How does a person know they are gay

Adolescence is the dawn of sexual attraction. It happens due to the hormonal changes of puberty. These changes involve both the body and the mind — so just thinking about someone attractive can cause physical arousal.

These new feelings can be intense, confusing, sometimes even overwhelming. Teens are start to discover what it means to be attracted romantically and physically to others. And recognizing one's sexual orientation is part of that process.

What Is Sexual Orientation?

The term sexual orientation refers to the gender (that is, male or female) to which a person is attracted. There are several types of sexual orientation that are commonly described:

• Heterosexual (straight). People who are heterosexual are romantically and physically attracted to members of the opposite sex: males are attracted to females, and females are attracted to males. Heterosexuals are often called "straight."
• Homosexual (gay or lesbian). People who are homosexual are romantically and physically attracted to people of the alike sex: females are attracted to other fema

  by Fred Penzel, PhD

  This article was initially published in the Winter edition of the OCD Newsletter. 

  OCD, as we know, is largely about experiencing severe and unrelenting doubt. It can cause you to suspect even the most basic things about yourself – even your sexual orientation. A study published in the Journal of Sex Research found that among a group of college students, 84% reported the occurrence of sexual intrusive thoughts (Byers, et al. ). In order to have doubts about one’s sexual identity, a sufferer need not ever possess had a homo- or heterosexual experience, or any type of sexual experience at all. I include observed this symptom in young children, adolescents, and adults as well. Interestingly Swedo, et al., , set up that approximately 4% of children with OCD experience obsessions concerned with forbidden aggressive or perverse sexual thoughts.

  Although doubts about one’s own sexual identity might seem pretty straightforward as a symptom, there are actually a number of variations. The most obvious form is where a sufferer experiences the thought that they mig
  
  

  Before you begin your Freudian psychoanalysis, make sure to mention that you possess a ‘gay-dar’, and don’t forget to detail how accurate it is and has always been. Frame it as an insurmountable achievement of yours. After all, it is much more prestigious than being awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. There’s no need to think about the reliability or accuracy of your data collection because you don’t have any, so just launch straight in.

  Not everybody can be a gay or lesbian. There is a specific skill to identifying those of us who are. Here are some tell-tale signs that someone is a gay or lesbian:

  The first thing to take notice of when deciding someone’s sexuality on their behalf, namely whether a dude is gay or not, is to observe how high-pitched their voice is. The more high-pitched their usual speaking voice is, the more likely it is that you are talking to a gay person. This is because the pitch of your voice has nothing to do with biology: it’s actually determined by your sexuality. Forget what scientists say – they’re all just conspiracy theorists, really.

  The second hint to get n
  
  

  How Do I Know If I Am Gay? Signs You Are Gay

  Particularly when young, some people may ask, "How do I know if I am gay?" if they hold conflicting sexual feelings. When it comes down to it, there is no reliable "Am I Gay test", so the only way to know that you are gay (definition of gay) is to look within yourself to determine your own thoughts and feelings towards others of the same sex. You might also desire to consider the possibility that you are neither gay nor straight and are bisexual or just curious.

  There are also signs that you might be gay to consider.

  Signs You Are Gay

  There is no one way that gay people act or peek – gay people are just as diverse as straight people. Just because you are a dude who is effeminate or a woman who is boyish, that does not mean that you're necessarily gay. So don't descent into the trap of thinking that your clothes, hair or attitude determines your sexuality.

  When looking at the signs you are gay, you might wish to ask yourself these questions:¹

  • Have I ever been sexually attracted to the same sex?
  • Do I verb strong emotional bonds to