You can't be completely sure about your sexuality before you've reached adulthood and are in your 20's, or at least older than 18. Before that you may have clues on what you might be because of teenage crushes, but the minds changes and develops a lot during the teenage years, so it's not that easy to tell. Sometimes you won't know your own sexuality without having sex with multiple people of multiple genders.
Transsexuals can't be sure either before they've reached adulthood and enough maturity to know the long term consequences or effects etc. No one should undergo hormone treatment or surgeries before adulthood either because children aren't mature enough taking such big and irreversible decisions. There are many cis-gender people starting to follow the trans-trend and regretting the changes they've gone through.
Anyway, there's no big deal labeling yourself as the wrong sexuality and experimenting since it's not permanent. But going through a sex change is permanent and therefor you've to think through it. I think adults over 18 can do what they wants to with their bodies and lives though.
The right age to think is whenever you feel that is the case.
But I don't think we should be telling kids to care about this stuff until they're older.
Without anyone having to tell me I just assumed that same sex couples were a thing and that was all I needed. I didn't need sex ed trying to beat tolerance for homosexuals into me and I think doing that messed kids up. Just let it come up casually like: "Hey mum why are those guys kissing? Some people are attracted to people the same sex as them rather than the opposite, the world has all sorts of people dear." Job done. Childhood preserved.
And teaching LGBT history in school is sick in my opinion
I knew I wasn't straight by the time I turned 10, before I was even aware that there were women out there that were attracted to other women. My earliest years were spent in a kind of country rural town, and being queer wasn't even a topic of discussion. I was also attracted to boys, so I considered myself just like everyone else.
It's not a decision at any age, though sexuality can be fluid depending on where you are in life. There's no "right age" for things like this, because every person is different.
A child will know that they are attracted to the same gender as soon as straight people know lol. Transgenderism is a different issue though, because there is a lot of miscommunication about what it is. Some people think tomboys are trans when in reality one is only trans if they experienced a birth defect (brain developed as a mismatched gender) that leads to gender dysphoria. So a tomboy kid might misunderstand what trans is and start testosterone when she really should be doing no such thing.
I had a crush on a boy in my class when I was 7. Not sure why the same can't be applied to LGBT people. Also grown adults have no problem forcing sexuality on even toddlers. I've heard plenty of grown adults call a toddler a lady killer or a heartbreaker.
They thinks so because they supports a hetero-normative and cis-normative society, since being both heterosexual and cis-gender are most common.
@curiousnorway It's really gross. I remember being pre-teen and being told that I had nice long legs that will get boys attention.
Opinion
36Opinion
Children bearly understand what a gender is let alone the implications and scale of sex reassignment. The issue is so dangerous if misdiagnosed or if you misunderstood your desires, that we need trained psychologists just to be able to correctly identify true cases. It is absurd to put any stock in the opinion of a child.
Attraction to the same gender is a much more straight forward concept and the risks involved in experimenting and than changing your mind are minimal.
There isn't a "Right age".
I see questions like this a lot, but wanna know what I never see?
"When do you think is the right age to decide you're straight?"
But it's basically the same.
If you don't know if you're LGBT+, then you don't know if you're straight either.
LGBT+ children need helping through the bullying and abuse they get.
They don't need to be told that they're too young to know who they like.
I never see people going up to a cis heterosexual child and saying, "No, You can't say you're straight. You're far too young to decide your sexuality."
Trans people?
They get the whole thing of,
"Give it a few more years so you know it's not just a phase."
Cis people don't get that.
LGB and Anyone else who isn't straight?
They get questions like this.
"You're too young to decide who you like."
Straight kids aren't.
Heck, a straight 9 year old? Fine.
An LGBT 17 year old? Much too young to decide.
There is no right age. There is no age restrictions on being heterosexual. I grew up in a heterosexual environment everyone around me is straight. However, I knew I liked girls the same way my straight friends liked boys. However, I remained closeted because it was not safe (so I thought) for me to come out yet.
