Sexual Identity Confusion in Teens
One of the tasks of adolescence is formation of a personal identification and a major part of this is sexual identity.
Children easily label themselves as male or female, but sexual orientation does not come totally established until late adolescence.
In my clinical practice, I counseled many youngsters for sexual identity confusion, as well as those openly homosexual.
They struggled in their "adjustments" to a society that provided acceptance sparingly.
I saw the anguish of the child and the teen as they attempted to cope with being and feeling different from their peers.
Instead of living their childhood and teens years with expectations of the "normal" trials of their youth, they had to cope with:
Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well-considered, and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child's spirit.
Erik Erikson Homosexuality is not a classifiable psychological or mental disorder.
In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association, in its revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders, removed homosexuality as a diagnosis.
Gender Identity Disorder for Childhood and Adolescents are listed as dysfunctions.
How prevalent are childhood and adolescent gender sexual identity disorders? A well done professional survey study was done in 1992, (Remafedi, G.
, et al) that included 34,706 students (grades seven through twelve) from diverse ethic, geographical, and socioeconomic strata.
Overall, 10.
7% were "unsure and confused" about their sexual orientation, 88.
2% described themselves as heterosexual, and 1.
1% as bisexual or predominantly homosexual.
(Remafedi, G.
, et al) In 2006, I conducted a survey of 186 high school school students (mostly middle-to-upper-middle socioeconomic and mostly Caucasians, freshmen through seniors) in my home state of Louisiana.
Results indicated a 12% rate of confusion in sexual identity, the exact same rate for males and females.
A word or two of caution in interpreting the above data.
Adolescence is a time to experiment, and certainly sexual activity is explored.
Whatever the sexual activity, it does not indicate either a present or future sexual orientation.
Misinterpreting the significance of teen sexual behavior in relation to sexual identity should be avoided.
For example:
Have compassion, not pity or anger toward them.
Accept them as a member of our humanity.
If you are a parent of a gay teen, support them; if you are a teacher, protect them from peer abuse; if you are a neighbor, understand them; if you are a peer, include them.
Children easily label themselves as male or female, but sexual orientation does not come totally established until late adolescence.
In my clinical practice, I counseled many youngsters for sexual identity confusion, as well as those openly homosexual.
They struggled in their "adjustments" to a society that provided acceptance sparingly.
I saw the anguish of the child and the teen as they attempted to cope with being and feeling different from their peers.
Instead of living their childhood and teens years with expectations of the "normal" trials of their youth, they had to cope with:
- Feeling crippling guilt about their sexual orientation.
- Worry and fear about parental and peer response.
- Being teased and ridiculed by their peers, and shunned by most people including love ones.
- Worried about sexually transmitted diseases.
- Discrimination in areas of group membership,in sports, employment, and social clubs.
- Suicidal thoughts.
- Inability to concentrate and focus on school.
- Are my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors immoral, and will I go to hell?
Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well-considered, and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child's spirit.
Erik Erikson Homosexuality is not a classifiable psychological or mental disorder.
In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association, in its revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders, removed homosexuality as a diagnosis.
Gender Identity Disorder for Childhood and Adolescents are listed as dysfunctions.
How prevalent are childhood and adolescent gender sexual identity disorders? A well done professional survey study was done in 1992, (Remafedi, G.
, et al) that included 34,706 students (grades seven through twelve) from diverse ethic, geographical, and socioeconomic strata.
Overall, 10.
7% were "unsure and confused" about their sexual orientation, 88.
2% described themselves as heterosexual, and 1.
1% as bisexual or predominantly homosexual.
(Remafedi, G.
, et al) In 2006, I conducted a survey of 186 high school school students (mostly middle-to-upper-middle socioeconomic and mostly Caucasians, freshmen through seniors) in my home state of Louisiana.
Results indicated a 12% rate of confusion in sexual identity, the exact same rate for males and females.
A word or two of caution in interpreting the above data.
Adolescence is a time to experiment, and certainly sexual activity is explored.
Whatever the sexual activity, it does not indicate either a present or future sexual orientation.
Misinterpreting the significance of teen sexual behavior in relation to sexual identity should be avoided.
For example:
- Many lesbian/gay teens are not sexually experienced.
- Many lesbian/gay adolescents may have heterosexual experiences.
- Heterosexual teens may have heterosexual experiences.
- Some adolescents may self-identify as lesbian or gay without having homosexual or heterosexual experiences.
Have compassion, not pity or anger toward them.
Accept them as a member of our humanity.
If you are a parent of a gay teen, support them; if you are a teacher, protect them from peer abuse; if you are a neighbor, understand them; if you are a peer, include them.
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