Is this normal?

[Spacekiwi]

Ive just sort of recently accepted and realized that I like girls. I’ve always been attracted to them. But I've only ever dated boys. I tend to have actual “crushes” on girls and never boys though. My predicament is that I only seem to be attracted to girls, but I, for some reason, feel like I want to marry a man. Like… Im fond of the idea of being a man’s girlfriend, and being protected, and feeling feminine. Maybe it’s my fear of being societally viewed as “Butch” when I don’t feel that way. But it also feels deeper than that in the way that maybe being with a woman won’t feel fully satisfying? But I’m also not into masc women… I mean, I’m only 16 and I’ve never been in a relationship with a girl, so maybe when I have more experience I’ll know. But has anyone else felt this way?

[char]

Hi Spacekiwi, welcome to the boards

To answer the question on your topic title: yes, this is normal. It's normal--and okay--to recognize that you like girls despite only having dated boys. It's also okay to have preferences on who you'd like to date and differences on the intensity of your attraction. After all, everyone's sexuality--including their sexual orientation--is different. While I personally don't share your experience, I'm sure you're not alone. You can label your experience with terms like bisexual or queer, or not at all--it's all up to you.

As for the specifics, I think it can be helpful for you to reflect on your experiences to understand yourself better. How do you define "crush," and how do you find your attraction to girls different from your attraction to boys? What have you heard (or read) from those around you about relationships between two women, romantically and/or sexually? How do you define your gender expression, and how do you relate it to your attraction?