Most adolescents and adults identify themselves as heterosexual. However, paediatricians and other health care providers must be aware of the significant psychological, social and medical issues that face young people who are gay, lesbian or bisexual. Almost all of these issues arise from the stigmatization that these youth face, rather than from the orientation itself 1 , 2. Rather, the practitioner must create an environment in which the adolescent can discuss any questions or worries that they have, whether they identify themselves as homosexual, have found that they are attracted to people of the same gender, have had a sexual encounter with someone of the same gender or are confused about their feelings.
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Your Teen's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity | Michigan Medicine
Jump to content. Teens want an answer to the eternal question, "Who am I? The teen years can be a confusing time. Hormones, cultural and peer pressures, and fear of being different can cause many teens to question themselves in many areas, including their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Some people may not identify with any of these labels, and that is OK too. It also is possible to not feel any sexual attraction. This sometimes is described as being asexual. Gender identity is your sense of being male, female, or somewhere in between.
If you've ever wondered if you're gay, lesbian, or bisexual, you're not alone. Many teens ask themselves this question. It is a normal part of life. Maybe you've been attracted to someone of the same gender or you may have even kissed or had other sexual contact with someone of the same sex. But sexual behavior is not always the same as sexual orientation.