Understanding and Challenging Stigma toward ... - Pact Cambodia

Annex A:2
Men who Have Sex with Men –
Frequently Asked Questions
How do MSM become MSM?
Wanting to have sex with other men is part of some men’s nature; it is simply the way
they are. People don't choose to be heterosexual or don’t choose the people they fall
in love with. Similarly, many MSM are simply attracted to and develop emotional and
sexual feelings for other men. While it cannot be explained or predicted, researchers
agree that sexual orientation, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual, is
determined by a mixture of genes and other factors. At the same time, some MSM do
not necessarily consider themselves to be gay. For example, some MSM may temporarily
have sex with men due to circumstances, such as being confined to prison, experiencing
a period of separation from the opposite sex (e.g., during military training), or for money
(such as sex work).
How do I know if I'm gay?
Our sexual identities develop over time. You may not know what to call your sexual
feelings. Most teenage boys, for example, feel intensely sexual during the years around
puberty, usually between 11 and 15, when their bodies start changing and their
hormones are flowing in new ways. Your sexual feelings may be so strong that they are
not directed toward particular persons or situations, but seem to emerge without cause.
As you get older you will learn more about who you are and to whom you're attracted,
which is uniquely different for all of us.
What determines sexual orientation?
The factors that determine sexual orientation are complex. Human beings have
a basic sexuality that is expressed in relationships that are homosexual, bisexual or
heterosexual. The distinctions between these categories are fluid and may overlap.
Although the causes are not known, some researchers believe that one's basic sexual
orientation is determined at birth.
272