# Sexual orientation on Facebook **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-orientation-on-facebook/624332 "2012-06-06T23:45:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-orientation-on-facebook/624332/1 "2012-06-06T23:45:08Z")
I just had a Facebook Friend and, same person here, friend of a friend (real-life) exclaim that he was surprised by my sexual orientation. It seems that I’d accurately disclosed my sexual orientation, and left the setting exposed such that all of my Facebook Friends could see. Now, I’m not closeted, but I’d rather that certain of my: - not that close friends and - older family members not have to think of my sexual orientation. So, I’m removing sexual orientation from being viewable by anybody. What are the odds that a given Facebook user has actually viewed that part of my profile? Do you view that part of the ‘about’ when someone adds you? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-orientation-on-facebook/624332/2 "2012-06-06T23:54:22Z")
It seems to have changed to a default four pieces of information for people who have been upgraded to the Timeline, and that doesn’t included the “Interested In” info. However, didn’t it used to give a random assortment of tidbits from your profile as a paragraph of links? ---
**Author:** ![Sundrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sundrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sundrop)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-orientation-on-facebook/624332/3 "2012-06-07T03:03:30Z")
Hell, at least you understood the Interest In thing meant /interested in/, not interested in connecting with. Unlike my dumb ass that had set it to Interested in Men and Women for 3 flipping years and had no clue I was falsely advertising myself as a bisexual. :smack: At least until recently when a friend asked me if I was bisexual and in an open marriage and then I adjusted it. Sad part is, not once in that entire time did any of my gay or bisexual friends even so much as hint in some interest. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-orientation-on-facebook/624332/4 "2012-06-07T03:09:25Z")
Don’t feel bad, Sundrop, I did the same thing :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-orientation-on-facebook/624332/5 "2012-06-07T03:12:09Z")
> [@Sundrop](#): > > Hell, at least you understood the Interest In thing meant /interested in/, not interested in connecting with. > SNIP Hmmm. Perhaps we’re all mis-reading it. Is there, in fact, a statement by Facebook anywhere that suggests that “Interested In” references sexual orientation rather than new friends? ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-orientation-on-facebook/624332/6 "2012-06-07T03:15:43Z")
No, but it’s common sense. I’ve never bothered to select an option. Never ticked anything off for my gender, either. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-orientation-on-facebook/624332/7 "2012-06-07T03:16:34Z")
Not on the Edit your Profile page. We’re all interested in column A, column B, or both, and they don’t say what “interested” means. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexual-orientation-on-facebook/624332/8 "2012-06-07T03:27:54Z")
What other possible meaning could you attach to that word in the context of a personal bio?