Bisexual Visibility

Understanding Bisexuality

Just like the many other terms we use to describe our identity, bisexuality is complicated and one definition will never suit all bisexuals. There is no consensus for what bisexuality means or who is bisexual (Rust, 1995) . One simplistic definition of bisexuality as a good starting point for discussion is “emotional, sensual and sexual involvement with or attraction to both men and women” (Beemyn, 2001). Beemyn describes this definition as a “serious oversimplification” due to its assumption that gender points to someone’s objects of attraction. Bisexuality can be defined this way but can also include more nuanced understandings of attraction, whether it be sexual, behavioural, or emotional (Rust, 1995).

To understand bisexuality, it is important to understand the dominant culture that bisexuality fights against. A person who is sexually attracted to members of one sex exclusively is a monosexual (Oxford English Dictionnary). Monosexuality can include straight attraction, to members of the opposite sex, or same-sex attraction but excludes any overlap. We are living in a monosexually dominated culture, and monosexuality is the dominant culture in most parts of the western world. Monosexuality allows for gay and lesbian relationships to be recognized, but excludes bisexual, pansexual, or fluid identities.

Why it matters

Bisexuality is disproportionately overlooked, even within queer communities. Homosexuality is better represented and more highly regarded than bisexuality for many reasons including the monosexual society and the establishment of the gay and lesbian liberation movement (Elia, 2014). These factors contribute to acceptance of gay and lesbian identities and cultures while bisexuality is making much slower progress. There are also many negative attitudes directed at bisexuals including bi-phobia, bi-negativity, sexual prejudice, and myths about bisexual people such as their likelihood of spreading disease (Elia, 2014). This causes bisexuality to be hidden or suppressed by society, media and often individuals. Whereas bisexuality is not regarded as innate, monosexuality is often viewed as the natural way to be(Filippo, 2013) .

These negative attitudes towards bisexuality can have horrible effects on bisexual people. Along with higher rates of suicide and substance abuse, bisexuals also face greater health risks than both heterosexuals and homosexuals (Elia, 2014). This is in no way saying that bisexuality is a worse struggle than the adversity faced by homosexuals. Everyone’s struggles are unique and it is impossible to compare group suffering (see: Intersectionality). However, there is still a long way to go for bisexual acceptance, including within queer communities.

Negative Claims about Bisexuals and Bisexuality (Elia, 2014):

• -Bisexuality as inauthentic
• -Bisexual people as “really gay” but without the courage to come out
• -Bisexuality as a phase
• -Bisexuals as confused
• -Bisexuals as incapable of monogamy
• -Bisexuals as taking advantage of heterosexual privilege
• -Bisexuals as promiscuous
• -Bisexuals as carriers of sexually transmitted infections

Bisexuality and Women*

Although sexual fluidity is more often accepted for women than it is for men, women must also face their bisexuality being sexualized primarily by straight men. Women are seen to be sexually desirable when kissing other women. I, for example, was once offered money from straight men to do this at a party when I was only 14. This is an amplified form of female objectification, as straight men in this context disregard whether the women themselves are attracted to each other. Bisexual women tend to be targets of male sexualization more than lesbians because of their 'ability' to sexually satisfy the men who objectify them. This is obviously misguided as bisexual women are often repulsed by this predatory and objectifying behaviour.

Labels are often put on women who kiss other women. One such term, "Lipstick Lesbian" used to be about a feminine aesthetic. It's meaning has now shifted to commonly refer to women who perform lesbian behaviours for the pleasure of men. I would like to address that there are women who seek male attention in this way, but in judging their intentions, we once again silence bisexuality. Everyone should be free to display romantic behaviour with whomever they wish as long as it's consensual. Using a label like "Lipstick Lesbian" assumes that a woman is not taking actions based on her own desires. Instead of policing intentions, it might better serve gay, bisexual and heterosexual people for there to be less categorizing of gendered sexual attraction.

Bisexuality and Men*

Bisexual men, in general, are less accepted than bisexual women. Heterosexual women are sometimes reluctant to continue a relationship with a bisexual man for their fear of him being unfaithful. These misconceptions are extremely harmful. They contribute to some bisexual men coming out as straight or gay to avoid facing the stigmas surrounding male bisexuality. There are also many fewer bisexual male role models in the media than there are for women.

