Homosexuality
Homosexuality is when you are sexually attracted to other people of the same sex as you (and only the same sex). For example, if you are a boy and you are sexually attracted to other boys (and only other boys) you would be homosexual. Same for girls, if you are a girl and you are sexually attracted to other girls (and only other girls), you would be homosexual. Homosexual men are usually called gay men and homosexual women are usually called gay women or lesbians. Some people use the term same-sex attraction? for homosexuality.
I don't think you can choose to be or not be gay. I don't think it's your fault or responsibility if you should happen to be gay, and I don't think it can be from anything you did or failed to do. I don't believe God can or will condemn you just for being sexually attracted to people. I hear that going to God to stop being gay doesn't work or help (sometimes called "trying to pray the gay away").
Gay people (both men and women) have been treated awfully in the past, and still are sometimes. For example there was (and is, unfortunately, still), conversion therapy?.
This is probably going to be the most controversial page on this website because of what I believe. I believe that having sexual activity with people of the same sex as you is wrong.
I have heard that about 1.1% of men are strictly homosexual and that 0.6-0.7% of women are strictly homosexual. So it's not that common, despite the attention in society it receives.
Some people might think they are gay because of what has turned them on (caused them sexual arousal) in internet porn. This could be you if you're a man and you seem to like some people with penises in porn or if you're a woman and you seem to want to look at the women in porn more than the men. (One of many reasons not to look at porn.) Most likely you're not actually gay. I should probably make an article just for this subject.
Some people have a repeated intrusive thought or fear they can't get rid of that they might be gay, and they're really not. This is called hOCD?, or homosexual OCD.
Homosexuality is called a "sexual orientation" but I currently don't use that term, partially because it doesn't explain how people can be bisexual?.
If you're attracted to both boys and girls that would mean you're bisexual, which is a little different from homosexuality.
I have heard that some people have stopped being gay, but I have also heard that it's impossible to change from being gay to straight.
Slang and euphemisms
- Sexual inversion (old term for homosexuality)
- Fag/faggot (slur for a gay person, probably a man or a boy)
- Lezzie for lesbian, also probably not very nice