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What is being heterosexual?

If you are heterosexual or ‘straight’ you are attracted to people of the opposite sex.

How do I know if I’m heterosexual?

• Lots of people know from quite a young age if they are attracted to boys or girls, but some people might not start thinking about relationships and who they fancy until they are older.
• You can also be straight even if you have fancied someone who is the same sex as you.

Is it normal?

• Being attracted to someone of the opposite sex is completely normal.
• Because more people are straight than are gay, lesbian or bisexual, some people think being gay, lesbian or bisexual is ‘abnormal’. This is not true - no sexuality is better or more normal than another.
• At the end of the day no-one is really ‘normal’ - whether you're gay, bisexual or heterosexual you're one of the remarkable individuals that make up the human race.

All the same?

Gay, straight and bisexual are categories we use to describe who we are sexually attracted to. In some ways these categories are useful as they help us to meet people who we can have relationships with, but in other ways they cause problems as they make us think we are very different when we are not.

It does not matter if you are gay, straight or bisexual, when it comes to having sex, relationships and falling in love, it is the same for everyone.

If you want to talk to someone about this contact one of our Talksafe Counsellors or Peer Mentors.

Links

NHS Choices: Am I gay, lesbian or bisexual?

Last review: 01/06/11 - Next review: 01/06/13