The coming out thread - Take II

[Paedantic Basterd]

Er, how did you know you were straight?

[Burning Down]

Originally Posted by Vanilla

I look back on my post and think, how do you know if your gay/bisexual? For those that are, what made you realise you were attracted to the same sex?

I think that's something you just know. How do straight people know they are straight? Same answer.

[Scarlett O'Hara]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

Er, how did you know you were straight?

I don't think its the case that you are completely straight or completely gay.

[GuD]

I think there are people who have genuine attractions and people who are open to relationships/sex/whatever with whomever. I don't think everyone experiences attraction the same way on a biological and psychological level. There's quite a bit of science to it that's still not fully understood and I think that makes it hard to classify (when/if applicable) people.

Alas, I'm pretty much just drunk and talking out my ass but I can relate to your confusion, Vanilla.

Edit: I just realized I didn't answer anyone's question and this post is perhaps utterly useless. Move along.

[Engine]

Originally Posted by Vanilla

I don't think its the case that you are completely straight or completely gay.

At your age, how can you not understand your own sexuality? Why are you asking other people who you want to ****?

[GuD]

Dude, that's a pretty ****ty thing to say.....

[Engine]

Originally Posted by WhateverDude

Dude, that's a pretty ****ty thing to say.....

why?

[Scarlett O'Hara]

Originally Posted by WhateverDude

I think there are people who have genuine attractions and people who are open to relationships/sex/whatever with whomever. I don't think everyone experiences attraction the same way on a biological and psychological level. There's quite a bit of science to it that's still not fully understood and I think that makes it hard to classify (when/if applicable) people.

Alas, I'm pretty much just drunk and talking out my ass but I can relate to your confusion, Vanilla.

Edit: I just realized I didn't answer anyone's question and this post is perhaps utterly useless. Move along.

I'd be really interested to see studies about it. Thank you for understanding. And no, your answer was really appreciated.

Originally Posted by Engine

At your age, how can you not understand your own sexuality? Why are you asking other people who you want to ****?

Way to make it black and white. I know plenty of people that aren't sure of their sexuality, even in their 40's. I'm asking because I am not 100% sure whether my attraction to women is just appreciation or something more. I would definitely sleep with a woman if I had the opportunity, more or less to find out whether it's something I want to keep doing. Knowing me, I will most likely never do that. I absolutely love being with men, but I have this niggling feeling about women. I'm sorry if my questions offend you. I am not trying to impose on people, I just want see what thought patterns they have when they consider their sexuality.

[djchameleon]

Originally Posted by Thom Yorke

There are a lot of ways to look at sexuality, and it's a very complex topic, but I think most people look at it on a sliding scale. Looking at it this way, it's quite normal to not be exclusively homosexual or heterosexual. I know the most famous study, the Kinsey study, showed that about half of the males tested had reacted sexually to both sexes in their adult life. I'm not really sure what "reacted" means in this case, however.

As for Odyshape, nothing you were describing was sexual.

This was already mentioned.

Just look up The Kinsey scale.

People go from 1 to 6 on that scale with 6 being completely gay and 1 being completely straight but it is believed that most people are somewhere in between.

[GuD]

I watched a movie on it in either a biology or psychology (same things, in a lot of ways) class a while ago but I can't for the life of me remember it. Googling the science of attraction just brings up a bunch of stupid "X facts about attraction!" kinda crap that's like 90% bogus, 10% common sense (herpderp, so-and-so's pupils dilate when they see someone they're attracted to!). If I can figure out what it was called I'll let you know, don't remember much of it but the bits I do were pretty fascinating.