Homosexuality

Homosexuality is persistent sexual and emotional attraction towards someone of same gender. It’s a part of sexual expression range. Homosexuality has existed throughout history in different cultures. 

Homosexuality is a type of sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is a constant attraction towards a person in the emotional, romantic, sexual and affective area. This sexual orientation in the homosexual is independent from the biological gender (being a woman or man), from the gender identity (the psychological feeling of being a man or a woman), and from the social roles that genders implies (such as some cultural norms related to the feminine or masculine behavior). 

Sexual orientation is different from sexual behavior because it refers to the feelings of a person and the image she or he has about him/herself (Self-image). People can decide if they want to express their sexual orientation on their behavior.

Homosexuality in adolescents

For every teenager, development is a task full of challenges and demands. An important aspect in this stage is to define their sexual identity, which is established by the end of adolescence.

During this process several people experience one or more homosexual experiences, especially at the beginning of adolescence. This is not a determinant on the sexual orientation they will have later (at the end of adolescence), because the objective of this experience is to experiment out of curiosity.

In these first homosexual experiences some teenagers become aware of their homosexuality or lesbianism for the first time and go from simple experimentation to having homosexual thoughts and feelings. In other developmental areas these adolescents with homosexual orientation are similar to the heterosexual ones. They will experience the same adolescent challenges, tasks and stress.  

Conflicts on the sexual orientation acceptance

By the end of adolescence is when sexual identity is established. When a teenager has discovered a homosexual orientation, he/she should accept it and define him/herself as such.

Many teenagers with homosexual orientation will experience great preoccupation and anxiety by thinking about or experiencing people of their same gender.

The teenager that is aware of his or her sexual orientation should accept him/herself and feel comfortable with it, should feel supported and not discriminated. Nobody is a bad person for experiencing a sexual attraction for people of their same sex. You should not discriminate or harass someone for having a homosexual orientation or behavior. You should accept and give him or her your support.

Knowledge and information on homosexuality is growing, but teenagers still have lots of questions and worries when they experience a homosexual orientation.

These worries are:

• Feeling different from their peers (friends or classmates)
• Feeling guilty for their sexual orientation
• Feeling worried about their family and loved ones reaction to their sexual orientation;
• Being the object of teasing and bullying from peers,
• Worries about AIDS, and other Sexual Transmitted Diseases;
• Fear discrimination if they try to be part of clubs, sport teams, admitted to college or getting a job; 
• Being rejected or harassed by others.

Teenagers that don’t feel comfortable with their homosexual orientation, that manifest a hard time accepting it, are the ones that suffer more. They can isolate themselves, split apart from friends, and have problems with concentration and developing self-esteem. They can develop depression and are at risk of suicide.

These teenagers (especially in middle adolescence) who do not accept their sexual orientation need counselling. They can benefit from the opportunity to clarify their emotions, have support and accept the way they are. Therapy can also help the teenager deal with other conflicts or problems in the personal, school, or family area.