What term denotes an enduring sexual attraction toward members of either one's own sex or the other sex?

• A. Sexual orientation
• B. Gender identity
• C. Sexual behavior
• D. Sexual preference

Answer: (A)

Sexual orientation refers to the enduring pattern of emotional and sexual attraction toward people of the same sex, the opposite sex, or both. This concept emphasizes a stable tendency over time, rather than temporary feelings or specific actions. That stability is what makes it the best fit for the description.

Gender identity is about one’s internal sense of being male, female, or something else, which is separate from who one is attracted to. Sexual behavior means the actual acts one engages in, which can vary and don’t always align with one’s attractions. Sexual preference is a less precise, everyday term that people sometimes use, but it doesn’t capture the enduring, pattern-based nature of orientation as clearly.