Most people are familiar with the abbreviation LGBTQ+, which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, as well as anyone who does not identify as straight but does not fit into any of the other letters’ descriptions. The term, however, is only the top of the rainbow iceberg. Here’s all you need to know about sexuality, as well as a more comprehensive list of the most frequent sexualities.
What is sexuality?
The components of your identity that deal with how you portray yourself to the world, who you love, and who you find yourself close to. It’s the way a person feels and communicates their relationship to sex, desire, arousal, and eroticism, according to sexologist Carol Queen, PhD.
“It might encompass a lot of different parts (what kind of person you’d want to have sex with, specific preferences, and more), but we commonly use this term as shorthand for sexual orientation and the variety of ways people can express both desire and identity,” she says. “Sexuality can be flexible in a person’s life, therefore its parts may alter,” she adds.
How many sexualities are there?
As the way we communicate about sexual orientation evolves, new words are continually being developed and adopted into popular language, hence there is no fixed number of sexualities. This isn’t to argue that new varieties of sexuality are coming out of nowhere; rather, new terminology is being developed to express intricacies of sexual attraction and behaviour that have always existed. These terms allow people to feel seen and connect with others who share their interests. They also aid in describing one’s identity, communicating with others about one’s relationship preferences, and determining compatibility with possible partners.
While there is no limit to the number of different sexual orientations, there are a few terms that you’ll hear more often than others.
List of sexualities
#1. Allosexual
Anyone who feels sexual attraction is an allosexual. Because allosexual isn’t to gender but rather attraction, those who identify as allosexual can also identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or any other orientation. This is in contrast to asexuality, which is further down.
#2. Androsexual
Someone who is androsexual will find themselves sexually or emotionally attracted to folks on the more masculine side. For some people, this attraction has very little to do with biology; it’s more about having a masculine identity or gender presentation. Alternatively, some people also use the term androsexual to refer to attraction to any folks with penises, though still with a focus on people with more masculine presentations.
#3. Asexual
Asexual people don’t get sexually like to other people of any gender. However, an asexual person might be romantically like to people of different genders or the same gender, and some asexual people do have sex in particular situations. This one major part of list of sexualities
#4. Autosexual
Have you ever wished you could have sex with yourself if there were two of you? If you answered yes, you may be autosexual, which means you are sexually attracted to yourself. This list of sexualities are rare
#5. Bi-curious
Someone who is bi-curious is someone who likes learning more about bisexuality or has already started doing so. However, there is significant debate as to whether this phrase has biphobic roots.
#6. Bisexual
Someone who is bisexual is likely to be attracted to more than one gender romantically, sexually, or emotionally. It can occasionally collide with pansexuality, which is the attraction to persons of all genders. (To learn more about how to tell if you’re pansexual or bisexual, click here.)
#7. Closeted
Closeted people, commonly known as “in the closet people,” are members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have yet to openly recognize their identity. These persons usually have good reasons for keeping their sexual identity hidden, such as to prevent prejudice from an intolerant group or to avoid being “out” of the closet. Some persons who have hidden for a long time may or may not ever “come out.”
#8. Demisexual
Demisexuality is a type of asexuality. It characterizes someone who is exclusively sexually like someone with whom they have a deep romantic or emotional attachment. This list of sexualities is also rare.
#9. Fluid
Sexual fluidity is a term by some people to describe their sexuality. Instead of having one way of experiencing attraction, a person who is fluid views their sexuality or sexual identity as shifting over time or in different settings.
#10. Gay
Someone who is sexually, romantically, or emotionally attracted to others of the same gender is referred to as gay. Some women who date other women choose to refer to themselves as lesbians, while others prefer to refer to themselves as queer.
#11. Graysexual
Graysexuals likes the grey areas of the sexuality spectrum and has a low level of sexual attraction. This means they will only experience the sexual attraction on rare occasions, and when they do, it will be mild.
#12. Gynesexual
In contrast to metrosexuals, who are interested in the masculine, gynesexuals are drawn to women and those who have a more feminine gender presentation. Some people use the term gynesexual to express their attraction to women who have vaginals, breasts, and a more feminine physical appearance.
#13. Heterosexual or straight
People who are only sexually, emotionally, or romantically attracted to people of the “opposite” gender i.e., men who are attracted to women exclusively, or women who are attracted to men exclusively are referred to as heterosexual or straight.
#14. Heteroflexible or homoflexible
A heteroflexible individual is typically straight (heterosexual), but is attracted to the same gender or other genders on rare occasions. A homoflexible person is primarily gay (homosexual), but maybe attracted to the “opposite” gender on occasion. A homoflexible male, for example, may prefer to date and sleep with other men but may also date and sleep with women on occasion. There’s still a disagreement about whether these phrases are in biphobia, just like bi-curiosity.
