Bisexuality 101 - Enliven

Bisexuality 101

What is bisexuality?
This is a more complicated question that you might imagine.
First, it is important to differentiate between behaviour (the things people do) and self-
identification (the way people label themselves). The former is objective and descriptive,
based on observations of how people interact with each other, but the latter is subjective
and personal, and to an outside observer may even seem to be contradicted by their
behaviour.
One common term that the Bi5 Project uses to refer to the people whose wellbeing it is
designed to promote is multi-gender attracted, or just MGA. This is a general descriptive
term that encompasses everyone who feels some kind of attraction toward, or engages in
romantic or sexual activity with, people of more than one gender. These people may
embrace any of a wide range of self-identifying labels, including bisexual, pansexual, and
queer, but also potentially gay, lesbian, or even straight. There is very little research into
how many people experience multi-gender attraction at some point in their lives, but studies
suggest it could be 10-20% of the population, and possibly even more.
Another common term that the Bi5 Project uses is bisexual-plus, usually shortened to
either bisexual+ or just bi+. This is a collective identifier that covers all of the people who
self-identify as any of the many labels used by people whose multi-gender attraction forms
part of their identity. These labels include bisexual, pansexual, queer, fluid,
polysexual, omnisexual, and many others, and also people who openly embrace their
multi-gender attraction but choose not to apply any label to themselves.
Bi+ people are more common than many people realise. Several different surveys and
studies have confirmed that over half of the LGBTIQA+ community is bi+, with bisexual
being the most common label used. Estimates of the size of the LGBTIQA+ community vary,
but it is usually cited as 5% to 10%, meaning that bi+ people make up about 2.5% to 5%
of the population. This means that in Australia there are probably well over a million people
encompassed by the bisexual umbrella, and at least 300,000 living in the state of Victoria.
Bisexuality is a subjective term that means different things to different people, but one of
the most popular definitions comes from prominent bisexual activist Robyn Ochs:

         “I call myself bisexual because I acknowledge that I have in myself the potential
         to be attracted – romantically and/or sexually – to people of more than one
         gender, not necessarily at the same time, not necessarily in the same way, and
         not necessarily to the same degree.”

Essentially, a person is bisexual if they identify themselves as bisexual. This might mean
they are equally attracted to people of all genders, primarily attracted to people of one
gender, or anywhere in between – the only way to know for sure is to ask!

What do all of these different labels mean?
Beneath the bi+ umbrella there are many different labels that people use to identify
themselves. While they may seem interchangeable to a casual observer, they carry
subtleties of meaning to the people who embrace them, so always use the label someone
asks you to. These are the most common labels that English-speaking bi+ people use:

Bisexual generally means that a person has some capacity for romantic or sexual attraction
to people of multiple genders. They may tend to feel attraction toward a particular gender
more than others, or they may feel different types of attraction toward different genders,
such as a romantic attraction to women but an exclusively sexual attraction to men. Note
that the “bi-” prefix – meaning two – does not imply that there are only two genders, but
only that a person is attracted to people of genders both like theirs and unlike theirs.
Pansexual emerged out of concern about the apparently binary nature of the word
“bisexual”. Worried that transgender, non-binary, and intersex people might feel excluded
by a label that sounds like it refers to two genders, pansexual was coined to refer to an
attraction to people of any gender. In common usage, many pansexuals use this label to
signify that they feel attraction to individuals regardless of their gender.
Fluid (also called “sexually fluid” or “fluid sexuality”) was originally a descriptive term,
referring to people of any sexual orientation whose attractions shift over time, but many
people now embrace it as an identity. In common usage, it is often used by those who
recognise that they have the capacity to be attracted to more than one gender, but also that
the focus of their attraction can change dramatically over time. For example, a fluid
individual may be exclusively attracted to feminine-presenting non-binary people for a
period of time, and then find after some months or years that they are most strongly
attracted to transgender men. Note that people of any sexual orientation may find that their
attractions are variable – in fact, it is extremely common – but fluid people embrace this
changeability as a core aspect of their identity.
Queer has a controversial history, having once been a slur used against anyone feeling
same-sex attraction, or indeed exhibiting any kind of behaviour considered inappropriate for
their gender. Like many of these slurs, the LGBTIQA+ community has reclaimed and
rehabilitated it as a mark of pride, but some people – especially older LGBTIQA+ people
who lived through widespread discrimination – still find it offensive. Today it is often used as
an umbrella term to refer to the entire LGBTIQA+ community, or to all people who
experience same-sex attraction such as gay, lesbian, and bisexual+, but others use it as
their primary identifying label. A person who identifies as queer tends to acknowledge that
they feel some degree of same-sex attraction, but the details are either variable or
unimportant. For some it is a matter of privacy, essentially saying “I am not heterosexual,
but I feel no need to tell the world more than that”.
Polysexual is a less commonly-used term, and refers to people who are attracted to more
than one gender, but not to all genders.

