Your Sexual Orientation.

[Abby27]

[MENTION=9037]wickedtiger86[/MENTION] Awww shucks! I'm just so glad you are feel comfortable being who you are here! 😀

[MENTION=10521]prophecygrrl[/MENTION] I am lucky indeed! He's pretty awesome!

 

[AlyInWonderland]

I'm straight. I harbor no bad feelings towards anyone who has a different sexual preference to me. I'm a member of the political party in the US that I pretty much know is being referred to (republican), and I probably live in a state that will be one of the last to approve gay marriage (way of life, i suppose. There is always hope). Personally, i think a lot of the hatred comes from the older generation who are dead set in their beliefs and are not going to change. Although I know a couple of my friends who aren't big supporters. I came to realize that when I did the day of silence a couple years back. It is hard to have an argument about it when you can't talk, lemme tell you! I would love that we could all just be tolerant of other people's sexuality and beliefs. I don't think everyone has to accept or understand them, but realize that it isn't something that can be changed. People should accept being gay or bi as a part of a person.

 

[kittenpoker]

what an awesome community building thread!

go team!

 

[randiann]

Oh, it's still out there. Alive and well. I had to watch Buffy in secret when I was 16 and 17 (the lengths I went to to keep it a secret are pretty funny actually, distracting people from the room I was taping it in for an hour till it was done taping than getting up at 5:00 am to watch it on my own time before anyone was awake) mainly because Buffy had gay characters in it and I would've gotten in huge trouble had they known.

I even had to lie to my sister that Willow and Tara were friends just so she wouldn't rat me out.

Now that I'm older and on my own I'm very vocal about my belief in equality and acceptance. I think I've convinced my father (I'll never convince my mom but whatever), sister and some of my coworkers. I'm still the only person I know that supports marriage equality. And in speech class in college I was the only person out of 40 students who clapped for a person who gave a speech about gay tolerance.

I was about to rep you with "wow, your state sounds even worse than mine!" And then I looked and saw you are my neighbor to the south and west. Now I must say with certainty (and as a sooners fan) that your state is definately worse 😀

Funny thing about texas (and then I'll get back on topic) is houston (i believe) was featured on that "what would you do" show and one of the scenarios they set up (it's a reality show where they put actors in situations to see how the public will react) anywho one of the situations had a waitress belittling a gay couple and there were so many people who stepped up and defended the couple I was amazed. Like [MENTION=7585]Kean[/MENTION] said, we shouldn't have to celebrate people treating other people normally, and it's disheartening that we do. But the sad fact is that there is still a TON of hate indoctrinated into the minds of our children, intentionally and unintentionally.

[MENTION=9037]wickedtiger86[/MENTION], I can relate. I don't know if I could ever be in a romantic relationship with another woman, mostly because I can't imagine being in a romantic relationship with anyone except my husband. But there is definately physical attraction for me between both sexes. 🙂

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

100% Heterosexual.

My friend asked me once am I gay, tough. Because I said some actress is really, really attractive. I guess in today's world you can't acknowledge someones good looks without being considered gay.

 

[Hero]

I think I'm the only gay male to represent in this thread so far.

But, everyone says I'm bisexual. Because I don't have any of the stereotypical "feminie" qualities. I also still think women are very, very attractive. I've made out with some...and more. I've never understood how some gay men are like "oh, well, i like men so women are suddenly unattractive creatures." just because i'm gay doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good woman!

So, yeah, I'm gay. lol

 

[Washburne]

Straight male with a feminine side.

So far I should say. Who knows what would happen if the right guy (someone like John Barrowman, David Tennant or Neil Patrick Harris) came along. 😉

 

[Ianigsy]

I really don't know and I've stopped caring. I've been desperately in love with women before now and there's part of me that will always need female approval, but what I feel when I've been attracted to a handful of guys has always felt different. Eventually it became such a thorny issue that I just decided to put it to one side and get on with the rest of my life.

Having said that, this is the person who went speed dating about eight years ago and didn't get a single response from twenty women, and wasted a year and a load of money at Match.com for much the same level of response. Like I said, I just put it to one side and decided to get on with my life.

