Dear escobarr,

No. Sexual experimentation with people of the same gender is very common among young people. It does not necessarily indicate sexual orientation. If you are most strongly attracted to the opposite sex, and you feel that you are straight, then you most likely are.

For some of us, it takes years to understand our sexual orientation and sexual identity. Often, people may find that they are "questioning" for quite a while, or that none of the labels seem to apply. Each of us has to answer these questions for ourselves, and it may take us time before we can answer.

On the other hand, very many of us know and understand our sexual identities at very young ages. Being gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, or transgender is ultimately how we feel about ourselves in our deepest heart of hearts. There's very little — including an occasional experiment — that can change that.

Unfortunately, many people in our world are not fully informed when it comes to sexual identity, especially sexual orientation. They may not know that same-sex contact is not the same as a homosexual orientation. And they may get a little freaked out thinking that they have a partner who has had same-sex contact, because they misunderstand what that means.

It's a good thing to be honest about the past, it helps us know who we are — which gives us a good jump on the future.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.