Sexuality

Hetrosexuality

For the vast majority of people they will be heterosexual, have feelings for people of the opposite sex throughout their lives. As with any relationship there are questions which you need to ask yourself, read through some of the other pages in the Sex Education links.

Gay / Lesbian

Coming to terms with your sexuality is quite a routine procedure for some young people but not everybody is the same, some people have different feelings for different people, these feelings can be for people of the same sex.

Some people find it harder than others to accept they are gay/lesbian, only you will know if you are gay/lesbian or not. You might feel as if you are the only person having these feelings but I can reassure you that you are not.

Over the years the view of gay people has changed, the views and beliefs of many people have been changed, accepting gay/lesbians into society.

It is important to know that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to enter into a gay relationship, whether you are male or female. This will give you the time to realise your true feelings, your feelings can change, it is not uncommon for young people to have feelings for people of the same sex during puberty. In most cases these feelings pass but with some people the feelings stay with them throughout their lives.

If you are confused or uncertain about your sexuality there is somebody who can help, you can contact Jonny long life directly who will talk to you and put you in touch with somebody who can offer additional advice and support. In South Tyneside there is a STAG project for gay and bisexual men, and young men who are questioning their sexuality.

The STAG Project are based in South Tyneside, you can contact them on 0191 490 1708, they can offer confidential information, advice and support on a wide range of sexual health issues. They also offer places in gay support groups for young people, people as young as 14 have already taken up places so don’t be afraid to ask for help.

There isn’t a group for young lesbians in South Tyneside, however there is a Young Lesbian Project in Newcastle who can offer support and help.

Coming Out

This is one of the hardest things that a young gay person will have to overcome, there are the fears of rejection and disappointment from their family and friends, the truth is that there is still some prejudice and misunderstanding by some people, but gay/lesbian relationships are becoming more accepted.

If you are contemplating “coming out” you will need support in what will be a difficult time, maybe tell a best friend first who can offer support when it come to telling the parents. Parents are human, in some cases they may have already guessed, in other cases they may need a little time to adjust and accept the news, but they will come to terms with it, they are your parents, they do love you and they will always love you.

Telling a friend you can rely on for support is an important thing to do, they can listen to what you have been going through and lend a shoulder for support. If you don’t have a friend who might not understand why no try talking to a relative or even your teacher, they will listen and offer the advice you need.

The important thing to remember is that you are not on your own, there are thousands of other young people who will be in the same situation, different people have different ways of dealing with the situation, when you decide to tell your parents is up to you, there should no pressure to do so.

If you need help and support in coming to terms with making this decision you can get in touch with one of the projects mentioned above or you can ring Childline 0800 11 11 or send Jonny a message.

Many young people can become depressed and seriously worried about coming to terms with their sexuality and not being able to “come out”, if you feel like this I want you to know that there are people here to help you. Get in touch and we can put you in contact with somebody who will talk to you about what you are going through.

Homophobia

This is the term given to peoples fear and non-acceptance of gay/lesbian relationships and/or lifestyles.

In this country there has been a wide acceptance of homosexual relationships, however there are still some people with certain beliefs which do not accept homosexual relationships. However, these tend to be the small minority of people.

Although gay/lesbian relations are becoming more accepted there are still reports or people being directly targeted for physical abuse because of their sexual orientation. If you or somebody you know have been targeted for abuse you can contact a police officer who is trained to deal with gay/lesbian issues.

In South Tyneside we have a gay/lesbian officer called Sgt Alderson, you can contact her on 0191 454755 ext: 65132. They are here to help, so if you need to get in touch with her don’t be afraid to do so.

Homophobia can be at its worst in schools, if you are finding it difficult to cope with, if you are at school and unsure about your sexuality you can talk to any of the advice lines or agencies mentioned in this section and they will be able to help. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK WE ARE HERE TO HELP!