List of Sexualities: 15 Gender Orientations You Need To Know About

It’s so important to have proper knowledge when it comes to the list of sexualities. Otherwise, you could potentially mislabel someone and offend them.

With the list of sexualities today, it can be both confusing and overwhelming to differentiate one sexuality from another. Don’t worry – you’re not alone in this confusion. While you may not identify with any certain orientation, this list of sexualities can help you realize just how other people feel.

Everyone wants to feel like they belong. We want to feel understood. Wouldn’t you feel misunderstood if someone misidentified your sexuality?

This is why you need to do your part in understanding the different sexualities. For a long time, many people felt isolated because the way they felt wasn’t being recognized. However, sexuality is a huge topic nowadays and more and more people are understanding their own feelings by connecting with certain sexualities they can relate to.

Not only this, but people are actually promoting gender equality all over the world – thus the existence of the annual Pride March. Even if you’re straight, it’s important to learn the list of sexualities so that you don’t unintentionally hurt or offend someone.

[Read: Romantic orientation – The different kinds and how each of them are different from the other]

Being informed when it comes to sexual orientation

You don’t need to belong to the LGBTQ+ community to expose yourself to the list of sexualities. Even if someone else feels differently than you, knowing how they feel and what they’re interested in can help you understand them on a deeper level. You might not understand their sexuality, but at least acknowledge who they are.

There’s far too much ignorance when it comes to sexual orientation. Ignorance is no longer a valid excuse for misidentifying someone’s sexuality. Especially with how the world promotes gender equality, it’s up to us to be aware of the existing sexualities today. [Read: What does the Q in LGBTQ really mean?]

A list of sexualities so you can understand each orientation

For those of you who are clueless about any other sexual orientation other than straight, gay, or bisexual, this list of sexualities is for you. There are so many sexualities than what meets the eye. Some you may already know, while others you may not recognize.

1. Straight – heterosexual

It’s impossible to not be aware of this sexuality. Heterosexuality refers to being attracted to the opposite sex. There’s probably not a single person that hasn’t heard of heterosexuality or being straight. You’ll see this when a man is attracted to a woman and a woman is attracted to a man.

2. Lesbian

Most of you are aware of what a lesbian is. For those of you who don’t know, it’s when a woman is attracted to another woman, but don’t feel the same attraction towards a man. They have a desire to be with a woman in a romantic way, as well.

They also classify under homosexuality as by definition, homosexuality refers to being attracted to the same gender. If you’re a woman and you’re attracted physically or romantically to another woman but not a man, you’re a lesbian. [Read: How to know if you’re a lesbian – Is it curiosity or something more?]

3. Gay

Similar to lesbian, generally, gay refers to a man being attracted to another man. This term is also grouped under homosexuals as they’re attracted to or get together with the same gender. When someone is gay, they want to have a life with the same gender and are attracted to men only.

4. Bisexual

We all know homosexuals and heterosexuals exist, but a bisexual is a combination of the two. You can be attracted to both men and women at the same time. Whether physically or romantically, both genders appeal to them.

A lot of people tend to think that bisexuality isn’t real and is just a phase, but it’s very much real. They can be sexually and romantically involved with men and women and be happy. [Read: Are you bisexual? How to understand your true desires]

5. Pansexual

Now we’re getting into the part of this list of sexualities not everyone is familiar with. Pansexual refers to being attracted not to the gender, but the personality of someone.

For instance, you could find yourself attracted to an asexual, bisexual, or heterosexual for their personalities entirely without any regard for their sexuality. They are attracted to the person at their core and it’s not dependent on their gender at all. [Read: What is pansexual? The full guide to everything you must know about them]

6. Polysexual

This term is actually very much like pansexual, but not quite as expansive. You can identify as a polysexual if you’re attracted to multiple genders. For instance, you could be attracted to most of the genders on this list, which means you’re a polysexual.

They like more than just men and women, but their preferences are still limited. This doesn’t also imply that they’re attracted to everyone, but they’re still picky about who they get together with.

