"One of the challenges is that although teen pregnancy rates are declining, although some of the risky sexual behaviours are declining for all orientation groups, gay, lesbian and bisexual teens still started at much higher rates than their heterosexual teens," said Saewyc.
...Saewyc said it is a common misconception that gay boys don't have sex with girls.
"We assume that sexual attraction, sexual behaviour and sexual identity are going to be 100 per cent consistent for people. And that's not the case. Especially not for teenagers," she said from Vancouver.
"So they may know who they're attracted to. They may identify. But they're not necessarily only going to be having sex with their same gender."
Gay and lesbian teens may have sex with members of the opposite sex for a variety of reasons. Some do it to hide, to deflect the abuse that they see inflicted on gay, lesbian and bisexual teens. They call it "camouflage."
"For some, it may be that they've been told that this is abnormal and wrong and they may think: 'Well, if I just have sex with enough opposite-gender people that will cure me,"' Saewyc said.
"And for some, it is camouflage. It's passing. For some, it's curiosity - 'Well, how do I know I'm really gay until I've tried and decided no, I really don't like that?"'
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branchandroot
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Date: 2008-12-17 07:33 pm (UTC)