👏👏
Is there any right age to think you're straight? If you have a crush on a little girl instead of a little boy like the rest of your friends then surprise, you're a lesbian! It's not bad and ever hone forces being straight onto them. Not everyone needs plain sex between a man and woman to fulfill their life, not everyone wants kids.
You know who you're attracted to basically as soon as you hit puberty. It's normal to have crushes at like 12 or 13, gay people just happen to have those crushes on the same gender.
It's not obscene or inappropriate or something they're too young for, it's just normal crushes like every child gets.
When someone knows, they know. It's not something that waits for a time schedule. I had a pretty good idea of my sexuality as a small child, and was sure-sure by the time I was 11.
When are you allowed to figure out you're heterosexual?
There is no particular age. It's based on when you discover your sexuality. The thing is, from a young age, despite the brain still developing (it doesn't stop until 25 or so depending on the individual), one can still know what interests them and what does not. It's like discovering a new food and liking it or not. We have the capability past puberty to determine our sexuality by what interests us... sexually.
People usually know when they’re very young even if they come out later. Toddlers know if they’re a boy or a girl and elementary schoolers have crushes so it makes sense that a young child would know if they’re trans, gay, etc.
It's a mental illness. There are only 2 genders and the only way to procreate is through heterosexual intercourse. If your mind is telling you different you have a mental illness.
Of course people can be born intersex and that is real but very rare.
@MascGirls There should be no transition of any kind men are men women are women when science starts supporting lies like there are 99 genders and trannies aren't mentally ill that is when you know it is just lies being told to support an agenda
It isn't that simple. It's been proven that people start exploring their sexuality in their early teenage years. The journey is different for everyone. There are no rules. No "should". If that's your case, cool. But some people do know what they're into since their early teenage years. You can ask any psychologist or psychiatrist and they'll say the same thing. Oh, and the brain isn't fully developed when you turn 18 either.
-med student who has taken several psych classes
This depends. If we're talking sexuality then most people know even before puberty, if we're talking trans you can think whatever you want but you must be an adult before we even consider this as anything other than a child having issues with his/her gender.
I didn't know there was different ages where you should and shouldn't think about what you are. This seems strange; wouldn't you want to figure yourself out as early as possible?
I am not sure what LGBT+ means though. Is this something different than figuring out your mental health or personal beliefs? If so then my answer may not apply properly, and I'm sorry, I'll need more information.
@MlleCake Oh it's an acronym. Okay, thanks.
In that case though it's not as much thinking about what you are as it is deciding what you want to be. That is different, but I still think you should be thinking about that at any age that you want to and your parents allow. If your parents encourage it at an early age but you don't want to, respect them by having the discussion and thinking through it at an early age anyways. If you want to think about it at an early age, but your parents don't want you to until you're older, then respect them by not making decisions or thinking through that choice until the age they set.
In this situation I would say like with relationships, philosophy, and other important decisions, the parents should have the say if they claim it on when and somewhat what it is, while you are living with them. After all they are your parents.
Well, people know at different stages, whenever they feel its right. Even if they don't know the words to put around it or how it works because they haven't been taught that yet, they'll know how they feel. Lots of LGBT+ people, particularly gay people, say they knew they liked the same sex when they were little kids, which is fine. I mean, if 6 year old girls can say they have a boyfriend, and they have Valentine's Day dances in elementary schools, I don't see it's bad for kids the same age to say they'd rather have a girlfriend. But if you mean the actual sex education part of it, where they learn the different labels, what they mean and how same sex relationships or transitions from different genders work, then that's something to discuss when they're old enough to understand, I'd say as teenagers, like sex education tends to be anyway.
You can start seeing signs around puberty I think, but I wouldn't put a strict label on it. I thought I was LGBT at that time, but it turns out I was just really confused and I'm definitely straight. I think 18+ is when you know for sure what you like.
Really, it shouldn’t take long in my opinion to discover your own sexuality. How stupid are people? It’s normal to get crushes on little boys or girls at a young age. I always knew I was straight. I had crushes as young as elementary and then fell in love hard at my teens.
