For many teens sexuality is not simply black and white issue, and unfortunately, in our society there is a notion that teenagers must fall into categories of sexuality: straight, gay, or bisexual. Society gives little attention to people who may not fall into these categories, and outliers are many times considered to be confused or acting out. However, this way of thinking can prove to be detrimental to those who are just beginning to discover their sexuality and are finding that they may not fit into this imaginary zone of normality.
For many teens sexuality is not simply black and white issue, and unfortunately, in our society there is a notion that teenagers must fall into categories of sexuality: straight, gay, or bisexual. Society gives little attention to people who may not fall into these categories, and outliers are many times considered to be confused or acting out. However, this way of thinking can prove to be detrimental to those who are just beginning to discover their sexuality and are finding that they may not fit into this imaginary zone of normality.
Many teens in their high school and college years will begin to become sexually active, and it is during this period of sexual discovery that teens begin to define their sexuality. It is important during this stage in their development that they know it is normal to want to experiment.
This way of forcing people into categories can have harmful long-term effects on the mental health of teens. Teen life is stressful enough without having to worry about societies acceptance of sexual practices. The road to sexual discovery can be long and complicated, and pressuring teens to fit into certain sexuality traits can make this road even more difficult to navigate.
Parents of teens going through this phase of sexual exploration should keep an open mind and be supportive. Teens face a lot of pressure both at school and at home to live up to certain sexual standards that society has set forth for them. Simply knowing that they have parents that are supportive can make this confusing and often stressful time in their lives much easier.
Putting a negative connotation on sexual experimentation can dissuade many teens from trying to define their sexuality on their own terms. Instead many just accept societies preconceived notion of what sexuality is and never try to find their own meaning. This can lead to major consequences down the road.
None of this is to say that there are not people in our society who identify as straight, gay, lesbian or transgender. In fact, most people do fall into one of these categories. It is the people in the middle who have not figured out where they stand, however, that face this lack of support and acknowledgement in our society today.
It is time for our society as a whole to end the stigmatization and marginalization of teen sexuality and accept the fact that some people are simply different and do not always fit nicely into societies puzzle pieces of the expected “normal.”
