Sexual orientation
Identifying and definitional attributes | |
Metadata item type: | Glossary Item |
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| METEOR identifier: | 755634 |
| Registration status: |
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| Definition: | Sexual orientation encapsulates how a person thinks of their own sexuality and the terms they identify with. Their sexual orientation reflects their romantic and sexual attraction to others, to persons of the same sex, or to persons of a different sex. Some of the main ways of identification are: heterosexual (straight), gay, lesbian, or bisexual. |
Collection and usage attributes | |
| Comments: | The following definitions are based on the ABS Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables (ABS 2021): Nominal definition Sexual orientation is an umbrella concept that encapsulates:
Responses to a sexual orientation question are a subjective view of oneself and can change over the course of a person's lifetime and in different contexts. An individual could respond differently to questions on either sexual identity, attraction or behaviour. Operational definition Questions about a person's sexual orientation would usually relate to their sexual identity and attraction, i.e. how a person thinks of their own sexuality, the terms they identify with and their romantic or sexual attraction to others. To gather data on sexual behaviour, a series of more detailed questions and answer categories may be more appropriate. |
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Source and reference attributes | |
| Submitting organisation: | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare |
| Origin: | ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2021. Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables. Canberra: ABS. Viewed 23 Feb 2022,<https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/standard-sex-gender-variations-sex-characteristics-and-sexual-orientation-variables/latest-release> |
| Reference documents: | ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2021. Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables. Canberra: ABS. Viewed 23 Feb 2022,<https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/standard-sex-gender-variations-sex-characteristics-and-sexual-orientation-variables/latest-release> APSC (Australian Public Service Commission) 2021. Australian Government Style Manual 2021. Gender and Sexual Diversity. Canberra: APSC. Viewed 23 Feb 2022, <https://www.stylemanual.gov.au/accessible-and-inclusive-content/inclusive-language/gender-and-sexual-diversity> AIFS (Australian Institute of Family Studies) 2022. Canberra: AIFS. LGBTIQA+ glossary of common terms. Viewed 24 Feb 2022, <https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/standard-sex-gender-variations-sex-characteristics-and-sexual-orientation-variables/latest-release> |
Relational attributes | |
| Related metadata references: | See also Gender
See also Sex
See also Variations of sex characteristics
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| Metadata items which use this glossary item: | Person—sexual orientation
Person—sexual orientation, code N[N]
Person—sexual orientation, text X[X(99)]
Sex
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation code N[N]
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