LGBTI individuals must come to terms with what it means to be different in a society that judges differences from the norm negatively. It also involves coping with social responses and attitudes toward LGBTI people.
Coming out includes both exploring one’s identity and sharing that identity with others. Persons with a homosexual orientation are sometimes referred to as gay (both men and women) or as lesbian (women only).”įor lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersexed (LGBTI) people, coming out is the process of understanding, accepting, and valuing both one’s sexual orientation and one’s sexual identity. Bisexual persons can experience sexual, emotional, and affectional attraction to both their own sex and the opposite sex. It is easily distinguished from other components of sexuality including biological sex, gender identity (the psychological sense of being male or female), and the social gender role (adherence to cultural norms for feminine and masculine behavior.)” Further, “sexual orientation exists along a continuum that ranges from exclusive heterosexuality to exclusive homosexuality and includes various forms of bisexuality. “an enduring emotional, romantic, sexual, or affectional attraction toward others. The American Psychological Association (APA) (2011) defines sexual orientation as:
