Sexuality

Sexuality (or sexual orientation) is about who you are attracted to both physically and emotionally. There is no set age that people get to know their emotional and sexual feelings and it might take some time to work out what your sexual orientation is. Your sexual orientation might also change over time.

What is the difference between gender identity and sexuality?

Gender identity is different from sexual orientation. Gender identity means how a person identifies inside themselves, which may be as a male, female or another gender. This may be the same or different to the sex they were assigned at birth.

Here are some terms you may hear around sexuality and gender:

Lesbian – A female who has a sexual and/or romantic attraction towards females. Some may choose to define themselves as gay instead of lesbian.

Gay – A male who has a sexual and/or romantic attraction towards males.

Bisexual – Someone who has sexual and/or romantic attraction to both females and males. It is often used as an umbrella term which can include any other orientations where there is attraction to more than one gender, whether that is a romantic or sexual attraction.

Trans – Your gender identity is not the same as you were assigned at birth eg identifies as male, assigned female at birth.

Cisgender (often shortened to cis) – Describes a person whose gender identity is the same as the one they were assigned at birth. For example, identifies as male and assigned male at birth.

Queer/questioning – Queer is often used as an umbrella term for people who are not straight or who don’t identify fully with their assigned sex at birth. People may also identify as queer if they don’t feel that the terms lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans fully represents them. The “Q” in “LGBTQ” can also stand for questioning. This can be  someone who is in the process of exploring their gender or sexual orientation, is unsure or is worried about putting a social label to themselves.

Asexual – Someone who does not experience sexual attraction. They can still be romantically attracted to people and may still desire sex. There are many other identities within the asexual spectrum. For example, a demisexual is someone who only experiences sexual attraction when they have a strong emotional connection with another person and a grey-asexual is someone who only rarely experiences sexual attraction and under limited circumstances.

Here are some useful pages with more terms that you may hear:

Sexuality: A few definitions

Gender: A few definitions

Here are some social and support groups available in Leeds for LGBTQ people:

MESMAC

Yorkshire MESMAC offers services to men who have sex with men, LGBTQ people, Black African communities, sex workers and other community groups.

http://mesmac.co.uk/

Trans Leeds

Trans Leeds is a social and support group for all trans people over 18 years, their families and friends. It runs various social groups.

https://www.transleeds.org/

Leeds Gender Identity Service

The Leeds Gender Identity Service offers assessment and support to people with gender dysphoria who want to explore the possibility of transition into their true gender.

https://www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/our-services/services-list/gender-identity-service/

Mermaids

A charity for Trans, non-binary and gender-questioning children and young people (aged 19 and under) and their families.

Homepage – Mermaids

Leeds University LGBT Society

The Leeds University LGBT Society creates a welcoming and liberating space for all LGBT students at Leeds. The core of their ethos is community, mutual aid, and solidarity, to lift and empower all LGBT students.

https://engage.luu.org.uk/groups/CBM/lgbt?utm_source=luuorguk&utm_campaign=clubsocpage/

Leeds Beckett University LGBT Society

The Leeds Beckett University LGBT Society is an inclusive group dedicated to supporting and celebrating students at Leeds Beckett who identify with any marginalised romantic/sexual orientation or gender identity.

https://www.leedsbeckettsu.co.uk/community/lgbt/

• Relationships
• Well Wave
• Are you ready for sex?
• ChatHealth
• Confidentiality
• My Body
• Safer Sex
• Under 18s Clinics

If you need further information about opening times and how to contact us please visit the contact us page.