 

[kittenpoker]

I think there is a long way to go still for acceptance and equality to be pervasive for homosexually.. But definitely progress is being made.

And speed dating would seriously stress me out! 🙂

 

[This Year's Girl]

I'm bi. I'm seen as straight many times though since I'm married to a man. Bugs me sometimes. My sexual orientation is a part of my identity, just 'cause I'm going to live in a heterosexual relationship (probably) all my life doesn't mean I'm straight.

 

[kittenpoker]

"what's that thing called when a guy is gay for a girl?"
"straight?"
"Oh yeah...hey, look at me, I'm as straight as a one dollar bill..."

the simpsons

I'm married to a man and that's cool and everything but sometimes I really do miss being in a relationship with a woman. girls get it in ways that boys just don't...but that's ok...that's what friends are for.

 

[Bexieh]

I classify myself as straight but like... I don't care. I'm predominantly attracted to males but if an awesome girl came along I wouldn't say no either. I'm not really arsed about gender so long as they're awesome and like me back. It's all just labels and bits.

 

[mayfever]

I suppose I'm technically bisexual but currently in one of my straight phases where I can't even think about girls. I actually hesitated before I voted because the whole concept seems so alien to me at the moment.

 

[Chosen Enemy]

I'm straight, but I have this belief that everybody is a little bi, deep down. A woman can easily be attracted to another woman without actually being gay.

 

[WiccanWillow91]

I'm bisexual, but I lean more towards the girls. I'm just looking for the right one 😀

 

[Konoe]

Gay! And let's just say for a Gay guy I rock it like a mofugger and nobody ain't hasth nothing on me!

 

[kittenpoker]

Gay! And let's just say for a Gay guy I rock it like a mofugger and nobody ain't hasth nothing on me!

All gay guys rock it. 🙂

so is anyone else seeing the poll as a contest? ;-)

 

[Moonset]

I am bi. But I have only been in relationships with girls so people are quick to have given me a gay label, which doesn't bother me (although I'd prefer the term queer ) but I definitely identify as a bisexual. But due to such confusion and misunderstandings of bisexuals - especially in the gay community, people find that hard to get being that I have not acted upon a male relationship so far.

I fought my sexuality for a long time but it wasn't until my uncle came out some years that I would have ever been able to come out being from a small minded/religious family. I didn't even fully realize it myself until last year. While I've always been attracted to girls and guys, I had that common misconception that because I hadn't experienced both, I couldn't "decide" yet. But I have since lost that way of thinking and completely accepted that an attraction is an attraction either way and I'm very much bisexual.

Yea, I'm totally for people being who they are. If you're gay, gay it up. If you're bi, be who you are.

Here is a question for all my fellow Buffy friends who are bi: Do you ever find yourself being discriminated against because you're not gay or straight? Like, because you don't identify with either group you don't belong anywhere? Or that people think you just haven't decided your gay yet?

This is what I was referring to above. As you clearly admitted to yourself (so fantastic that you overcame that way of thinking btw!), and I thought it myself too, this is something that really bothers me. Not so much from straight people because being judged from straight people is I guess more common in most cases but my frustration is more so when it comes from parties of the "gay community" as I consider it yet another form of discrimination when a gay person judges a bi for not "accepting" that they are just really gay when they usually face extreme discrimination themselves. I bring this up because this is something that unfortunately plagues so many bisexual+gay relationships... and actually just reared its head in my current relationship. My girlfriend (who is lesbian) saw a TV show and freaked out because of the image that bisexuals were portrayed (which is completely untrue for myself, a bi who dates both at the same time or always misses the opposite etc) and began to question my need to be with a guy at some point. And the problem is no one can guarantee that they will never be attracted to another person (IMHO you are lying if you say you aren't) but she also can't guarantee to me she's not gonna feel an attraction for another girl... she didn't see the distinction and has brought it up a few times since. One night we got into a discussion and she said that I couldn't know if I was even "truly bi" if I hadn't been with both and what if I need a guy later on etc... And thats the BIGGEST misconception about bisexuals for me. That you are ALWAYS gonna need both or the other at some point. Now I am not speaking for all bi's, only myself, but that is certainly not true for me. If I'd of wanted to act on it by now, I could have. The thing that I wish people could understand about bisexuals is that you are not promiscuous or confused - you are simply allowing yourself the ability for fall in love with the person and quite frankly have more options for all those fishies in the sea 😉 Just sayin! I am attracted to people and I can feel completely happy and satisfied with said person - its not about a need for a body part.

