Get a grip

The most important thing is to be honest with your feelings and see where they take you. Sexuality is no easy ride; you have a whole host of emotions to get a grip of, not to mention the physical side of things.

Virtually everyone will have feelings for someone of the same sex at some stage in their life, this does not mean they have to rush out and buy a rainbow sticker for their car. It is just a natural part of sexual development. However if these feelings are more frequent or long lasting then it may be more significant.

Labels and stereotypes

Don't rush into giving yourself a label and coming out in public though. This is a very personal thing and you probably want to be comfortable with your feelings before broadcasting to your world.

Unfortunately some people can't accept any other sexual orientation to their own as being normal. They are mistaken in their thinking, and you must remember that you are not doing anything wrong or immoral. However such prejudice can, understandably, be hard to take and you may be tempted to keep your sexuality quiet. While this may seem fine in the short term, do you really want to hide this side of you forever? Be true to yourself, you have every right to be comfortable with who you are.

Play safe

Just because you have decided your sexual orientation does not mean you have to get jiggy with the first person you fancy. Give it time, and only get passionate when you feel ready.

Don't forget that it doesn't matter if you are gay, straight or bi - have safe sex to reduce the risk of pregnancy and getting any sexually transmitted diseases. It's also a good idea to know the law.

Find out more

You don't have to change yourself or your social life just because you have a different sexual preference to the rest of your mates. Life can tick on as normal, however it may help you to read books or articles written by or about people who have gone through the same thing as you.

You may also want to join a club or society run by gay people for gay people, it will give you support of people who understand exactly what you are going through, and will be especially helpful if you feel uncomfortable discussing everything with your mates. Although it is worth remembering that you won't necessarily like every gay person you meet, just like you don't like every straight person you meet.

Updated: 06/01/2011