Bisexuality - Some Questions Answered
Joe Woodhouse & Karina Roberts
"I'm attracted to women, bit I can't be a lesbian/gay because I'm still
attracted to men/women...what am I?" is a typical question
Q: So what exactly is a Bisexual?
A: A Bisexual is someone who is sexually & emotionally attracted to
people of both genders.
Q: So they're equally interested in men & women?
A: No necessarily. Some are, some aren't. Some say the're attracted
to men & women in different ways, others say gender just isn't
relevant to who the're interested in.
Q: Doesn't being interested in both genders mean they're only half
as interested in either?
A: Most Bisexuals will probably say that when they're interested in
someone, they're interested in them 100%. Just like you & I.
Q: Aren't people really either heterosexual or homosexual?
A: No, It's well recognized in medical & psychological circles that
bisexuality is a very real & genuine sexuality. But anyway, there
are plenty of bisexuals around who can tell you that.
Q: Isn't it just a phase?
A: No more than being heterosexual or homosexual is.
Q: But isn't it a transition to being lesbian or gay?
A: Maybe for some people. Some lesbians or gay men "come out" as
Bisexuals first, but most Bisexuals remain bisexual for the rest of
their lives.
Q: But surely they're just confused, they haven't made up their
minds yet?
A: Don't make the mistake of assuming there are only 2 options to
choose from. Bisexuality is an option in its own right. A lack of
information about Bisexuality is probably the cause of most
confusion a bisexual might feel.
Q: Didn't Freud think we're all Bisexual?
A: Not quite- Freud thought we were all born Bisexual, and may
develop a preference later in life, but most people have had at
least some feeling for both genders at some stage in their lives.
Q: Suppose I have-does that mean I'm bisexual too?
A: Strictly speaking, maybe. But what you call yourself is up to
you. Some may feel the attraction they feel for one gender isn't
enough to call themselves Bisexual. Some people have other reasons
for not identifying as Bisexual, as well.
Q: Like what?
A: Some people may want to feel "normal" and think of themselves as
heterosexual. Others for political or social reasons may wish to
identify with the Lesbian & Gay communities.
Q: Doesn't the term "Lesbian & Gay" include "Bisexual" as well?
A: That's a hot issue for some people. Some people think so, but
there are plenty (bisexual & otherwise) who disagree. Lesbians
fought for the right to be explicitly names, because they felt
invisible. That battle is still going on for Bisexuals.
Q: So why aren't the Bisexuals more visible?
A: Well, no-one walks around with "Bisexual" stamped on their
foreheads. It's very easy to miss them. If you see 2 people of the
same gender kissing, you don't think to ask if they might be
bisexual. And they might be.
Similarly, if you see a man & a woman kissing, either of them might
be bisexual too. Also there's a real lack of information about
bisexuality in our libraries & in the media. And there are very few
organizations that specifically address Bisexual issues. Some
bisexual people have felt as if no-one knows they even exist.
Q: Haven't they received a lot of publicity for spreading AIDS?
A: Bisexuals have been targeted as scapegoats by people who think
of AIDS as being a "Gay disease". Bisexuals are thought to be a
"bridge" group between the heterosexual & homosexual communities.
Let's get things straight (forgive the pun). One thing spreads
AIDS: taking someone else's bodily fluids (like blood & semen) into
your body. The AIDS virus neither knows nor cares what your
sexuality is. Safe sex will go a long way towards helping stop the
spread of AIDS, and everyone bisexual, straight or whatever needs
to pay attention to that.
Q: OK, I've heard what you've said so far. Where's the Bisexual
Movement?
A: Historically speaking, Bisexuals have been part of the Lesbian
& Gay Movement right from the beginning. And they're still there
now, too. They're fighting the same sorts of issues: discrimination
based on who they love.
The Bisexual Movement is still young, but give it time.
___________________________________________________________
East Coast Bisexual Network (613-BIS-MOVE) POB 639 Cambridge MA
02140 (
geocities.com/westhollywood/stonewall) (
geocities.com/westhollywood)