Sexual Trichotomy model Year 10 Wellbeing

What is sexuality? Sexuality is how people experience and express themselves as sexual beings. It can be explained in three parts: orientation (who we are attracted to), behaviour (what we do sexually) and identity (how we see and present ourselves to others).

Sexual rights Every adult has the right: to be treated as an adult, not be seen as sexless and be treated with the dignity and respect accorded to adults to know about the body, sex, sexuality, sexual health and to access this knowledge in ways they can understand to be sexual and to make and break relationships not to be judged by support workers with differing attitudes to sex and sexuality not to be sexually abused to have safe space for privacy, personal control and choice.

Sexual Trichotomy Model This model moved away from just looking at sexual behaviour to discuss sexual formation & identity. It provides a holistic model that acknowledges internal mechanisms that impact on our sexual formation such as psychological, biological, ethical, spiritual & socio-cultural factors. The model explains the integration between sexual orientation, sexual behaviour & sexual identity. Sexual Orientation: This is who you are attracted to: women only, men only, both; Sexual Behaviour: This is the sexual contacts that you make, it is only the physical act. This may or may not be congruent with your sexual orientation &/or your sexual identity. Sexual Identity: This is how you externally & internally identify.

Sexual Identity (how we self-identify and/ or publicly identify) Sexual orientation (who we are attracted to) Sexual behaviour (the sexual contacts we have)

Sexual Identity Term used to describe how people think about themselves privately and how they represent themselves publicly. People can often have a different identity publically to what they do privately. WHY? Your internal & external identity may also not be congruent – you may identify one way internally but not identify the same way externally. Developing a sexual identity is an ongoing, lifelong process. It differs from gender identity. It is not how we identity as a male or a female, but how we identify as a sexual being.

Sexual Behaviour sexual behaviour refers to the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. You ALWAYS have a choice about your sexual behaviours.

Sexual Orientation Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to men, women, both genders or neither gender. You do NOT ALWAYS have a choice about your sexual orientation. Ask yourself when you choose your sexual orientation. How did you come to this conclusion?

ACTIVITY Complete the Opposite ends of the pole activity.