Top 10 types of sexual orientation

Talking about different types of sexual orientations is conflicting. It is already known that defining is limiting, and this becomes especially obvious when what is being defined is something as subjective as the patterns of sexual attraction and the different criteria that are used to determine if something is sexually attractive or not.

How to name what seems desirable to us? Isn't sexuality lived as something linked to certain moments, contexts and states of mind?

The main types of sexual orientation

What attracts us (or not) about people are not concrete and immutable elements that belong to them and that can be worn like someone who wears a new shirt. We can never say with certainty where the desire that someone in particular produces comes from, and even less to assure that that element will always be attractive to us.

However, it is increasingly common to talk about a range of types of sexual orientation that over time is gaining in breadth and variety. Homosexuality has long ceased to be the only alternative to heterosexuality, and as Consequently, our notion of what sexual orientation is or can be is increasingly complex and full of nuances.

Categories created by science?

The fact that more and more proposals are made to diversify the variants of sexual orientation does not remove the fact that the dichotomy "homosexuality - heterosexuality "continues to have vigor and in many circles people and their inclinations continue to be classified in these two categories. The reason is that these two concepts have an objective basis: the biological sex of people. The rest of the types of sexual orientation, however, are based on subjective phenomena, for better and for worse..

The denominations or labels to define multiple types of sexuality do not arise from the field of psychology or biology, but rather appear as part of an initiative of social root (historically linked to movements in favor of equality) to vindicate and give visibility to ways of living sexuality that are eclipsed by the norm: heterosexuality.

That means that behind the creation of these categories to name the different types of sexual orientations there is no claim to label each and every one of the variants that we could identify if we got to it, and you don't want to find ways of living sex that coincide with certain organic bases (unusual neural connections between certain areas, a functioning atypical of some parts of the brain, etc.).

They are not concepts made to serve the purposes of science, but to achieve social repercussion. In particular, what is intended when using these terms is to be more sensitive to people who tend to live an alternative kind of sexual orientation.

Can we talk about the most important types of sexual orientation?

If defining what is and what is not one type of sexual orientation different from another is already complicated, it is even more difficult to talk about which are the most important. It is something subjective and depends on arbitrary criteria to order sexual orientations from highest to lowest importance. and that, in short, they do not tell us anything about whether one is more valid than the other.

In this case, I have selected the types of sexual orientation that tend to appear more in the media so that people interested in the subject can begin to investigate.

Types of sexual orientation

Here is an explanation of each of the most studied types of sexual orientation.

1. Heterosexuality

It's sexual orientation defined by attraction to people of the opposite sex, exclusively. It is possibly the most common kind of sexual orientation.

2. Homosexuality

Characterized by sexual attraction directed exclusively towards people of the same sex. Gay men are popularly known as gayswhile women are lesbians.

3. Bisexuality

Sexual attraction to people of the same and opposite sex, although not necessarily with the same frequency or intensity in one case or the other.

4. Pansexuality

Sexual attraction to some peopleregardless of their biological sex or gender identity. The difference between pansexuality and bisexuality is that in the second case, sexual attraction is continues to experiment across gender categories, while pansexuality does not occur this. To know more you can read the article on this sexual orientation.

5. Demisexuality

Demisexuality is described as the appearance of sexual attraction only in some cases in which a strong emotional or intimate bond has previously been established.

6. Lithsexuality

People with this type of sexual orientation they experience attraction to other people, but do not feel the need to be reciprocated.

7. Autosexuality

In autosexuality, attraction is experienced towards oneself, without this having to be synonymous with narcissism. It can be understood as a way of nurturing affection or self-esteem.

8. Antrosexuality

This concept It serves so that people who experience their sexuality can identify with it without knowing in which category to identify themselves and / or without feeling the need to classify in any of them.

9. Polysexuality

In this type of sexual orientation is attracted to various groups of people with specific gender identities. According to the criteria used to classify, it can be understood that polysexuality overlaps with other sexual orientations such as pansexuality.

10. Asexuality

Asexuality serves to name the lack of sexual attraction. Many times it is considered that it is not part of the diversity of sexual orientations, being its denial. You can read more about asexuality in this article.