Is It Normal for Boys to Be Attracted to Other Boys?

Boys will be boys, and sometimes that means liking other boys. These feelings often develop in adolescence, but can relate to things that happened even before you're born. Whether you are trying to understand these feelings in yourself or know someone who is, it will help to understand that same-sex attraction is just as normal as a boy liking a girl.

In adolescence, boys go through many changes, including a developing sense of attraction. During this time, they not only begin to show signs of attraction to others but also explore their identities. Some boys may be confused about these feelings, while others may know for sure they like boys. No matter what, this type of exploration is normal, and a boy liking another boy is simply a way attraction shows up in people.

While there is no recorded cause of same-sex attraction, it is influenced by things that occur even before birth. For one, same-sex attraction is sometimes related to a mother's hormones in pregnancy. When a male is exposed to less androgens, male sex hormones, before birth, his brain develops differently than other males,' leading to what is considered more female-typical behaviors and thinking, according to Drs. Joan and Greg Cook in the Education.com article "The Development of Sexual Orientation," an excerpt from their book "Child Development Principles and Perspectives." Boy's environment, including how others interact with gender-atypical behavior, can also play a role; however, this interaction is not as easy to pinpoint.

When boys are attracted to other boys, their identities develop in a particular way. Drs. Joan and Greg Cook state that these boys first begin to feel different from other boys who like girls. Then they reach a point at which they work to understand these new feelings. Eventually, these boys accept their new identities and then seek their first same-sex relationships.

Support is the key to helping a boy who's attracted to other boys. Many people still feel it is okay to discriminate based on who you're attracted to, so seek the support of people who respect and accept you if you are the one experiencing same-gender attraction. If you know someone working through these feelings, be a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on. This support will go a long way and can prove essential in helping young men feel confident about who they are, especially when it comes to attraction.