Bi·sex·u·al·i·ty: sexual attraction to both men and women.
Bisexuality is quite simple. For those who don’t quite understand it, I’ll explain. Bisexuality has the prefix of “bi” which means two. Bisexuals are attracted to men and women whether it be mentally or sexually. This can include the non-binary genders, which include genderfluid, agender, bigender, pangender, and demigirl/boy.
Bisexual erasure: the tendency to ignore, remove, falsify, or reexplain evidence of bisexuality in history, academia, the news media, and other primary sources. In its most extreme form, bisexual erasure can include the denial that bisexuality exists.
Bisexual erasure is evolving in the media. I’ve seen numerous people in the media claiming that, “It’s just a phase” or that “you need to pick between men and women. Stop being selfish.” Sometimes they even get asked one of the most ridiculous questions, “which gender do you like more? There’s always one.”
Bisexuals are valid. They don’t need to “pick a side.” Being bitter towards liking two genders doesn’t do anything but invalidate them. By asking them this, you’re putting them into a bubble of “Okay, but who do you really like more? Men or women?” It’s both. The answer is both. That is bisexuality.
There’s also a stigma around bisexuals who know that they’re bisexual and they’re in a relationship. If a female states that she is bisexual, but is dating a female, someone would say that she’s gay. Dating a female and being bisexual would still make her bisexual. If that same female was with a man in a heterosexual relationship, someone could argue that she’s straight. She isn’t. A bisexual is a bisexual no matter what gender they’re in a relationship with.
A bisexual is also a bisexual if they’ve never been with someone of the opposite gender. There’s bubble of shame around someone who hasn’t been with someone of the opposite gender if they say that they’re bisexual. It’s one of the main forms of bisexual erasure. A person doesn’t need to be with the opposite gender to know that they like the opposite gender. The same stigma surrounds gay men and lesbians. You don’t have to date someone of the same gender to know that you like them. If you know, you know.
This type of animosity toward bisexual culture is toxic. There’s no reason to invalidate bisexuals just because they can love both men and women.
The realization of bisexual erasure wasn’t noticeable to me until very recently. There’s very few (outed) bisexuals in the media. There’s also a lack of bisexual representation in books, movies, and television shows. We hardly exist in the media aside from on social media platforms where everyday bisexuals are voicing the fact that they’re there.
To anyone who identifies as bisexual, you are valid.
To anyone who is in the LGBTQ+ community, you are valid.
Use your voices and fight for your rightful place in society because we are valid.
Our society needs to recognize the unstoppable momentum toward unequivocal civil equality for every gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered citizen of this country. – Zachary Quinto
