Heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bi-sexuality can be referred to as the feelings of one person toward another as well as the sexual behaviour of the individual. When we talk about sexual behaviour on this site, we make a very thin nuance differentiation between both meanings. This fact can be a sort of confusion or misunderstanding among some readers, that is why, I will not use the definitions homosexuality and heterosexuality in isolation from their meanings, and I will refer them to feelings and sexual behaviour, in general. In any case, one should beware that homosexual behaviour does not equal with homosexual orientation.

Talking about sexual orientation, I would like to mention that there are people who prefer to use the terms ''sexual preferences'' or ''homosexual preferences.'' This is an expression of the conviction of these people that lesbians are bi-sexual, i.e. that they are attracted to men and women at the same time, but they prefer members of their own sex. And from this idea comes also the conviction that lesbians can choose, if they want, an individual of the opposite sex. Other people use the terms ''sexual way of life'' or ''homosexual way of life'' to allude that homosexual orientation is not genetically determined but represents the woman's choice of lifestyle and sexual relations. And that she could choose her personality the same way that she chooses to marry or not, to be a blue-colour worker or to develop a private enterprise, to drive a car or to ride a bicycle. These statements are outrageously wrong and manipulative.

I`m listing here some of the commonly used terms related to homosexuality and sexuality in general as well as some explanations of their meanings.

HOMOSEXUAL:
An individual who is attracted (emotionally, spiritually, and physically) to members of their own sex. For a long time, this term did not exist. There are no known appellations of homosexuals or bisexuals. They were called ''people who have sex with members of their own sex.'' The term appears in anonymous pamphlets in 1869 in Germany for the first time. This pamphlets expressed a protest against a Prussian law against sodomy.

GAY:
Gay is an accepted appellation for a male homosexual in Bulgaria.
On a global scale with time, this term got to refer to lesbians, as well. We speak of Gay-culture, Gay-symbols, Gay-orientation, and so on. People started making less difference of the sexes, and you can often hear a woman say that she is lesbian or she is a gay- and that these expressions are the same for her. Personally, I have an own unpopular theory regarding this question. There is a much greater acceptance of female homosexuality, so some people coined this term in the hope of greater acceptance for male homosexuality. Despite the presumably identical meaning of the words homosexual and gay, there are many people who differentiate between both. Homosexuality determines sexual orientation and behaviour, gay stands for a social identification. Some actually claim that gay is an abbreviation for the expression ''As good as you.'' Very nice theory without an evidence behind it. In the past, the word gay had many different meanings. During the 14th century, the word has been a synonym for ''happy.'' The 16th century came to adopt this word for people who lived immoral and carefree life. The 18th century people used the term to refer to women prostitutes. At the beginning of the 19th century being ''gay'' meant that a person is healthy or recovering well. The brothels were also called ''Gay houses.'' The term is used as a definition of male homosexuality in a theatrical performance in 1933 for the first time. In 1938, one movie by Gary Grant used the word ''gay'' for description of travestites.

LESBIAN:
A homosexual woman.
A lesbian is a woman who is emotionally, spiritually, and physically attracted to other women, who falls in love with them, and who would like to live up her life with another woman. For more information on the question, read HERE

BISEXUAL:
A woman who is potentially more or less attracted (emotionally, spiritually, physically) to representatives of both sexes. It is assumed that every person is bisexual to some extent. For more information, read HERE

HETEROSEXUAL:
A woman who is attracted (emotionally, spiritually, and physically) Only by men, who falls in love with men, and would like to live up her life with a man. There is a separate term ''straight'' in the Western world which does not exist in the Bulgarian language.

TRANSSEXUAL:
A person who identifies herself with the opposite to her biological sex. This includes the full psychological identification with the opposite sex, and the person lives a life suitable for the sex this person has self-identified with. The term is most commonly used for a man who had changed his sex through a surgical intervention. They are often called travestites which I deem inappropriate.

TRAVESTITE:
A person who gets sexual pleasure from wearing the clothes of the opposite sex. These people are not homosexuals necessarily. There are many heterosexuals among them. The term is used for men mainly.

HETEROSEXISM:
A belief that all people have to be heterosexual and that heterosexuality is a superior form of sexual interaction. People holding this view also think that any other form of sexuality is illness or a shameful condition. To read more on the question, click HERE

HOMOPHOBIA:
Unrealistic, unnecessary, and irrational fear and hate toward homosexuality. Homophobic attitudes nourish negative stereotypes in society and hinder the understanding of the homosexuality essence. Such attitudes could bear hate, discrimination, and violence toward homosexuals. You can read more on the question HERE

           TERMS WHICH DO NOT HAVE AN EQUIVALENT IN THE BULGARIAN LANGUAGE

Femme: A term separating a distinct category of lesbians who have an emphasized feminine outlook, behaviour, and manners. They have feminine sexual identity, and the other lesbians call them lipstick lesbians.

Butch: Term used for separating a group of lesbians who have markedly male outlook, behaviour, and manners, and often an aspiration for a male role in the relationship. Most often, these are women with male sexual identity.

Dyke: Another term used to differentiate a category of lesbians who resemble men in outlook and behaviour, but in a milder form that the butches. The male sexual identity is missing, and they often accept the role of a femme in a relationship. In the beginning, this term was used as a derogatory appellation for a lesbian and a radical feminist.

Queer: A term used for describing a lesbian or gay- the terms is made up by the homosexual society so that they avoid the negative connotation which the word ''homosexual'' carries.

Straight: A person who is heterosexual.

Copyright © 2001-2007 Bg-lesbian - All copyrights are reserved