I’m sure we’ve all had moments where we questioned our identity and how we want to represent ourselves in society. Some people, however, struggle with their identity their whole life. The same can be said for sexuality too.
Our world puts great emphasis on labels. It seems like as each year passes, people create a new label for gender or sexual identity, adding increasing pressure to figure out what increasingly-specific category we fit into best. At the same time, it can be incredibly overwhelming to pick a label. There may be instances where not all of who we are as a person can be defined in a single word.
Defining yourself can be confusing, and not knowing the answer can make people feel like something is inherently wrong with them. While labels can empower and add clarity to people’s lives, they can also come with unwanted stereotypes. Especially for individuals in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, these stereotypes can make them feel invalidated and misunderstood.
It is okay not to know who you are attracted to or what type of person you are. You do not have to force labels onto yourself to make others happy or because it is what society expects. For some people, sexuality can be fluid and evolve as we navigate through life.
There is something beautiful about not knowing what you like. It gives you the freedom and flexibility to go out into the world and explore anything and everything. Only some get the opportunity to do that, so embrace it if you can!
This article is from Reclamation, The Ubyssey's 2023 sex and relationships issue. Read more personal essays and student stories from Reclamation here, and sexual health and education articles here.