Media

Bisexuality in the media can be beneficial or detrimental to bisexual visibility. On the one hand, there needs to be more accurate bisexual representation in the media and increasing the number of bisexual characters in books, TV and film is one way to do that. On the other hand, the media often uses bisexuality or sexual ambiguity to their advantage to sexualize their characters. Maintaining a sense of mystery about the character’s sexuality allows for them to be desired and fantasized about by audiences of all sexualities. If sexy characters do not have an explicit gender of interest, it is likely an intentional strategy to increase fan desire. This oversexualization of potentially bisexual fictional characters contributes to stereotypes about bisexuality instead of increasing visibility. (Filippo, 2013) Furthermore, characters who demonstrate both attraction to men and women are often mislabelled by the media as being straight or gay (Richter, 2013).

Fortunately, proud bisexual characters do exist in the media. The website After Ellen lists Callie Torres from Grey’s Anatomy, Angela Montenegro from Bones, Kalinda Sharma from The Good Wife, Brittany Pierce from Glee and Piper Chapman from Orange is the New Black as a few examples (Bendix, 2013).. These characters are great examples because like real bisexual women, bisexuality is only a small part of who they are. There are also many songs that reference female sexual fluidity and bisexuality including Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl”, Demi Lovato’s “Cool for the Summer” and multiple Lady Gaga songs. Unlike Demi and Katy however, Lady Gaga does publicly identify as a bisexual woman.

To contrast, bisexual men have far fewer media role-models. Although many people turn to David Bowie as a bisexual icon, there are not many other well-known bisexual men or characters. It seems the music community has been accepting towards bisexual men with Pete Townshend of The Who and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day coming out as bisexual. Other forms of media do not seem as open. In film and television, one argument is that many “gay” or “straight” films are being mislabelled. The classic “gay” film Brokeback Mountain includes scenes of heterosexual love. Even though we can never know the character’s inner feelings, this film can be argued to be about at least one bisexual man (Filippo, 2013).

Intersectionality and Bisexuality

Including bisexuality, the labels of race, gender, nationality etc. that we use to describe ourselves are not comprehensive to understanding even one aspect of a person. This quote from the Journal of Bisexuality nicely communicates this concept: “A person's total personage and ways of being in the world and reacting to it are mediated through these various vectors (i.e., race, class, sexuality, gender, nation, ability, etc.). An individual's bisexuality is not so neatly packaged, uniformed, and identified.” (Elia, 2014)

The ability for people to come out to their friends and family as bisexual is also influenced by intersectional factors. Race, religion, nationality, class, age, gender and many other factors can impact the consequences of an individual ‘coming out’. These factors should be considered at all times, especially when noticing the prevalence of young white bisexual female characters and celebrities with the resources and social acceptance to ‘come out’ that might not be available for others. Although coming out as bisexual is fantastic for bisexual visibility, no one should feel forced to do so. Choosing not to 'come out' is completely justified, often due to threats of of being kicked out of the family or community.

Taking Action towards Bisexual Visibility

One of the most impactful ways to increase bisexual visibility is not to assume the sexualities of others. Bisexual identities can easily go unnoticed if the person is in a monogamous relationship, often leading others to assume they are either gay or straight. It’s always better to ask if you know the person well, and if not, it’s none of your business!

Another important way to increase bisexual visibility is to accept bisexuals in the queer community. Although most people remember that the ‘B’ in LGBTQIA+ stands for Bisexual, they can sometimes be neglected. No matter the community, try to make yours a safe space for bisexuals!

References

Beemyn, G. (2001). Bisexuality in the Lives of Men: Facts & Fictions. Routledge. doi:1-56023-148-3, 978-1-56023-148-6

Bendix, T. (2013, September 23). The 19 Best Bisexual Female Characters on TV. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from http://www.afterellen.com/tv/197944-the-19-best-bisexual-female-characters-on-tv

Elia, J. P. (2014). Bisexuality and Schooling: Erasure and Implications for Health. Journal of Bisexuality, 14(1), 36-52. doi:10.1080/15299716.2014.872461

Filippo, M. S.(2013). The B Word: Bisexuality in Contemporary Film and Television. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Retrieved November 1, 2017, from Project MUSE database.

"Monosexual" OxfordDictionnaries.com 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017, from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/monosexual

Richter, N. (2013). Bisexual Erasure in ‘Lesbian Vampire Film Theory [Abstract]. Journal of Bisexuality, 13(2), 273-280. doi:10.1080/15299716.2013.780198

Rust, P.(1995). Bisexuality and the Challenge to Lesbian Politics: Sex, Loyalty, and Revolution. New York: NYU Press. Retrieved November 3, 2017, from Project MUSE database.