Your sexuality may sometimes take you to differing ideas than to those that are taught to you by your parents, at school, by your religious or cultural influences or by your mates. You may start out thinking one way, being just like everyone else, and trying to be like your parents taught you to be or wanted you to be. For many non-gay identifying men who have sex with men the idea of what is "normal" can cause many emotional and psychological conflicts as we try to just fit in and be like everyone else.

We know that sometimes it's just easier to blend in and "do the right thing". How many times have we heard that? Or "it's just a phase your going through", "You'll get over it", "Straighten up why don't you?", or "you don't want people to think you're queer or somethin' ". These negative messages often reinforce our fears of being different and stifle any exploration of who we are when we may feel that we are attracted to men instead of / or as well as women on many levels. It is important to remember that there are many variations on what someone's sexual identity can be. It's up to you to reflect on what you feel and think is right for you.