The term sexual fluidity is associated with a person’s sexual identity. If a person’s sexual identity changes with time, then the person can be referred to as sexually fluid. Sexual orientation is a person’s sexual preferences. Based on sexual orientation, a person can identify themselves as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, demisexual, etc. This is referred to as sexual identity. When these are not consistent and are flexible it is called sexual fluidity.
A few terms related to sexual fluidity
- Sexual identity: Sexual identity is more of a sense of yourself that you have with respect to your sexuality.
- Sexual orientation: Sexual orientation is related to your sexual desires and preferences. It can be a person’s emotional, physical, intellectual, and sexual attraction and their way of expressing it.
- Gender identity: Gender identity is a person’s sense of their own gender. It may or may not have connections with a person’s sex.
- Gender fluidity: When a person’s gender changes over time it is referred to as gender fluidity.
How do you know if you are sexually fluid?
As the spectrum of sexuality is broadening and more and more terms are being added to it, it is becoming increasingly difficult for individuals to understand themselves and find a place for themselves in the spectrum.
There is no sure way of knowing what term rightly defines you as sexuality is not something that can be tested. But there are ways through which you can find the borders or place you may belong to in the sexuality spectrum. The following factors can be used to know if you are sexually fluid.
- Changes in sexual attractions
Some people might experience a change in their sexual attractions over time. If you feel attracted to one sex or gender at a particular point in time, and then another at a different time, and if it keeps changing, it might be an indicator that you are sexually fluid. Sexually fluid individuals find it hard to use one term to define their sexual orientation.
- Attraction to different genders
When you are attracted to more than one gender, it is often considered as being bisexual or pansexual. Sometimes you might feel nonexclusive attraction to many genders maybe even at the same time. This might indicate sexual fluidity.
- Inconsistent attraction, sexual behavior, and identity
When your sexual identity does not align with your thoughts or behavior, it might mean that you are sexually fluid. For example, a person who identifies as straight might feel attracted to the same sex, or a gay or lesbian person might feel attracted to the opposite sex at some time. This is a case of sexual fluidity.
Misconceptions about sexual fluidity
A common misconception about sexual fluidity is that it is the same as bisexuality and pansexuality and that bisexual and pansexual people are sexually fluid. It is not necessary that a person who is bisexual or pansexual to be sexually fluid.
Bisexual and pansexual are fixed labels of sexual orientation where a person is attracted to the two primary genders and a person is attracted to all genders respectively. Whereas in sexual fluidity the person’s sexual orientation or preferences keep changing.
Conclusion
We live in an era where the sexuality spectrum is broadening day by day. More and more terms are getting added to it as many previously existing words are becoming insufficient to define the sexual orientations of people.
With this broadening of the spectrum, people are becoming more open to exploring their sexualities. Educating people about the existence of more than one sexual orientation and normalizing it has also contributed to people wanting to find their own place in the spectrum of sexuality.
Studies show that sexual fluidity is most commonly found in young adults. The many misconceptions that have been long existing in society might make them hostile to people who are sexually fluid. This hostility and unacceptance of society to such people can take a toll on their mental health.
Young individuals might feel confused if they are unable to find a sure word that is capable of defining themselves. This confusion and dilemma might also affect their mental health. Normalizing the possibility of inconsistencies in sexual orientation would help lessen this hostility and improve the lives of sexually fluid individuals.