Gay

Gay is the word used to a person who is romantically and sexually attracted to people of the same sex. It is most commonly used to describe men and boys who are attracted to other men and boys.

How do you know?

Some people know from a really young age that they are gay, but some people are not sure until they get older and start thinking about relationships. Some boys also realise that they prefer boys although they have previously had relationships with girls. Being attracted to someone of the same sex is completely normal.

Stereotypes

There are lots of stereotypes out there about being a gay but it is important to realise that you do not have to change dramatically because of your sexual preference. After all you are still you, whoever you are attracted to. The problem with stereotypes is that they can make you feel that just by being gay you have to look, dress or act in a certain way because other people expect you to.

Gay men are often stereotyped as being quite feminine (girly) and not like straight men.

Some people think that all gay men sleep around a lot and are always interested in having anal sex. This is another stereotype and is not true for everyone, some gay men don’t have anal sex or only have a small number of partners throughout their life.

The truth is that all men are different, and no two men are interested in exactly the same things, whether they are bi, gay or straight! After all, your sexual identity is only part of your personality and does not have to influence everything that you do.

Prejudice

Unfortunately people who are gay do sometimes experience prejudice from others because these people think it is not normal to be gay. This is called homophobia, and it is important to know that people who think this are wrong. More importantly our society has systems in place to stop this sort of discrimination. Being gay is completely normal and you have the right to be who you are and have relationships without feeling that you have to keep it a secret.

Meeting other people

Some people find joining a gay club or society really helpful, especially when they do not know many other gay people, as it can give them the opportunity to meet like-minded people. Growing up as a gay man is not always easy and it can be very helpful to meet other people who understand any worries or difficulties you may be having. Of course that does not mean that you can only have gay or bi friends, or that your straight friends won’t understand you.

The groups are run by qualified youth workers. These workers are happy to talk to parents too.

You can find out about our youth groups around the country here.