Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation is a core part of a person’s identity and a gift from God.

About 1 in 10 people identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or some other non-heterosexual orientation. In the Catholic Church, this statistic reveals just how many LGBTQ+ people are integral members of the people of God. We must continue building a Church where all are welcome.

What is Sexual Orientation?

According to the American Psychological Association, sexual orientation is “a component of identity that includes a person’s sexual and emotional attraction to another person and the behavior and/or social affiliation that may result from this attraction. A person may be attracted to men, women, both, neither, or to people who are genderqueer, androgynous, or have other gender identities. Individuals may identify as lesbian, gay, heterosexual, bisexual, queer, pansexual, or asexual, among others.”