Let's Get: Fakku's Opinion! #2 - Sexual/Romantic Orientation

Okay, so... as long as I stay alive here, I'm gonna try to make one of these every week. I'll lay out the first few weeks below, then add on if this proves to be successful in any way.

Week #1: Gender Identity & Expression
Week #2: Romantic & Sexual Orientation
Week #3: Gender Roles
Week #4: -isms & -phobias in Film and Media
Week #5: Media & Cultural Treatment of Violence, Sex, and Coarse Language
Week #6+: ????? (Politics?)

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This week, another discussion, about something seen as closely related to gender. Sexuality! Specifically, orientation in this case. It'll be shorter than most, seeing as there isn't really much to talk about.

One common misconception is that gender ties into orientation. That's not true! There are many factors in orientation, from upbringing, to culture, to media and others!

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Once again, some terms:

Sexual Orientation: The gender/sex that a person is physically/sexually attracted to.

Romantic Orientation: The gender/sex that one is romantically attracted to.

Heterosexual: One attracted to the opposite gender/sex from which they identify. Ex: Men attracted to women, transwomen attracted to males, etc.

Homosexual: One who is attracted to the same gender/sex from which they identify.

Bisexual: One who is attracted to two or more genders/sexes.

Pansexual: One who is equally attracted to all genders and sexes, and typically sees people based on personality instead of body.

Asexual: One not attracted to any gender or sex.

Demisexual: An individual who cannot develop attraction to a person without forming a close emotional bond with them first. Or one who rarely experiences attraction.

Exception to the Rule: A person who identifies as one orientation, but experiences attraction to some who do not fit that definition.

Note that, in all cases, it applies to sexual orientation AND sexual orientation.

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Once again, I bring out our handy genderbread person:



And now, question time!

1. What is your sexual orientation?
2. What is your romantic orientation?
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?

1. What is your sexual orientation?
bi
2. What is your romantic orientation?
bi...?
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
Not necessarily, but I feel like they tend to go hand in hand, like lions are yellow.
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Sure, why not?
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
Yes, though both are likely rare edge cases, 'pansexual' being the rarer one.
6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
Nahhhh
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
I'm not really sure, to be honest.
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
All of the above, but of descending importance, in that order.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Both.
2. What is your romantic orientation?
I would say both again, but the tips of the scale are really unbalanced in this case.
We're talking about 80% hetero here.
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
We're talking about an ideal relationship when both are present in it.
But they're not necessarily together.
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
People can have many many fetishes, but Imo there are only three real hard-coded sexual prefrences. Homo, Hetero and the the rare case of Bisexual (rare compared to the other two)
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
People who fuck everything that moves and people who do not fuck anything at all ?
Yes, why not.
6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
No, I would not.
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
Even scientists and psychologists still don't know it. It's way over my head.
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
All of those. And then probalby a few more unlisted stuff. Refer to #7

I like the sound of this weekly discussion thing!

. What is your sexual orientation?
Pansexual.

2. What is your romantic orientation?
Pansexual.

3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
No I don't believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same thing. You could fall for someones personality but still not be attracted to their gender parts.

4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Yes I do.

5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
Yes I do.

6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
Most definitely not!

7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
Well I don't believe that you know your sexual orientation until you start experimenting, or even watching porn and such.

8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
I don't really think any factors play to much into it, I mean you could come from a whole few generations of straight couples and be gay.
I mean sometimes people don't know forsure until they experiment, but some people don't always get that chance depending on how they are raised to look at sexual orientation.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
-Pansexual.

2. What is your romantic orientation?
-Lean more towards the female variety.

3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
-No, I do not. There is a difference between love and lust, even if they're similar.

4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
-Yes, though some of it can be grouped together.

5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
-Yes, obviously.

6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
-I'm pretty content with it.

7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
-No, I don't think so.

8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
I think the environment one stays in and life experiences mostly determine that.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Straight. Not that I wouldn't fuck a guy that looked like a girl. Because in the end it all comes down to the superficial for me. But yeah, I like my girls girly. Men just don't do it for me.

2. What is your romantic orientation?
Straight?

3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
I think that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same. How can you be romantic with someone you aren't sexually attracted to? Shit don't make no sense to me.