What are biphobia and bi-erasure?
Bi+ people can find themselves targeted by a wide range of negative behaviours, and these
can be roughly grouped into two categories: biphobia and bi-erasure. These terms have
fuzzy borders and overlap significantly, but in broad terms biphobia is conscious and
deliberate discrimination against anyone who exhibits multi-gender attraction and bi-erasure
is accidental exclusion of bi+ and MGA people, usually because of a lack of knowledge,
research, or experience.
Biphobia can take many forms, ranging from small micro-aggressions to extreme hostility,
and can originate from both mainstream heterosexual society and other cohorts within the
LGBTIQA+ community. Here are some of its most common expressions:

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Denying bisexuality exists
Many biphobic people completely dismiss the idea that bisexuality is a valid identity or that a
person could experience genuine multi-gender attraction over a prolonged period.
Bisexuality is seen by many to be a transitional phase, a stepping stone on the way to
identifying as gay or lesbian, and anyone who stays in this “in-between” state may be called
cowardly, indecisive, or confused.
Perpetuating negative stereotypes
Bi+ and MGA people can be portrayed not just as confused but as outright harmful. They
are accused of being promiscuous, spreading sexually-transmitted infections between the
gay and straight communities, and being impossible to satisfy in a monogamous
relationship, implying that they are inherently dishonest, untrustworthy, and prone to
infidelity.
Exclusion of bi+ people
Some groups and communities feel that bi+ and MGA people do not have a place among
them, especially groups that identify as gay or lesbian. Bisexual groups have struggled to
find inclusion in pride marches, for example, and have been blocked from participating. This
can be especially difficult for people who come out as bisexual after living as gay or lesbian
for some time; they may lose support structures, group memberships, and close friendships.
Biphobia has a significant impact on the wellbeing of bi+ people. Many of the negative
indicators associated with bi+ people – including higher than average incidence of
depression, social isolation, and suicidality – can be linked with experiences of biphobia.
Combating biphobia is one of the most important goals of modern bi+ advocacy.
Bi-erasure is the deliberate or accidental erasure of bi+ visibility. It can be a direct result
of conscious biphobia, but is often an accidental side-effect of people in influential positions
simply forgetting that bisexuality exists. Here are some common examples:
Excluding bisexuality from names
Many organisations, businesses, and charities that serve the LGBTIQA+ community give
themselves names that leave out MGA people, often by referring to themselves as “gay and
lesbian”. Bi+ advocates have driven a movement away from this kind of naming over the
past decade, with many organisations re-branding with more inclusive names, often by
shifting to broader terms like “rainbow” and “queer”.
Using exclusionary terminology
This can take many forms, but in general it is a result of assuming that people in same-sex
relationships are gay or lesbian and people in different-sex relationships are heterosexual.
For example, a nightclub holding an event for same-sex attracted women may call it a
“lesbian night”, even though it is open to bi+ women as well. Similarly, a medical service for
men who have sex with men may neglect to think about bi+ men in their service delivery,
assuming that their clients’ sexual partners are always male.
Bi-erasure can make bi+ people feel unwelcome, forgotten, and unimportant, and can have
a significant impact on their mental health and wellbeing. Being more inclusive only takes a
little bit of mindfulness and practice, but it can have a very positive impact.

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What are some of the challenges faced by bi+ people?
Content warning: This section discusses issues relating to mental illness, self-harm, family
and intimate partner violence, and drug addiction. Any reader who feels that these topics
may trigger a negative psychological response should exercise caution.
Studies and surveys from all over the world consistently show that bi+ people are at a
greater than average risk of poor mental health outcomes and other negative wellbeing
indicators, in many cases even more so than their gay and lesbian peers. Some of the
observed issues include:
Depression and anxiety
Bi+ women are about twice as likely to report a serious mood or anxiety disorder during
their lifetime than heterosexual women, and 50% more likely than lesbians. Bi+ men are as
much as four to five times as likely as heterosexual men to suffer these disorders, and also
more than gay men.
Suicidality
Bi+ people are at a significantly higher risk of suicide than both gay/lesbian and
heterosexual peers, and report higher rates of suicidal thoughts. One UK study found that
one in five bi+ people had considered suicide in the past twelve months, compared to one in
25 gay men and lesbians and one in 30 heterosexuals.
Problematic drug use
All bi+ people are at much higher risk of drug addiction and other dangerous behaviours
around drug use, including legal drugs such as alcohol.
Homelessness
Bi+ people are significantly more likely than their hetreosexual peers to be homeless, and
especially to be diagnosed with a major mental health disorder while homeless.
Violence and abuse
Multiple studies have found that bi+ people are much more likely to be subjected to several
different categories of violence and abuse, including intimate partner violence, family
violence, sexual assault, and childhood sexual abuse. For example, childhood sexual abuse
was found to be more than 12 times more prevalent in bi+ men and five times more
prevalent in bi+ women than their heterosexual counterparts.
Remaining closeted
Bi+ people are much less likely than gay men and lesbians to be open about their sexuality
with family, friends, and professional colleagues. Bisexual men have particulaly bad
outcomes in this area, staying closeted at much higher rates than gay men and even
bisexual women. One Australian study found that only about one in ten bi+ men are out at
work.
Unemployment and poverty
Bisexuals are almost twice as likely to live in poverty as heterosexuals, and about 50% more
than gay men and lesbians. They are also much more likely to be unemployed, and when
they do have a job they see slower wage growth.

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There is unfortunately little research into why these statistics are so poor. Biphobia and bi-
erasure almost certainly factor into some of them, and a sense of invisibility and isolation
may cause people to feel disempowered, making them more vulnerable to abuse. Even so,
more study is required so that we can find the concrete causes of these poor outcomes and
take active steps to prevent them.
More detailed statistics and citations can be found on the Bi5 resources page.

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