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Expert Q & A

Top : General : Is it common for an 11-year-old boy to be unsure about his sexual orientation?

Preteenagers Today's Health Advisory Panel Answers:
Is it common for an 11-year-old boy to be unsure about his sexual orientation?
By Chris Crutcher
Author
Licensed Child and Family Therapist
 		Chris Crutcher

Question:


Is it common for an 11-year-old boy to be unsure about his sexual orientation? My son is very shy and seems to be very talented in acting (got a lot of compliments at school, and it helped him improve his social skills). He now shows great interest in acting and admires some actors in particular. He asked me if it was normal, and I told him it was, but he is concerned that this admiration for actors may mean that he is gay. I want to be supportive, but I don't know much about it myself.

Answer:


What I would tell him is, nothing means you are gay except being sexually attracted to someone of your same sex. I would also tell him, at a time when it just comes up naturally, that if he is in fact gay, it changes nothing about how you feel or about his worth. Tell him to have a good time, and don't sweat it.

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