areas than they are in rural areas. In contrast, the prevalence of asexuality is about one percent. Bisexuality is difficult to assess because people vary in how they define bisexuality.
TYPES OF ORIENTATION A heterosexual is someone who is attracted sexually or romantically to the opposite sex. This is by far the largest proportion of people in the world. Like any type of sexual orientation, heterosexuality is not considered a choice but is somehow determined at birth or at least early in life. The term “straight” is often referred to as the same thing as being heterosexual. Heterosexuality is supported by most religions and those who sanction marriage, although this is changing as the laws and society change regarding sexual orientation. About 89 to 98 percent of people say they have only had heterosexual contacts in their lifetime. When it comes to identification, about 90 to 93 percent of people self-identify as being heterosexual. The heterosexual couple is what forms the basis of the nuclear family, with marriage thought to be a necessary part of this in many societies. Other jurisdictions recognize common-law marriage, in which an unmarried woman and man live together for a period of time, suggesting they are in a long-term and established relationship. The term “heteronormativity” is involved in the world view that promotes being heterosexual as being normal. This relates also to heterosexism, which is a bias in favor of opposite sex sexuality and heterosexual relationships. Some who subscribe to heterosexism assume that everyone is heterosexual, harboring some type of personal or systemic discrimination against those who are not strictly heterosexual. Conservative and some religious groups have derived the slogan “straight pride” as an alternative to the “gay pride” slogan used by different LGBT groups. Homosexuality is one of the three main sexual orientation groups, along with heterosexuality and bisexuality. Not all people believe that the term “asexual” should be used to describe sexual orientation. Homosexuality can also refer to a person’s sexual identity, which is what orientation a person feels the closest membership to. 165