4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
I don't know, I don't think it really matters. People label each other far too much. Just do what you want to and don't worry about what it "means" in terms of orientation.

5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
Yeah.

6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
Nope.

7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
I have no idea whatsoever on this matter.

8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
All of those things factor into orientation. I couldn't say which ones are more/less important though, I don't have a lot of knowledge on this topic.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
straight
2. What is your romantic orientation?
straight, i guess? unless you count bromance
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
usually. you can't really have sex with someone if you aren't attracted to them in some way right? it could be possible, but probably just due to a set of morals corrupted by an external factor (like enjoying the feel of another man but being taught that being gay is wrong).
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
techincally you can be asexual (attracted to nobody)
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
monks? priests? nuns? when you cut yourself off from the world and devote yourself to spirituality the person's sex no longer matters.
6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
not really. i don't see any advantages in being gay, and i want my own children anyhow.
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
i honestly do not know. i don't have a gay friend i talk to often nor have i looked into studies. so whatever i saw will probably be flagged as ignorant.
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
possibly culture. my tutor once told me that there is a large amount of gay people in china due to the one child policy. because while there is nothing wrong with being an only child, you act way different than if you had a sibling of either sex. having a whole country of children who have no siblings (and are mostly male as well) probably has a large impact on them. don't quote me on this though because well nothing really is for sure.

1. What is your sexual orientation? bi, cant deny i get those thoughts sometimes

2. What is your romantic orientation? Straight

3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc? no, I've talked with gay men who are just as physically attracted to women as i am at conventions, but would pick guys for romantic relationships.

4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?

5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?

6. If you could change your orientation, would you? i think that really depends... I think people CAN change it if they wanted to, but if they wanted to they probably wuldnt have been very invested in what they were doing earlier, so it wouldnt really be changing, just stopping faking being what theyre not. Thats super confusing.

TL;DR No i wouldnt

7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change? i think the above manages to answer that despite its confusingness

8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
anything except genetics. unless lamarckism becomes accepted again.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Bisexual leaning more toward heterosexual.
2. What is your romantic orientation?
70% homoromantic, 30% heteroromantic.
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
Obviously not. I'm more attracted to women physically, but the male psyche has its appeal.
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Of course. Bisexuality is valid as is pansexuality and asexuality.
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual
Yes, though it would be a very small minority.
If you could change your orientation, would you?
I think I'd be far more productive as an individual if I was asexual and aromantic.
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
I'm going to simply say, I don't know. The necessary science isn't completed and until it is I'm happy to remain agnostic about it.
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
Refer to 7.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Pansexual
2. What is your romantic orientation?
Heterosexual (just cause i think a relationship with a woman either than sex is madness)
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation andromantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic,tc? Birowhat? I plea the 5th on this one..
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Yes
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
Asexual no ... No way i refuse to believe that
6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
NEVER. Where is the fun in that
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
This one is a tough one... By what standars ? If a homosexual can be changed in hetero and vise versa then no but i do believe we can coexist somewhere in the middle
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
Not genes but all the others

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Heterosexual. However, if it's serious sexual stuff then somewhere between demisexual and asexual, since I'm terrified of the stuff happening to me.
2. What is your romantic orientation?
Mostly heterosexual. Mostly because it's super rare that I feel non-family love.
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
Eh, close enough.
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Yeah.
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
Sure, why not. Although I believe that not everyone who says that they are either of the two is telling the truth even if they believe it.
6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
Well, demisexual sounds nice. Although that's mostly because I like the prefix, it sounds very nice and what I would ideally be.
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
With the former, I do not. One's orientation can change from many things, such as fear, how it's treated in society, excessive alcohol with your different-orientated friend that would abuse your drunken state, so on and so forth.
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
See number seven.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Straight
2. What is your romantic orientation?
Hetrosexual
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
Similair But i look at Sexual Orientation as more as who I want to fuck and Romantic as more of a emotional thing
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
I believe in Bi's and though I've never known or heard of one, asexual's.
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
I can believe in asexuals, but to be a pansexual, I have my doubts on this one. To me the person must be very naive.
6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
Same?
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
I believe that most humans are straight from birth, but can be changed.
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
Human's are biologicaly ment to be male x female, thats how we survive, and repopulate. If we where born homosexual it may be a problem. But as we grow up, how we are nurtured and other factors (too tired to list), can sway our orientation.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
I would think pan, but I don't have the experience to account for it.

