Famous people who are simply rumored to be gay, lesbian or bisexual, are not listed, but since it is difficult to provide proof of a historical person's sexuality, they may be included where there are reliable sources. The definition of sexual orientation has changed greatly over time and the word 'gay' wasn't used to describe sexual orientation until the 20th century. Much of the research about sexual orientation has failed to define the term at all, making it difficult to reconcile the results of different studies.Ī number of different classification schemes have been used to describe sexual orientation since the mid-19th century. However, most definitions include a psychological component (such as the direction of an individual's erotic desire) and/or a behavioural component (which focuses on the sex of the individual's sexual partner/s).
Some prefer to simply follow an individual's self-definition or identity. See homosexuality and bisexuality for criteria that have traditionally denoted lesbian, gay and bisexual ( LGB) people.
