What is one belief regarding how sexual orientation is determined?

The belief that sexual orientation is determined at birth holds that individuals are born with a specific sexual orientation that does not change over time. This perspective is rooted in the idea that innate biological factors—such as genetics and hormonal influences during prenatal development—play a significant role in defining a person's sexual attractions and preferences. Proponents of this view often argue that, while individuals may face societal and environmental influences, their fundamental orientation is set from the very beginning of life.

In contrast, other considerations in this area suggest that a person's environment or upbringing could heavily shape their sexual orientation, which introduces the idea that experience and social context—which is not accounted for in the belief that it is purely determined at birth—also have significant impacts. Thus, while some may believe that sexual orientation develops solely from environmental factors or is solely rooted in biological determinants, the view that it is determined at birth emphasizes the primacy of intrinsic, unchangeable characteristics established from the start of a person's life.