What it means
Examples include heterosexual, gay, lesbian and bisexual, and orientation can be described as a range rather than fixed boxes. It is different from gender identityJEN-der eye-DEN-tih-teeA person's own inner sense of their gender, whether or not it matches the sex they were assigned at birth.Full entry , a person's inner sense of their own gender.
For the nurse
Ask in an open, private and respectful way, use the words the client uses, and keep the information confidential.
At a glance
| Spanish | orientación sexual |
|---|---|
| Also written | sexual orientations |
Related terms
gender identity
A person's own inner sense of their gender, whether or not it matches the sex they were assigned at birth.