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One might expect a stronger community backlash to this level of inequality, but biphobia is so pervasive that few dare to speak out. Research from the same source reveals that “bisexuals are six times more likely than gay men and lesbians to hide their sexual orientation,” and nearly one-quarter of bi people have never shared their orientation with anyone. Discrimination towards bisexual people has long been enforced by a heterosexual society, but many bi people have experienced discrimination from within the LGBT community as well.Īccording to the oldest bisexual advocacy organization in the United States, bisexual people are more likely to live in poverty, have higher rates of sexual and intimate partner violence, and report higher rates of poor physical/mental health than lesbian, gay or straight people. Bisexuality as an identity has been chronically invalidated, demonized, and even blatantly ignored. Semantics aside, bi people have faced a long history of adversity with very little notoriety. “Thousands march in Madrid to claim an anti-capitalist and combative Gay Pride.” Source: Adolfo Lujan, Creative Commons. Typically, one differentiates between the two identities with respect to how an individual identifies themselves some bisexual people could technically be called pansexual (and vice versa), but the most inclusive practice is to respect each individual/community as they define their own experience. The two terms overlap, as pansexual people experience attraction regardless of gender. The experience of bisexuality can be shared by pansexual people. Straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and asexual are all examples of different sexual orientations, though a wide variety exists in addition to those listed.īisexuality (bi) does not have one all-inclusive definition, but the term “bisexual” generally refers to a person who experiences attraction to people of their own gender as well as people outside of their gender. Sexual orientation is the “sexual, romantic, emotional/spiritual attraction” that one experiences, often depending on which gender/genders that they are attracted to. Gender is what most people attach words like “man” and “woman” to, but can encompass a variety of identities such as agender (one who does not experience gender identity), polygender (one who experiences multiple gender identities), and genderfluid (can experience a combination of gender identities depending on the day). Gender is a term that describes the social representation of biological reproductive processes, while one’s gender identity is based on personal identities, or the “internal perception of one’s gender” ( SafeZone Project).
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To understand the experience of bisexual people, one must first understand the basics of gender and sexuality.
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“The bisexual pride flag.” Source: Peter Salanki, Creative Commons.
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#I am i gay or is it a phase plus
However, not all people feel represented by the word “queer,” and the plus sign is meant to be inclusive of those communities. Per the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, “self-identified bisexuals make up the largest single population within the LGBT community in the United States.” LGBTQ+ refers to all of the people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (a reclaimed term used to refer to all other identities not represented by the ones listed).
#I am i gay or is it a phase full
Of the identities that together form the full rainbow of the LGBTQ+ community, the “B” is one of the least visible despite its sizable population.