Sexual Identity, Sexual Orientation

Sexual identity and sexual orientation are intensely personal and central matters to Multicultural and Diversity Issues 387most people. Sexual attraction is a powerful motivator of human behavior and is foundational to most people’s sense of self. The longing for a soul mate is probably as old as life itself. To date, there has been no de?nitive explanation as to why, across time and culture, a consistent minority of humans are attracted to members of the same sex.

Many theories have been offered, but, at present, it seems best to consider homosexuality, like left or right handedness, simply a fact of nature. Some people are attracted to opposite sex partners for sexual intimacy, and some people are attracted to members of the same sex.

Many homosexual people report knowing they were homosexual even before kindergarten, and others report becoming aware much later in life . Because of stigma and lack of cultural role models, many homosexual people have, at times, struggled with their sexual orientation and tried to ignore or change it .

People with gender identity or sexual orientations other than heterosexual go to counselors for all the reasons heterosexual people go, and they do not necessarily identify their sexual orientations as part of the problem. However, many have endured verbal abuse, violence, vicious labeling, loneliness, and harsh judgments; sometimes, these experiences occurred during childhood or adolescence, while some clients report that these experiences are more recent or current. These cruelties exact a great developmental and psychological price.

Many people who are homosexual, bisexual, or transgendered do not share that information during an initial interview. In fact, many share this component of their identity with very few people. Interviewers need to listen for themes suggesting struggles with sexual identity, dating, attraction, and so on. Because many nonheterosexual people anticipate harsh judgment and rejection, some gay friendly therapists suggest leaving homosexual friendly pamphlets or literature in the waiting room to communicate an open attitude toward these issues . It is also important that care is taken to avoid using gender speci?c words indicating the assumption of heterosexuality. For example, when inquiring about intimate relationships, the word partner rather than boyfriend or girlfriend should be used. This allows clients to reveal the partner’s gender when ready. For younger clients, or clients who are dating, it is helpful to ask general questions about romantic relationships or romance.