ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Sexual orientation hypothesis

The sexual orientation hypothesis is a scientific theory that tries to explain why some people are attracted to people of the same gender and some are attracted to people of the opposite gender.

Imagine you have a friend named Abby who likes boys, and another friend named Zack who likes girls. The hypothesis suggests that Abby and Zack's attraction to either boys or girls is something they were born with, and not something they chose.

Just like how some people have brown eyes and some have blue eyes, the sexual orientation hypothesis suggests that some people are born with a natural preference for people of the same gender (like Abby) and some are born with a natural preference for people of the opposite gender (like Zack).

The hypothesis also suggests that there are many different factors that contribute to a person's sexual orientation. Some of these factors may include genetics (things we inherit from our parents) and early experiences with gender and sexuality.

It's important to remember that not everyone agrees with the sexual orientation hypothesis and there is still much research being done to understand the complexity of human sexuality. Ultimately, what's most important is treating everyone with kindness and respect, no matter who they are or who they love.