2. What is your romantic orientation?
Same as 1.

3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
After watching Kashimashi, I wonder myself. I was recently, romantically attracted to someone that looking back, I don't think, I was sexually attracted too.

4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Yes.

5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
From my vague understanding of, yes.

6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
Not really, can't think of a reason too.

7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
Not sure, to be honest... Mine did, but became what it is now before maturity ended so I can't reference myself.

8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
Lack of conditioning and of culture, for me. With the intrusion of my step father at 6, and the birth of my little brother at 10, I was left to teach myself Morales and Values, a lot of which I learned from observation of social interactions, Anime/Manga/Games(JRPG's), other media (Will and Grace may have played a big role), and studying things around the world. Still to this day my view of the world is still changing. I find that anything with a female form to be physically attractive to me. Romantically I am driven by personality, most desirable trait I (not at them moment) look for would be the desire for self improvement, working on weaknesses, probably due to past trauma.

Also, thought this would be a relevant thing to post.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Straight
2. What is your romantic orientation?
Straight
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
As tegs said, I believe you can be different for the two, but generally they are the same
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Yes. I believe there is such a thing as bi, pansexual... Maybe even asexual
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
Yes, yes I do.
6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
I doubt it. I like how I am
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
Yes and no... I feel like how you were brought up has a big factor, but that the basis for it is there from birth.
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
How they were raised is one thing that makes me interested. Makes me wonder if how they were raised affects how they come out. Whether their parents give them more girly toys/ manly toys, and/ or if they they have more of one type of sibling (ie, a little girl has all brothers, or a little boy has all sisters).
But other than that, Genetics has a part as well, I think.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Heterosexual


2. What is your romantic orientation?
Heterosexual

3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
I never gave much thought about it but I don't think there's a general answer. It can only be yes or no in certain cases. Usually, girls find comfort in other girls which can lead to a romantic relationship, but then again, there's a reason why the "college fase" is a cliché.

4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Bisexal yes. The others don't seem to qualify as a sexual atraction. Asexual for example. It seems a bit of an oxymoron to say "My sexual orientation is having no sexual orientation". May look like a cool sentence, but it doesn't make much sense in a dissertation about sexuality.

5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
Asexual yes. Pansexual no. Maybe the description in the main post is a bit shallow but it seems like a way to embelish the concept of bisexual. You may fall in love with a person after getting to know him/her but I doubt there can be a sexual attraction towards personality. Besides, as an animal species, it sounds conter intuitive. A man looking at a girls butt at the beach isn't so different from a frog's croak.

6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
Maybe. Heterosexuality is like choosing between ice cream or chocolate. A bisexual person can have both.

7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
You can be choose to be more open minded, maybe even have sex with a person you're not attracted to but only from a "mechanical" sense like a porn star for example. I don't think you can choose what you're attracted to. I didn't choose to like girls (or girls feet for that matter) the same way a gay kid doesn't choose to be gay. Reminds me of Bill Maher's quote on the subject when he says bullied kids go "How can I get beat up more?"

8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
Again, there can be no definite answer to this. I would say it's genetics but Psychology has worked hard to decide between nature or nurture and there's still no correct answer. Brilliant psychologists have chosen one, the same way as other brilliant psychologists have chosen the other.

1. What is your sexual orientation? Heterosexual. However, I don't want to have sexual intercourse. I don't like being touched.
2. What is your romantic orientation? Aromantic
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
No
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Yeah, there are people out there who claim to be other types.
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual? Yes
6. If you could change your orientation, would you? It sucks that I'll never have sex, but I'm fine the way I am.
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change? It might be set from birth, I don't know.
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture? All of the above.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Bisexual

2. What is your romantic orientation?
Both had male, female and transsexual partners in my life time.

3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
I don't think it matters. It's personal responses that determines relationships and romance attractions. Just because your straight, gay or bi doesn't mean your romantically inclined to that role. You can be sexually attractive to one or both sexes and not want romance or a deep relationship with that sex or both. Sex and love are two different concept that may connect or be opposite. Ie down low males who want male buttocks but are male/female romantically connected or even the opposite gay males who want companionship with same sex but like sex with females and plenty of more shit.

