Sexual orientation refers to the emotional and sexual attraction towards male and female (male or female). There are four categories of sexual orientation, which are as follow heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality and asexuality. People who are sexually and emotionally attracted toward opposite sex comes under the category of heterosexuality and formally known as, heterosexual and informally straight. People who are attracted towards same sex are categorized as homosexual and informally as gay and lesbian. Males are called informally gay and females are called lesbian. Those people who are attracted towards both male and female comes under the category of bisexuality and called as bisexual. Asexual people do not have feelings and sexual attraction towards both male and female. In USA and most countries of the world heterosexuality is considered as normative behavior.
According to American psychological association, people discover their sexual orientation during middle childhood and early adolescence. It is not necessary to have intimate relationship to discover sexual orientation. The discovery of sexual orientation can be based on feelings and emotions. People of different sexual orientation may have different experiences in the discovery and acceptance of their sexual orientation. Some people discover and accept their sexual orientation in early puberty though, others may discover their sexual orientation at same age but hesitate to accept it, if it is not considered normative like homosexuality and bisexuality.
There is no scientific evidence regarding different sexual orientation. Studies have been conducted, to identify hormonal, genetic, social and cultural influence on sexual orientation though, no evidence has been found yet to link sexual orientation with the mentioned factors. However, another study has been conducted to identify “discrimination against homosexuality and bisexuality” at school and workplace. Study results suggest that, 4 per 1000 people discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation at workplace, military and school.