There's no age limit. Some people know at a very young age, others are unsure until later in life, some people just end up in denial for a long time... and then there are those who are just confused.
If you feel like it, don't try to fight it much, it's something natural.
However the younger you are the less you should worry about, when you are nearing 18 then you can be more sure of your feelings stability, after that they (ususaly) don't change much.
So take time to see if it's really true, the older you are the more certain you will be, and if it is, it's natural and you don't need to be afraid of it
Sexuality changes with age, most gay people realize they actually are not gay when they are ready to settle down but they are trapped in all the gayness, its around this time that they start with heavy smoking, drug use, partying, its like an lgbt midlife crisis.
Exactly and liberals are taking it so far just to piss off conservatives that they are brainwashing young kids and ruining their lives and will possibly lead to their kids committing suicide just over a fake political cause
Maybe like 16+. I used to be a bit against it, but now I feel like people can be like that if they feel like it (doesn't include trans). For example I've met couple very cute and smart lesbian girls at the club. I liked them and I don't think I could never say to them that they have a wrong sexuality. Of course I told them my lesbian girl pick up line "Can I change your mind". 😃
there's lesbian, gay, bi and asexual. you usually find out which of those you are in the wake of or shortly after puberty, if not earlier than that.
gender dysphoria can be diagnosed at a preteen age.
When you are out of your parents house. Because if you tell them when you are young they might disapprove and make thinks harder than they need to be. So that’s what I’m going to do once I’m out of the house and can stand on my own I’ll ask the real question of, what am I? Because I feel like I may be bi or gay but I’m not too.
There is no age. Someone could know when they are fifty or they could be four. You know when you know.
At least 30. Half of young people who identify as GLBT grow out of it and later identify as straight.
The LGBT community was established to instill division amongst the people who disagree. It is also being used as a gateway into pedophilia.
You categorize people based on your very limited perspective 😂 it's okay though. I understand. It makes your life easy.
Nada_Brahma is 100% right the left tried to normalize gays and trannies next is trying to normalize pedophiles which is the same sort of sickness and they will try to say science backs it up which these days science is just full of lies to back up ridiculous theories anymore and the same idiots who fell for the LGBT nonsense the same ones on this post badmouthing right wingers will be the same ones defending pedos in a year
I say let them figure themselves out and say what they wanna be when they want
Some are well aware of their sexuality by 14, others may not find out they are queer until they're in their 30's
Lbgt feeling and attracted to words same gender comes before 18
Ya but sometimes it’s just caused by hormones in puberty, I used to think I was bisexual in high school because I was attracted to dudes for a while but as soon as puberty ended the attraction ended, so like you can be gay under 18 but you might be just temporarily bi curious
I'd say 13 is when you should start considering it, at that point you are entering puberty and your body is becoming ready for the physical act of sex. Not to say you can be certain at that age, but I would say if the person shows any level of affection towards the same gender at that age, it's definitely a red flag. Also I gotta say in my personal experience, the bisexuals I met would discover their bisexuality in their 15-16s, all their relationship before that would be heterosexual.
The human brain continues to develop until age 25, so it would be grossly irresponsible to make any such decisions before that age.
Being lgbt isn't a decision
I was sure I was straight when I was like 10 so I don't see why the same couldn't apply to LGBT peeps
When you start to notice and you get turned on by the thought.
I think it completely depends on the person. It's not like you turn 18 and all of a sudden you know your sexuality. It's gradual and different for everybody.
Anyone can feel that way. I mean yes people change but you know who you're into at the time.
I honestly knew when I was 12, or almost 13. But I had crushes when I was like 10. Obviously depends on the person. And no, no one pushed it on me. I knew I had a crush on a girl, the same way I would be into a guy.
I discovered it when I was 9 I didn’t know what it was then didn’t anything until I was 16 came out after high school. Being gay isn’t a choice it’s who you are.
13-15. I think that children younger than that are easily influenced and could end up becoming lgbt just because they see it.
She doesn't matter. Most people start thinking about their sexuality in their teens. So if they feel they're LGBT+ then they're free to do so.