4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Of course. bi/tri/pan/fuck a dog/fuck a truck/those who are B.O.B dependent.[Battery Operated Boyfriend] Or encase of a few weebs here. Hand and onahole junkies.

5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
Pan yes. Asexual not really in nature, but like the cases of pedophiles and some homosexuals and rapists i do believe some are made that way by other deviants. No one is born asexual without some mental or chemical/medical reason.

6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
Yes and no because unlike most gay or bi people i was never got fuck with by people or families. If i was harassed or grew up with extreme religious nuts maybe. My father doesn't like mine or my sister's choice to be born this way. Why fight it and just accept it. But i don't like manly men or anal sex on myself so i think my father can cope with it i guess.

7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
More birth but some are made that way by abuse. Some choose it, but that like 2%. You can change but your always gonna want that sex anyways. Why fight nature and be miserable.

8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
All three. Culture play the part of normality and the role the male/female sex act is for in social scenes. Genetics has in can homosexuality can be passed to others is bullshit, but a gay gene has a mutation... i think they found some evidence for that. Conditioning in a extreme case of sexual abuse of course can make people click that way. The idea that gay can be taught can be somewhat true but nature without extreme trauma is to powerful. Your genes are too strong. Look at people who got sex changes has babies because of intersex disorders. You can turn a boy into a girl and pump them with hormones but there true self will rise within.

This is just opinions since i can only speak for myself and others i know. My psychology degree isn't human sex nor general disordered based. Criminology based victim and criminology.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
straight
2. What is your romantic orientation?
As Im straight and a women I date men. Ive dated one bisexual guy I see nothing wrong with dating someone of a different orientation but I would only date men.
3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same?
I do, witch is why I fumbled around a lot with the previous question. I think your sexual orientation determins those you would also being romanticly attracted to. I don't belive personaly you can bisexual, pansexual or gay unless you can LOVE someone of the same sex as you.
4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
theres proof that people have attractitions to objects and locations so sure!
5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
Yes! asexuality was something I once considered and had my own troubles trying to learn about myself. while I learned I am not asexual I can respect and understand those who are as well as pansexual.
6. If you could change your orientation, would you? 
7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
I belive it is for the most part but expirences in life can also play a role.
8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
brain chemistry, culture... a lot of factors I think play a role. I belive the initial aspect of your sexuality is given to you at birth but depending on the expirences you have throuout your life you may not realisr your oritentation till later and something may influence you in one way or another.

1. What is your sexual orientation?
Straight. Not saying I can't find a man visually appealing, but sexual attraction? Nah.

2. What is your romantic orientation?
Pansexual maybe? I don't quite believe in 'romantic love' like so. I love my girl and my bros in pretty much the same way. I have friends that I would happily spend my life with but still have no sexual attraction to, and it wouldn't be a 'romantic' relationship. "Romantic love" for me is essentially just a strong sense of friendship mixed with sexual attraction.


3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?
Again, I don't believe in romance in that sense. But to make it easier for everyone I will say no. I believe that they are in essence different from one another but often go hand in hand.

4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?
Absolutely.

5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?
On a sexual level, yes.

6. If you could change your orientation, would you?
Nope.

7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?
I'm pretty sure it can change.

8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?
All of them, Genetics being the primal factor, closely followed by culture.

• 1. What is your sexual orientation?

Straight

• 2. What is your romantic orientation?

Straight

• 3. Do you believe that sexual orientation and romantic orientation are the same? As in, do you believe someone who is bisexual will be biromantic, etc?

It'd be silly to assume that that's always the case

• 4. Do you believe in orientations other than hetero & homosexual?

Eh, sure. Whatever makes people happy.

• 5. Do you believe someone can be pansexual/asexual?

See above answer

• 6. If you could change your orientation, would you?

Got no reason to want to.

• 7. Do you believe one's orientation is set from birth? Or that it can change?

I think one's orientation is mostly influenced by the environment they grow up in, their relationships with other people, and their attitudes in reaction to their childhood experiences.

Can it change? Probably.

• 8. What factors do you believe play a role in orientation? Genetics? Conditioning? Culture?

See above. Culture plays a big part in dealing with, or accepting, an orientation.