Why does everyone think i m gay

by Fred Penzel, PhD

This article was initially published in the Winter edition of the OCD Newsletter.

OCD, as we grasp, is largely about experiencing severe and unrelenting doubt. It can cause you to doubt even the most basic things about yourself – even your sexual orientation. A study published in the Journal of Sex Research set up that among a group of college students, 84% reported the occurrence of sexual intrusive thoughts (Byers, et al. ). In decree to have doubts about one’s sexual identity, a sufferer need not ever have had a homo- or heterosexual experience, or any type of sexual experience at all. I have observed this symptom in young children, adolescents, and adults as adequately. Interestingly Swedo, et al., , start that approximately 4% of children with OCD experience obsessions concerned with forbidden aggressive or perverse sexual thoughts.

Although doubts about one’s hold sexual identity might seem pretty straightforward as a symptom, there are actually a number of variations. The most obvious form is where a sufferer experiences the consideration that they mig

Ask Polly: Why Undertake People Always Think I'm Gay?

Appearing here Wednesdays, Turning The Screw provides existential crisis counseling for the faint of heart. “Does your soul ever feel, you know, not so fresh?”

Dear Polly,

I finally garnered the courage to pen to you about my particular problem, and I hope you can shed some of your wisdom on the situation.

Ever since the 6th grade, people have been asking me if I’m gay. Advocate then, the other kids thought any person who was any bit alternative from them was queer , and attached a terrible meaning to the pos. I’ll be the first to say that I’ve never been the most “masculine” individual. I affectionate to read and record, and a lot of what I read is somewhat romantic. My iPod is full of Ellie Goulding, Florence + The Machine and Norah Jones, but utterly lacking in Korn, Metallica or Aerosmith. I love to roast , and have been singing in school choruses since 4th grade. I’ve never liked violent video games or talking about sex. I can kind of see where they got their opinions of me, but it made me enormously self-conscious. When I got to

Sexplain It: Everyone Says I'm Gay, and I Can't Tell if They're Right

I'm Zachary Zane, a sex writer and ethical manwhore (a fancy way of saying I sleep with a lot of people, and I'm very, very open about it). Over the years, I've had my fair share of sexual experiences, dating and sleeping with hundreds of people of all genders and orientations. In doing so, I've learned a thing or two about navigating issues in the bedroom (and a bunch of other places, TBH). I'm here to reply your most pressing sex questions with thorough, actionable advice that isn't just "communicate with your partner," because you know that already. Ask me anything—literally, anything—and I will gladly Sexplain It.

To submit a question for a future column, fill out this form.

Dear Sexplain It,

I have a feeling that my family thinks or assumes that I’m queer. I go to grad school out of declare, and I feel that they talk about me when I’m not there. Sometimes when I converse to my mom, some comments slip out and she immediately changes the subject, and I sham that I did not hear anyth

Yes, I, of course, realize that it&#;s not worth time worrying about it. I&#;m just a little curious about why it happens and why people save insisting I&#;m gay. Usually the conversation goes thusly"Are you going out with Michelle?" "Um, nowe&#;re just friends" "Ohthen are you gay?" "Nope, &#;fraid not." "It&#;s ok if you are" "That&#;s great, but I&#;m not gay" "But, Philip, it&#;s ok! You can admit it to me!" "Ummmbut I&#;m not gay." "Oh, Philip, we&#;ll still be friends even if you are gay!" "That&#;s really greatbut I&#;m not gay." etc etcIt&#;s a little disconcerting to have to constantly retort this questionbut, oh well. Silly little teenagersI&#;m 16 actually. Yeah, girls do rock, I&#;ll expend hours in conversation with a girl and yet I hold trouble getting 5 intelligent words out of most guys.