Most queer people figure it out at a younger age. There isn't a 'right age' to figure shit out. It just happens. People don't just randomly decide stuff like that
No age should support this bullshit. Lol, they had too many letters and just settled on +
I don't remember how life was before I was -18 because only 18 years later I was born
Post-Puberty at the earliest. Before that it is 100% parental/peer/societal influences.
Well you can find out if your gay when puberty kicks in, as far as being trans go's someone should wait till there 25 , when the brain is fully developed, so that they can be more certain they aren't doing it because of trends or peer pressure.
Agreed it should be when they're an adult, but I don't agree with transgenders anyway.
Puberty would be the earliest you could reasonably. have even a feeling about it.
I knew I was a lesbian when I was about 13, and my brother is friends with a gay kid who's 11.
Id say 16+. You can change of course but you probably have a concept of what turns you on.
Yes. You can grow out of it.
You can become gay and you can become straight. So yes you can grow up to be gay.
Link?
I should say You aren't "changing your orientation" its your body changing as you age along with other enviormental factors. kidshealth.org/en/teens/sexual-orientation.html
Here's a summary of current and ongoing studies: www.sciencenews.org/.../genetics-dna-homosexuality-gay-orientation-attractiveness-straight
TDLR: There is no specific "gay gene" but there are significant links between genetics and homosexuality.
Yes, environmental factors and the ways our body changes affect how we perceive our orientation. For example, a homosexual individual who was raised in a strongly homophobic environment is likely to think or to pretend that they are heterosexual. Also, it isn't until a certain age do we start being attracted to people, and someone homosexual might originally think that they were heterosexual as a child (having been raised in an environment in which heterosexuality is the norm) but as they grow up realize that they aren't attracted to the opposite gender, but rather the same.
@MascGirls Science also says we were a fish first so yea take that as you will lol
Probably early teens.
Why?
Some actually figure it out at really early age. A lot knows at 13 if they are or not.
Would it have been from influence or on their own?
Their own
Ok, nice.
I think your born gay no one choices to be gay it’s a life time harassment.
at any age, maybe you know you're LGBT at 9, maybe at 14, maybe at 20
people may know at age 6
There is no right age. It's bad cause it's gay.
Anyone who voted below 18 is a child abuser lmfao
Exactly if you are being serious.
Uhh... No?
Quite frankly, if you think that saying "My child can decide their own sexuality" is abuse?
Then you need to buy a dictionary.
I know that that's a lot of reading for someone of your... Mental capacity.
But don't worry! You'll find "Abuse" pretty early on and realise you're wrong hopefully.
@Troy898 oh sorry you're too obsolete to realize there are free dictionaries online, I know my words thank you, and I know that letting a child destroy their own life so early in it is neglect and abuse, grow up and learn to at least try and have a discussion, don't prove to me that you're an ape like all other retarded liberals.
Thanks for reading.
Probably 15-16-ish.
Other, as in never.
When you're ready for sexy time.
by the way kids can have same sex crushes without being LGBT.
... If you have a same sex crush, then you're homosexual or homoromantic. Either way, LGBT+...
To have a crush on someone you need to be attracted to them sexually or romantically. If you aren't attracted to someone, you don't have a crush on them.
If you are attracted to someone of the same gender? LGBT+
Also, your opinion of "When you're ready for sexy time" is stupid.
You don't need to be ready to fuck someone to know who you do and don't like.
As soon as you know
I think when they start to question themselves.
As soon as you’re ready to understand
25yo
I don't know 44?
You can also add your opinion below!
Girl's Behavior 
Guy's Behavior 
Flirting 
Dating 
Relationships 
Fashion & Beauty 
Health & Fitness 
Marriage & Weddings 
Shopping & Gifts 
Technology & Internet 
Break Up & Divorce 
Education & Career 
Entertainment & Arts 
Family & Friends 
Food & Beverage 
Hobbies & Leisure 
Other 
Religion & Spirituality 
Society & Politics 
Sports 
Travel 
Trending & News 
Most Helpful Opinions