Sexuality is how you identify, what sexual and romantic attraction you feel, and what your interests and preferences in romantic relationships will be? In simple words, Sexuality is fluid.
There are many variations of sexuality- some may find theirs through romance and attraction, while others find theirs simply by looking within.
Another way is to get familiar with the terms that describe different sexual and romantic emotions and orientations.
Here, you’ll discover the many meanings of sexuality. And at the moment, finding your expression of romance and attraction—not as a chore, but as a voyage of discovery.
30 Types of Sexuality
Sexuality, in all its forms, is the one thing that brings us together as a human race. It is about enjoyment, intimacy, and connection. Romance and sexuality are about expression and freedom for sex.
1. Allosexism
It refers to social norms, stereotypes, and practices that operate under the assumption that all humans experience or should experience sexual attraction.
2. Androsexual
A word used to convey sexual or romantic attraction to a man, male, or masculinity. The term intentionally includes attraction to a person identified as a male, regardless of their biology, anatomy, or sex assigned at birth.
3. Asexual
Those who identify as members of the asexual community experience little or no sexual attraction to others, regardless of gender. Asexuality is widespread. Those who identify as asexual may also be identified by one or more terms that can paint a more accurate picture of their relationship to sexual attraction.
Some asexuals, also known as “aces,” are romantically attracted to people of one or more genders. Some asexuals may also engage in sexual activities.
4. Aromantic
Aromantic orientation represents people of all genders who have little or no romantic charm.
5. Autosexual
It is used for a person who feels sexual attraction for himself. A person’s desire to engage in sexual activity such as masturbation does not determine whether or not they are autosexual.
6. Autoromatic
A romantic orientation represents someone who is romantically attracted to themselves. People who identify as autoromatic often report experiencing a relationship with themselves as romantic.
7. Bicurious
It often refers to people who question or investigate bisexuality due to their curiosity about romantic or sexual attraction to people of the same or different gender.
8. Bisexual
A sexual orientation describes people who are sexually, romantically, or emotionally attracted to people of more than one sex.
Bisexuals, also called “bi,” generally include people who are attracted to a variety of people whose gender can be similar or different from their own.
9. Biromantic
People who experience romantic attraction rather than sexual attraction to people of multiple genders.
10. Closeted
A closeted status, or “closet,” refers to people in the LGBTQIA+ community who do not publicly or openly share gender identity, sexual attraction, sexual behavior, gender expression, or gender identity.
A closet is often understood as the opposite of “out” and refers to a figurative private or hidden place from which an LGBTQIA+ person derives in the process of making decisions about disclosing their gender or sexuality.
Some people may come out in one community but stay closeted in others because of fear of discrimination, abuse, rejection, or violence.
11. Coming out
A phrase that refers to the process of opening up about your sexuality and gender. For many LGBTQIA+ people, “coming out” is not a one-time event, but rather a process, a series of moments, and a conversation.
Also described as “coming out of the closet,” this process can include:
- Sharing sexual or romantic attractions or same-sex or similar-sex experiences
- Identifying as a part of LGBTQIA+
- Revealing a specific gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or romantic orientation
Some LGBTQIA+ people choose to keep their sexuality, gender, or intersex status private, while others decide to share these things with loved ones, acquaintances, or the general public.
12. Cupiosexual
Cupiosexuals are asexual people who have not experienced sexual arousal but have a desire to engage in sexual behaviors or relationships.
13. Demisexual
On the asexual spectrum, this sexual orientation represents people who only feel sexual attraction in certain circumstances, such as after establishing a romantic or emotional relationship with someone.
14. Demiromantic
This romantic orientation represents people who only experience romantic charm in certain circumstances, such as after establishing an emotional relationship with someone.
15. Fluid
This phrase refers to the fact that sexuality, sexual attraction, and sexual behavior change over time and may keep changing from time to time.
It is used to describe people who experience sexuality, sexual attraction, or changes in sexual behavior in various situations or throughout their lives. You may hear someone describe their sexuality as fluid.
16. Gay
The term is used to describe people who experience sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction to people of the same or similar sex.
Some women who identify as gay prefer the term “lesbian,” while others prefer “queer” or “gay.” It’s also best to ask for words or terms someone uses to describe themselves.
In the fields of medicine and psychology, this sexual orientation was once called homosexual. “Homosexuality” is now considered an outdated and offensive term and should not be used to refer to LGBTQIA+ people.
17. Graysexual
The term graysexual is used to recognize the gray areas of the sexuality spectrum for people who do not explicitly and exclusively identify as asexual or aromatic.
Many people who identify as sexually gray experience some degree of sexual attraction and desire, but perhaps not at the same level or frequency as those who identify their sexuality as completely outside the asexual spectrum.
18. Grayromantic
A romantic orientation that represents an individual whose romantic attraction exists in the gray area between romantic and aromantic.
Much like graysexual, many people who identify as Grayromantic experience romantic attraction, but probably not at the same level or frequency as those who identify their sexuality or romantic orientation as something other than asexual.
19. Gynesexual
A term used to convey a sexual or romantic allure to a woman, woman, or femininity.
The term intentionally includes attraction to a female, feminity, or person identified as female, regardless of their biology, anatomy, or assigned sex at birth.
20. Heterosexual
This term is used to describe people who experience sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction to people of the “opposite” sex (male and female, male and female, etc.) or the other sex.
People who identify as cisgender and transgender can also be considered heterosexual. This category of sexual orientation is commonly described as straight.
21. Monosexual
A wide range of sexual orientation categories, including those who are romantically or sexually attracted to someone of one sex or gender. Monosexuality generally only includes heterosexuals, gays, or lesbians.
22. Omnisexual
Omnisexual is similar to pansexuals and can be used to represent people whose sexuality is not restricted to a particular gender, sex, or sexual orientation.
23. Pansexual
A term that describes a person who may feel sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction to the person, regardless of gender, sex, or gender.
24. Polysexual
A term used to describe people who have a sexual orientation with sexual or romantic attraction to people of different genders. Directions of polysexuality include, but are not limited to, bisexuality, pansexuality, omnisexuality, and queerness.
25. Pomosexual
A term used to refer to people who reject or do not assimilate a label of sexuality. The pomosexual is not always an identity.
26. Passing
Passing refers to society’s perception and assumptions about someone’s sexuality and gender.
Specifically, the term is most commonly used to describe the frequency and degree to which LGBTQIA+ people are perceived as or assumed to be heterosexual or cisgender.
It’s important to note that some LGBTQIA+ people want to pass, while others don’t. In fact, acts perceived as heterosexual or cisgender can be a source of discomfort and discrimination for some people in the LGBTQIA+ community.
27. Questioning
The process of interest in and exploration of certain aspects of sexuality and gender. Questioning can also be used as an adjective to describe someone who is currently researching their sexual orientation or gender.
28. Sapiosexual
A word used to describe someone who experiences attraction based on intelligence, not sex or gender.
29. Skoliosexual
A sexual orientation that represents people who are sexually attracted to people with non-cisgender gender identity, such as non-binary, genderqueer, and transgender.
30. Spectrasexual
A term used to describe people who are sexually or romantically attracted to multiple or different genders, sexes, and gender identities, but not necessarily all of them.
