Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation, sometimes just called “orientation” is talking about who people like or fall in love with. It refers to who people are attracted to (or not attracted to). Some common terms you may hear about orientation are: straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, and asexual. There are many other words people may use to be more specific about who they are attracted to and even how they experience that attraction. Language is constantly changing and words hold different meanings for different people so choose the words that fit best for you.
Some people know from a young age who they like or fall in love with. Other people don’t come to these realizations until their teen years, or even later in life. There is no right or wrong time to come to this understanding and for many, it’s a lifelong journey. We live in a world that assumes most people are straight unless they say otherwise which means 2SLGBTQ+ people may not always see themselves reflected in their families, communities, or in the media. This can make it difficult for you to figure out if you are 2SLGBTQ+ if you don’t have anything or anyone to relate your feelings to. Some people figure out who they like by developing a crush while other people figure it out after meeting or reading about someone with similar feelings to them.
Today, sexual orientation is protected under the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Alberta Human Rights Act.
You cannot be discriminated against based on your sexual orientation, which means you cannot be fired, evicted or denied services for this reason. However, we know that people do still experience discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation.
If someone feels their human rights have not been respected, they can explore their options with the Alberta Human Rights Commission or the Canadian Human Rights Commission.