7. Asexual

This sexuality may be hard for many of us to understand, but it’s very important to know and be informed about it. In this list of sexualities, not everything revolves around sex. This is specifically true for asexuals as they don’t feel the need to engage in physical intimacy or sex with anyone at all.

They have no desires when it comes to sex. However, they do still have romantic desires unrelated to sex. They could have romantic feelings for someone without wanting to have sex with them.

They’re also one of the most misunderstood sexualities in the world. Although let’s face it – almost every sexuality in this list is misunderstood, one way or another. [Read: 15 signs you’re asexual and don’t like getting laid as much as others]

8. Demisexual

Most people who are demisexual actually don’t realize it at first. Many believe they’re asexual until they meet that special person who makes them feel a sexual desire. It’s possible for you to assume you’re asexual your entire life until you meet that one person who changes your perspective.

You didn’t change sexualities overnight, but maybe you’ve always been a demisexual all along. Demisexual individuals can’t experience real sexual desire unless they have a strong emotional attraction and connection with someone.

In this sense, demisexuals can’t engage in casual sex, flings, one-night stands, or any type of physical intimacy without a real connection. [Read: How demisexuals feel lust and the best ways for someone to connect with them]

9. Graysexual

This term definitely falls under the asexual umbrella. As a graysexual, you feel sexual desire at very random and unusual circumstances.

In fact, even you can’t tell the specific timing or circumstance of when you’ll want that kind of connection. They can only feel sexual desire under certain conditions or even only at random times here and there. [Read: Identifying with being graysexual in a world of sex]

10. Queer

This is one of the genders in this list of sexualities that refer to any sexual orientation that is not heterosexual. It can also refer to those who don’t classify as any sexuality at all. If you don’t identify as any gender in particular, you might be queer.

11. Autosexual

This type of sexuality is when someone can only be sexually aroused by themselves. They satisfy themselves sexually by masturbating and don’t have sexual desire for anyone else.

This might seem strange and unusual for you, but it’s definitely a sexuality. If you’re one, you’re not as asexual as you think you are, but you’re autosexual. The experience of masturbation seems ultimately different to you.

12. Androsexual

Someone who identifies as androsexual is sexually attracted to men and those with masculine features. We know what you’re thinking – that they’re only attracted to men. However, this isn’t true.

Both men and women are capable of having masculine features so whoever they are, as long as they have masculine features, that’s who an androsexual gets attracted to.

This might be one of the confusing genders in this list of sexualities, but the earlier you understand it, the better. [Read: 20 sexually enlightning movies that are all about different sexualities]

13. Gynosexual

When someone identifies as gynosexual, they have a sexual attraction to women and those who have feminine features. Basically, it’s the opposite of the sexuality we explained above.

Again, similar to the concept of androsexuality, they’re attracted to anyone who posses feminine features, whether man or woman. Anybody who is attracted to women can also be attracted to men and other genders that appear to be very feminine in nature.

14. Homoflexible

The idea that your sexuality can be flexible goes against what other people find comfortable. However, homoflexible is very real. If you categorize under this sexuality, your sexuality deserves to be acknowledged and heard just like the other sexualities in this list.

Those who are homoflexible may primarily be attracted to their own gender, however, they will sometimes have a sexual attraction to the opposite gender as well. [Read: What it means to be sexually fluid in the dating world]

15. Heteroflexible

Sexuality is a flexible concept and only you should be able to define what you identify as, and that’s where we have heteroflexibility.

It’s when someone typically has heterosexual desires but occasionally find themselves sexually attracted to those of the same gender. Their heterosexual desires are flexible.

 [Read: Pansexual confessions – what it’s really like to be one]

So, which of the list of sexualities do you resonate with the most?

Sexuality can be confusing and overwhelming espceially when you know more than just a few! In fact, the 15 sexualities in this list are merely the tip of the iceberg. There are several more sexualities you might’ve not heard of.

Being informed of the list of sexualities can help you connect with others better. It’s also a bonus that your known sexuality might be different from who you really are.

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