not experience sexual attraction to any gender.
2. Androsexual: A person who is attracted to masculinity, regardless of the gender of the person displaying it.
3. Bisexual: A person who is attracted to both men and women.
4. Demisexual: A person who only experiences sexual attraction after a strong emotional bond is formed.
5. Gay: A man who is attracted to men.
6. Graysexual: A person who falls in between the spectrum of sexual attraction, sometimes feeling sexual attraction and other times not.
7. Heterosexual: A person who is attracted to people of the opposite gender.
8. Homosexual: A person who is attracted to the same gender.
9. Intersex: A person whose biological sex is not clearly male or female.
10. Lesbian: A woman who feels sexual and romantic attraction to other women.
11. Multisexual: A person who is attracted to multiple but not all genders.
12. Pansexual: A person who is attracted to people of all genders.
13. Polysexual: A person who is attracted to multiple genders, but not all.
14. Queer: A term used by some people who identify as non-heterosexual.
15. Questioning: A person who is questioning their sexual orientation.
16. Romantic Orientation: A person’s romantic attraction to a certain gender.
17. Skoliosexual: A person who is attracted to non-binary individuals.
18. Straight: A person who is attracted to people of the opposite gender.
19. Transgender: A person whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.
20. Two-Spirit: A term used by some Indigenous people to describe a person who identifies as both male and female.
21. Aromantic: A person who does not experience romantic attraction to any gender.
22. Demiromantic: A person who only experiences romantic attraction after a strong emotional bond is formed.
23. Grayromantic: A person who falls in between the spectrum of romantic attraction, sometimes feeling romantic attraction and other times not.
24. Panromantic: A person who is attracted to people of all genders romantically.
25. Sapiosexual: A person who is sexually attracted to highly intelligent people.
It’s important to remember that everyone’s experience of their own sexuality is unique and valid. It is also worth noting that some people may identify with multiple orientations or may not use any labels at all.
Remember that the most important thing is to respect and support the people around us, regardless of their sexual or romantic identities.