I know I'm rambling, but I found this thread really interesting. To those of you who joke "I'm straight... except for ___" I'd like to point out the kinsey scale. Its actually, in my opinion, a much more interesting way to view/consider human sexuality. I don't think it's been pointed out?
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinsey_scale"]Kinsey scale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Kinsey_Scale.gif" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/52/Kinsey_Scale.gif/220px-Kinsey_Scale.gif"@@AMEPARAM@@en/thumb/5/52/Kinsey_Scale.gif/220px-Kinsey_Scale.gif[/ame].

The Kinsey scale attempts to describe a person's sexual history or episodes of his or her sexual activity at a given time. It uses a scale from 0, meaning exclusively heterosexual, to 6, meaning exclusively homosexual.
0 Exclusively heterosexual
1 Predominantly heterosexual, only incidentally homosexual
2 Predominantly heterosexual, but more than incidentally homosexual
3 Bisexual.
4 Predominantly homosexual, but more than incidentally heterosexual
5 Predominantly homosexual, only incidentally heterosexual
6 Exclusively homosexual
X Asexual, Non-Sexual

If you look at this scale and think about where you may fall, its a much more interesting way to view your sexuality vs, "straight / gay / bi". Especially for those that are open minded but don't fully consider themselves bi. If you think you could MAYBE be attracted to that "one special person of the same sex", then maybe you are a 1 or 2. It would take a particular person to open up those feelings, but primarily you will probably never have them surface. Nothing against my totally straightbees or gaybees, just thought I'd point this out for a few of you if you who might have a small inclination to the same sex if you weren't aware of it 🙂

I feel like I'm a 4/5 most days personally. But that doesn't make me any less bi or disregarding my attraction to guys, to me it just means that I am maybe less picky with female than male and have been more attracted to a bigger number of girls in my history... I'll be the first to admit, I'm quite girl crazy. haha.

 

[zobothehobo]

(I don't want to quote, 'cause I'm lazy but this is in response to the second half of the post above mine)

I think everyone's a little bit bi. I don't think using that scale, it's fair to say anyone is a 0 or a 6. I'd identify on that scale with a 5, but I still consider myself to be gay. There might be a guy in the future I'd fall for... sure. I'm not going to say "because he's a guy, I'd never do it!" But that doesn't mean I'm not gay. At the same time, my father would most likely be a 5, and he identifies himself as bi.

I guess my point is I don't think where you are on that scale would represent what label you identify as. I don't think it's as clear cut as everyone says it is.

 

[Moonset]

(I don't want to quote, 'cause I'm lazy but this is in response to the second half of the post above mine)

I think everyone's a little bit bi. I don't think using that scale, it's fair to say anyone is a 0 or a 6. I'd identify on that scale with a 5, but I still consider myself to be gay. There might be a guy in the future I'd fall for... sure. I'm not going to say "because he's a guy, I'd never do it!" But that doesn't mean I'm not gay. At the same time, my father would most likely be a 5, and he identifies himself as bi.

I guess my point is I don't think where you are on that scale would represent what label you identify as. I don't think it's as clear cut as everyone says it is.

I don't think human sexuality is clear cut in anyway. However, I do think for myself, when explaining to people who often ask "how do you know if you don't date a guy etc" that scale has been a good tool for helping them understand. I identify closer to the gay higher numbers, but I still know myself to be bisexual. I just often bring up the kinsey scale during discussions because it can sometimes give someone a broader approach to how you define your sexual attractions (in my case why I could be bi when I have - thus far - only been dating females.) That is why I wanted to bring it up.