Bisexuality is often seen as a transitional stage between heterosexuality and homosexuality, and its unique characteristics are minimized or ignored. Yet bisexuals have always existed and continue to exist across cultures, genders, and periods. Bisexuality challenges the dominant binary categories of male/female and straight/gay that structure most aspects of society, including language, politics, law, ethics, science, technology, medicine, religion, education, media, sports, economics, art, and social life. This article explores how an ethical framework based on bisexual multiplicity could redefine fundamental concepts such as love, desire, identity, morality, power, freedom, justice, and responsibility.
Love, desire, and attraction are not limited to one sex or gender but extend beyond them. In contemporary Western culture, bisexuality has been pathologized and erased, and the "heteronormative" model of monogamous marriage has become the norm.
Many bisexuals do not identify as either straight or gay and live in relationships with both men and women. Such relationships challenge traditional definitions of love and commitment and reveal the limitations of binary thinking. They suggest that monogamy is not essential for loving relationships, and polyamory may be more inclusive and just than monogamy. By valuing multiple identities and desires, bisexuality can help us rethink and reimagine romantic love, intimacy, and sexual pleasure.
Bisexuality disrupts the rigid categorization of gender. Sexual orientation is fluid and complex, and binaries like man/woman, masculine/feminine, heterosexual/homosexual, cisgender/transgender are socially constructed and change over time. Bisexuals reject these categories because they limit self-expression and identity. Instead, bisexuals embrace their multiple identities and desires, challenging the dominant ideology of fixed gender roles and stereotypes. This shift in perspective can empower individuals to define themselves according to their own terms, rather than conform to society's expectations. Bisexuality also questions the binary division between male and female, which reinforces gender inequality and violence against women and LGBTQ+ people.
Power dynamics affect all aspects of social life, including ethics. The dominant group defines what is right and wrong based on its interests, often oppressing minorities. Bisexuals challenge this by challenging binary power structures and embracing diversity. Bisexuals defy homophobia and transphobia but may still experience discrimination due to their perceived promiscuity or "greediness." They question assumptions about who deserves rights and recognition, forcing us to reconsider our moral frameworks. Bisexuals advocate for intersectionality and inclusivity, recognizing that marginalized groups intersect and must work together for justice.
Freedom and responsibility are closely linked. Binary thinking limits individual choice and freedom while creating hierarchies and exclusion. Bisexual multiplicity encourages personal freedom by acknowledging the fluidity of desire and identity. It enables people to choose freely who they love without fear of judgment or repression. By valuing multiple identities and experiences, it fosters interdependence and community. Bisexuality affirms human complexity and diversity, allowing us to see ourselves as unique individuals within a larger network of relationships. It emphasizes collective action and responsibility over individualism, suggesting that we must actively create a more just world.
Bisexual multiplicity can transform ethical frameworks by challenging binary categories, embracing diversity, and empowering marginalized groups. It disrupts gender stereotypes and opens up new possibilities for intimacy, power dynamics, and social justice. By valuing multiple identities and desires, it can help us redefine key concepts like love, desire, identity, morality, power, freedom, and responsibility. We should consider bisexuality's lessons in building a more equitable society where all beings thrive.
What would an ethical framework look like if it were built upon bisexuality's inherent multiplicity and refusal of binary categories?
A bisexual ethical framework would acknowledge and embrace the complexity of individual identities beyond the binary of male/female. It would be grounded in the idea that all individuals are deserving of respect and dignity regardless of their gender expression or sexual orientation. This framework would also recognize that bisexuality exists on a spectrum and that no single definition fits everyone who identifies as such.