MyOutSpirit.com Gay Spirituality Blog

Understanding Bisexuality

Stephen Moles, a student at the University of Kansas, offers some reflections on why bisexuals are so misunderstood. He is most perceptive when he observes:

As to why the bisexual is so thoroughly misunderstood and criticized by the populace, I believe it is fear. Not the “run and hide” variety of fear, but a more subtle, uncomfortable kind of anxiety. Those of us who are firmly in the gay or straight camp can easily understand that there is someone who is on the other side of the spectrum. Someone in the middle seems bizarre. They upset the nature of the two sexual camps, creating a bridge that shows gay and straight are continuous, rather then polar.

Commenting is blogger Jon Rowe, who offers a suggestion for breaking down the social confusion. He opines that there are actually two types of bisexuals, which he calls Type 1 and Type 2. He urges only Type 1 bisexuals to call themselves "bisexuals."

Bisexuality is fashionable for U.S. teen girls, says article

A recent article in The Guardian highlights an apparent cultural trend in the U.S.: More teenage girls are experimenting with bisexuality at earlier ages, often in an attempt to please their boyfriends or make themselves more attractive to the opposite sex.

Some "genuine" bisexuals aren't so thrilled, says the report. Here's a quote:

Girls who declare themselves to be bisexual to be trendy or impress boys may harm the cause of those who genuinely are. Oregon student Toby Hill-Meyer, who is researching how people define their sexuality, said that, because of the so-called bisexual chic, genuine bisexuals are turning away from the word. 'They don't want to be associated with that trendiness,' he told the Sun-Sentinel.

I think it's interesting that the article says some bisexuals are no longer using the "bi" word, but it doesn't say what word they are using. Ideas anyone?