Developmental Milestones of Sexual Orientation � Israeli Research
Executive Summary

Various researchers have tried to formulate models to describe the development of gay and lesbian sexual orientation. Following criticism of these models, the research focuses in recent years on significant milestones in the development of sexual orientation (initial recognition of the existence of same-sex attraction, sex with same sex partners, exposing the sexual orientation to others, sexual orientation disclosure to parents).

Studies, conducted mostly in the U.S., have shown that there are various routes for the emergence of sexual orientation among teens, that vary depending on gender, demographics, and experiences and positions teenagers experienced in their surroundings. The current study's objectives were to examine the validity of the results found in U.S. studies on Israeli subjects, highlight the differences in the development of sexual orientation between different age groups and examine the existence of gender based differences in formulating sexual orientation.

The research was conducted using a questionnaire with 15 milestones related to formulating sexual orientation, and subjects were asked to indicate if they have experienced any of these milestones, and if so - at what age have they first experienced them. In addition subjects were asked for their opinion as to eight statements relating to their personal experience LGB people (lesbian, gay, and bisexual).

An analysis of the results points to a certain order in which the milestones occur in each of the groups that were examined. It was found that the order of milestones varies from gays to lesbians, as well as between the different age groups. Several findings worth noting were:

The age of formulating the sexual orientation is dropping, with the most noticeable gap between the "Youth" group and the two older groups more similar to each other with regard to ages.

"Feeling different", the first milestone to appear, occurs at a similar age in all age and sexual orientation groups, so one might imagine that the trigger for feeling different is not influenced by social influences, and that it is associated with physiological processes associated with adolescence. Lesbians were less likely to feel different than the other groups.

"Feeling different", the first milestone to appear, occurs at a similar age in all age and sexual orientation groups, so one might imagine that the trigger for feeling different is not influenced by social influences, and that it is associated with physiological processes associated with adolescence. Lesbians were less likely to feel different than the other groups.

As opposed to homosexuals, whose sexual experiences with both sexes occur on average at the same age and shortly after they are certain of their sexual orientation, among lesbians there is a significant time gap between the experience with men and experience with women, and between this experience and certainty in their sexual orientation.

Gays, particularly at the "young" age group, were significantly more likely not to have had sexual experiences with women. This is in contrast to lesbians, many of whom reported having sexual experiences with both men and women.

In all groups the same order of exposure of sexual orientation was found: first to anyone (any person), then the family and eventually at work.

Among lesbians first lesbian relationship comes before they reported that they told the family. Among gays they first tell the family, and only then the existence of a first relationship is reported, or the age telling the family is the same as the age of the first relationship.

An analysis of respondents' attitudes to the statements presented in the questionnaire, several other interesting findings are pointed out:

An individual's level of acceptance to his or her sexual orientation increases with age. Gays and lesbians also reported a higher degree of acceptance of their sexual orientation compared to bisexuals.

As age increases, respondents report an increase in the number of LGBT friends (lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual people) they have, and also with regard to this social issue, bisexual have less social contacts with other LGBT than gays / lesbians.

The findings about the developmental milestones related to sexual orientation are similar to those found in recent US studies. It seems that social processes related to social openness and visibility, similarly affect both Israeli and American societies.