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The definition of [[sexual orientation]] has changed greatly over time and the word "gay" wasn't used to describe sexual orientation until the mid 20th century. A number of different classification schemes have been used to describe sexual orientation since the mid-19th 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.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Shively |first=M.G. |author2=Jones, C. |author3=DeCecco, J. P. |year=1984 |title=Research on sexual orientation: definitions and methods |journal=Journal of Homosexuality |volume= 9 |issue= 2/3 |pages=127–137 |doi=10.1300/J082v09n02_08 |accessdate= |pmid=6376622}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Gerdes |first=L.C. |title=The Developing Adult | edition=Second |location=Durban: Butterworths; Austin, TX |publisher=Butterworth Legal Publishers |year=1988 |isbn=0-409-10188-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Sell |first=Randall L. |date=December 1997 |title=Defining and Measuring Sexual Orientation: A Review: How do you define sexual orientation? |journal=Archives of Sexual Behavior |volume= 26 |issue= 6 |pages=643–658 |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/assault/context/defining.html |accessdate=2007-07-11 |doi=10.1023/A:1024528427013 |pmid=9415799}}</ref> 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 (social science)|identity]]. See [[homosexuality]] and [[bisexuality]] for criteria that have traditionally denoted lesbian, gay and bisexual ([[LGBT|LGB]]) people.
The high prevalence of people from the West on this list may be due to [[societal attitudes toward homosexuality]]. The [[Pew Research Center]]'s 2003 Global Attitudes Survey found that "[p]eople in Africa and the Middle East strongly object to societal acceptance of homosexuality. Opinion in Europe is split between West and East. Majorities in every Western European nation surveyed say homosexuality should be accepted by society, while most Russians, Poles and Ukrainians disagree. {{As of|2003|post=,}} Americans are divided – a thin majority (51 percent) believes homosexuality should be accepted, while 42 percent disagree."<ref name="pewreport">{{cite book |last=Pew Global Attitudes Project |title=Views of a Changing World |url=http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=185 |format=.PDF |date=June 2003 |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=The Pew Research Center For The People & The Press | oclc=52547041 |accessdate=2007-07-11}}</ref> Attitude towards homosexuality in Latin American countries have increasingly been more legally tolerant, but Mexico and Brazil have remained unaccepting about the subject.<ref>[http://www.realtruth.org/news/070323-001-societylifestyles.html Realtruth.org]</ref><ref>[http://www.paho.org/English/D/COR-AguaBuena-Article-Eng-Feb-06.htm Paho.org]</ref>
==Persons of confirmed lesbian, gay or bisexual orientation==
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