Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic, emotional, and/or sexual attraction to individuals of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to more than one gender. It encompasses who a person is drawn to emotionally and physically and is a core aspect of personal identity
. Common categories of sexual orientation include:
- Heterosexuality : Attraction to the opposite gender.
- Homosexuality : Attraction to the same gender.
- Bisexuality : Attraction to both the same and other genders.
- Asexuality : Little or no sexual attraction to others; sometimes considered a separate category or absence of sexual orientation
Sexual orientation differs from gender identity, which is about a person's internal sense of being male, female, or another gender, rather than who they are attracted to
. People may identify with various labels beyond these categories, such as pansexual or polysexual, or choose no label at all. Sexual orientation is not a choice but an inherent aspect of who a person is, typically emerging between middle childhood and early adolescence
. In summary, sexual orientation defines the pattern of romantic and sexual attraction a person experiences, shaping their intimate relationships and sense of self
