There are still many areas of the world where people are punished for simply existing as who they are and loving who they love, but the best thing we can do as a society is to adapt and evolve with the spectrum. Sexuality and sexual orientation have become more widely talked about, accepted, and even respected. It’s safe (and wonderful) to say that we have come a long way since the 1950’s.
“Many persons do not want to believe that there are gradations in these matters from one to the other extreme.” – Sexual Behavior of the Human Female, 1953. Unofficial Kinsey Scale test (an official test does not exist, according to the Kinsey Institute) IDRLabs While these “labels” can help us better understand ourselves, they are by no means set in stone. It’s also extremely normal to be overwhelmed by all the different words we now have to describe various sexual and romantic orientations, attractions, and behaviors.Īlong with the ever-growing spectrum, it’s our responsibility as human beings to adapt and expand the language we use to describe our own (and other people’s) sexual preferences. Sexuality is fluid, it is ever-changing and extremely personal – defining your own sexuality is what’s important, not placing these labels on others for them. It’s safe to say we have come a very long way since the 1940s when the Kinsey Scale was first created.
Over time, we have learned more and more about the sexuality spectrum and it’s become more and more normalized to place yourself really anywhere along the spectrum. This scale was the first of it’s kind and it challenged the perceptions of sexuality and really, was a starting point for where we are today. There is also a “category X” designated for those who report no sexual reactions or relations. The scale allows people at “zero” to report as exclusively heterosexual, and people at the opposite end (six) to report as exclusively homosexual – with ratings 1-5 being people who report varying levels of attraction or sexual activity with either sex. The Kinsey Scale, perhaps one of the most well-known spectrum scales, was created in 1948 by Alfred Kinsey, founder of the Kinsey Institute. Why is sexuality thought of as a spectrum?Ī spectrum, in this context, is a tool that can help us better understand the fluidity of sexuality, among other things. It can impact the way you experience sexual attraction (if you do) and it can alter your preferences around sexual and romantic relationships. It can encompass nearly every aspect of your being, including your actions, your attitude, your behaviors, and your feelings. Sexuality can be a big part of your identity.
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