#15. Homosexual
The term homosexual is a bit outdated, but it refers to anyone who is attracted to people of the same or a similar gender. This is another common list of sexualities
#16. Lesbian
A lesbian is a woman who likes other women on mental, physical, and emotional levels. Some women prefer to be gay or queer when they date other women. Some nonbinary people, for example, who don’t identify as women but have more feminine parts to their gender, may use the term lesbian to describe themselves and their interactions with other feminine people.
#17. Pansexual
Someone who identifies as pansexual experiences attraction to folks regardless of sex or gender identity.
List of sexualities flags
“I think the rainbow flag is like the American flag: everyone is underneath it,” Monica Helms, the originator of the Transgender Pride Flag, stated. However, each organization, like each state, has its own flag.”
So, what is it about flags that make them so emblematic of the movement? Gilbert Baker, the designer of the original rainbow Gay Pride Flag, observed, “Flags communicate something.” You’re expressing something by putting a rainbow flag on your windshield.”
To demonstrate your support for the LGBTQ+ community, you may purchase a ready-made flag or design your own custom flag and pennant string flags on Vispronet.
Check out the chart below for a Pride flag list that includes all sexuality and gender flags by the LGBTQ+ community that is frequently shown at parades and events.
#1. Agender Flag
Salem X designed his black, white, grey, and green pride flag, which was originally spotted on Tumblr in February 2014. Because green is the polar opposite of purple, which is a hue that is strong with gender due to its combination of traditionally masculine blue and feminine pink, the flag has a green stripe. Green, on the other hand, is a colour that transcends gender. Agender Pride Flags, like other LGBTQ+ flags like the Transgender Pride Flag, are to be reversible so that the stripes are in the correct order no matter which way they fly.
#2. Ally Flag
While the origin of this black and white/rainbow flag is uncertain, it first appeared in the late 2000s. This is not to be confused with the black and white “straight pride” flags that have appeared on occasion. The “straight pride” banner is a negative protest of the Pride movement, while the “ally” flag shows solidarity for the LGBTQ+ community and embraces the sexualities of others.
#3. Androgynous Flag
The flag on the left resembles a rainbow-style Gay Pride Flag, whilst the flag on the right resembles an equal sign to promote equal rights. The colours of the grey, blue, and pink flags all have the same significance.
#4. Aromantic Flag
The flag’s colours of green, white, grey, and black have been redesigned multiple times. Its earliest iteration had four green, yellow, orange, and black stripes and came from an unknown source. The flag’s second design featured five stripes: dark green, light green, yellow, grey, and black. @cameronwhimsy, a Tumblr user, made it. Cameron is also responsible for the third and final design, which features a white stripe rather than a yellow one.
#5. Asexual Flag
The black, grey, white, and purple flags are logos of The Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN). This flag start by a member of the network in 2010 for a contest on their forum boards.
#6. Bear Flag
Craig Byrnes created this vibrant banner for the International Bear Brotherhood in 1995. The International Bear Brotherhood Flag is also known as the brown and black flag. When Byrnes was investigating the bear subculture for his psychology degree, he designed the flag. Four different variations of the design were on by the community. The poll’s winner was the modern design. However, unlike previous sexuality flags, this one has a different meaning because each colour stripe does not identify a member of the community. Instead, the various brown, white, and black stripes reflect the hues of the bear animal’s actual fur, such as that of grizzly and polar bears.
#7. Bigender Flag
This pink, purple, white, and blue Pride flag represents different gender identities, with the white stripe in the middle inspired by the Transgender Pride Flag.
- Pink Stripes: Femininity
- Purple Stripes: Combination of male and female genders
- White Stripe: Non-binary genders
- Blue Stripes: Masculinity
Conclusion
When it comes to sexual identity, there’s a lot of nuances, which can be both exhilarating and overwhelming. Remember that these words are to be prescriptive or frightening: they’re to make your life easier by allowing you to express yourself and what you want from your relationships. We hope you’ll get one step closer to finding your word if you were looking for it.
FAQ
How many genders are there?
The four genders are masculine, feminine, neuter and common. There are four different types of genders that apply to living and nonliving objects. Masculine gender: It is used to denote a male subtype.
What is 3rd gender called?
Other hijras are born intersex. Often called transgender by outsiders, Indian society and most hijras consider themselves to be the third gender neither male nor female, not transitioning. They are a different gender altogether.
How are hijras born?
Typically, hijra is born with male genitalia, though some are intersex (born with hybrid male/female sex characteristics). Most hijras elect later in life to surgically remove the penis and testicles
