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Can I know my sexual orientation without having any romantic or sexual experiences?

Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on May 31, 2015
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Absolutely. Sexuality is a part of you, no experience required. The only experience needed to know is experience you already have. Just like you can tell if you like apples by trying them, you can look at and be around a certain gender and know if you're attracted to it or not. You don't need to sleep with someone or be in a relationship with someone to know if you want to.
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Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Apr 29, 2015
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Yes. Your sexual orientation has nothing to do with sexual experiences. If you're bi for example you do not have to have had intimate relations with a boy and a girl to know that you're attracted to both sexs. If you're attracted to them then you're attracted to them, simple as that.
Profile: geovanisouza92
geovanisouza92 on Apr 6, 2015
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Change the term "orientation" to "attraction". What attract you most? If you is a teenager, believe me, you don't know yet and have no reason to accelerate this "decision". Someday you will figure it out.
Profile: Brittneym101
Brittneym101 on May 21, 2015
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Yes, you can know your sexual orientation without having any romantic and/or sexual experiences. It's not so much about the physical attraction, to some it is to be honest, but for most people it's about getting to know someone for their personality and how they make you feel on the inside. Don't get me wrong sexual chemistry is something that may have to take place in order for you to know how you feel about someone, but that's for any sexual preference. Some people are able to connect mentally without having to have sex or a romantic encounter. After all it's not the sex that brings you closer together it's the laughs, things you have in common with one another, getting to know each other for what's in the heart and the mind.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jul 10, 2015
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I figure since I see romance as a boy part and a girl part no matter what (with or without dominance), I'm very unfortunately, plain flavor hetero. Even if having not been sexually attracted ever. Knowing what you find attractive on any level, is usually the bigger thing. You can also check out porn and supermodels if wanting to be super realistic and uh, practical. All the bare flesh might enlighten you to your aesthetic preferences. This is only the surface though and only works if you are either a straight (het or gay) or non-sexual. Maybe you are bi, maybe you are based in emotion, feeling, circumstance, years. Have you liked someone? What gender were they? Straight? Gay? Non? Pan? Did you like them straight away? What did you like about them particularly? Wanting to kiss, hug, spend time together isn't sexual but its attraction and telling enough. Their orientation is nothing to yours but what they appear to be - Is what you like. As for a name to your sexuality - There are plenty of resources, some of them questionable. Remember though, a label is just that. It is prone to change. You can decide you're one thing and find out you're another or a sub-type of your intended or believed type. You can figure out you're one thing then find out, depending on the person or situation, you wouldn't mind being another. It's only another question of self and like our our thoughts, we choose what we want to be and what comes into being tomorrow, may not necessary be what was of yesterday.
Profile: Greatlistener87
Greatlistener87 on Apr 5, 2016
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Yes you can, u know urself well enough to know what and which sexual orientation you are. You have to trust yourself in the decision you make and most importantly accept urself for your decision.
Profile: Aayla
Aayla on May 14, 2019
LGBTQ+ Issues Expert
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Of course you can! Orientations are not based on personal experience. They are based on your attraction, feelings, desires. You don't need to have experimented in order to know how you feel. If you feel attracted towards one or more genders, then it is enough to identify with an orientation. Some people find that experimenting helps them understanding their sensations better, but it's not a necessary step. If you already know what your sensations and feelings are, then you are free to identify with the corresponding sexual and/or romantic orientation, and have your experiences whenever you will feel like.
Profile: Briana98
Briana98 on May 15, 2015
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Yes! You don't have to have sexual experiences to know who you're sexually attracted to, although sometimes it does help you realize you're not attracted to just one gender. It's hard to explain; it's just something you know in your head. You know that you'd date a certain gender and you know that under the right circumstances that you would have sex with someone of that gender.
Profile: kthepoet13
kthepoet13 on Dec 21, 2015
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Absolutely! You know you better than anyone. If you feel like you fit under a specific sexuality, even without experience, then that's it. It's what you feel, not what you've experienced.
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Of course you can! For me, it was very hard because I had identified as asexual, so of course I had no romantic or sexual experiences. The best way I figured it out (though this doesn't need to apply to you) was asking myself questions like "when I was younger, did I like a girl/boy?" And things like that to help figure it out. It definitely takes a lot of trial and error
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