SEXUAL ORIENTATION

• Orientation vs. Preference - A person’s predisposition or inclination regarding sexual behavior, emotional attachment or physical attraction to one or both sexes (Rosenthal, 2013)
• HOMOSEXUAL – a person whose sexual orientation is toward another of the same sex.
• Lesbian – a woman whose sexual and romantic attraction is toward women.
•  Gay – a man whose sexual and romantic orientation is towards other men
• HETEROSEXUAL -  a person whose sexual orientation is toward others of the opposite sex.
• BISEXUAL – a person who may be sexually orientated to both men and women.
• PANSEXUAL – a new sexual orientation of persons who are sexually attracted to people regardless of their sex or gender identity.
• Pan – greek word for ‘all or every’
• PanseXual- also called gender blind , more ‘fluid’
• PANSEXUAL - aside from men and women, they may also be attracted to transgender, transsexuals, androgynous, and other gender categories
• TRANSGENDER – broad spectrum of individuals who persistently identify with a gender different from their natal gender.
• TRANSGENDER - most go through Sex Reassignment Surgery.
• gender dysphoria – distress that may accompany the incongruence between one’s expressed gender or gender identity and one’s assigned gender.
• SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS - Diseases contracted though sexual contact with an infected individual. It is an increasing health problem.
• GENITAL HERPES – caused by a large family of viruses of different strains.  These strains also produce other non-sexually transmitted disease such as chicken pox.
• GENITAL WARTS – caused by human papillomavirus.  They are very contagious and are commonly acquired in the US in 15-24 age group.
• GONORRHEA – thrives in the moist mucuous membranes linings of the mouth, throat, vagina, cervix, urethra, and the anal tract.
• Males – (symptoms of gonorrhea) discharge from the penis and burning sensations during urination

  *complication may lead to prostate, bladder, and kidney problems as well as sterility.
• Females – (symptoms of gonorrhea) irritating vaginal discharge

  *complication may lead to infertility
• SYPHILIS – if left untreated,  it may progress through 4 phases
• 4 phases of syphilis :

  • Primary Sores appear
  • Secondary - General skin rashes occur
  • Latent – no overt symptoms which may last for several years
  • Tertiary – cardiovascular disease, blindness, paralysis, skin ulcer, liver damage, mental problem and death
• CHLAMYDIA – the most common

  urinary tract and bladder infection as well as vaginal yeast infection