Bisexual erasure is a pervasive problem that affects many aspects of LGBTQ+ activism. It occurs when bisexuals are made invisible or ignored by their peers, whether deliberately or unintentionally. Bisexual people face unique challenges because they exist outside of both heterosexual and gay/lesbian norms and may feel more marginalized than their monosexual counterparts. This erasure can lead to structural inequality within queer politics, which means it has a significant impact on how resources are distributed among members of the community. Here's why this issue matters so much:
When bisexuals experience erasure in activist spaces, they may become disillusioned with the movement entirely. They may stop participating altogether, which means they miss out on opportunities for networking, education, and advocacy. Even worse, if bisexuals leave the movement, there will be fewer voices speaking up for those who remain—and that means less representation overall.
When bisexual people don't see themselves reflected in political movements, they may doubt whether their concerns matter or should be addressed. As a result, they might avoid coming out or staying closeted longer than necessary; this reinforces prejudice against bisexuality while also depriving other individuals of needed role models.
There are several ways bisexual erasure can manifest itself in activism:
1. Lack of inclusivity in events and organizations. Some groups may not prioritize including bisexual-identifying people at all levels of leadership or participation. These groups often fail to recognize the intersectionality between gender identity and sexual orientation, assuming that everyone fits neatly into either category instead of acknowledging nuance.
Some LGBTQ+ rights organizations focus primarily on marriage equality or adoption laws without considering bisexual parents' needs for equal parental rights. Others overlook bisexual health issues such as higher rates of depression or HIV/AIDS transmission because they view monosexual relationships as inherently safer than polyamorous ones.
2. Tokenization or stereotyping. Bisexuals may feel tokenized by being invited to speak about bisexuality only during Pride Month, for example, even though bisexuality is relevant year-round. They may be reduced to tropes like "greedy" or "promiscuous," which furthers biphobia within queer communities. This reinforces harmful myths about bisexuality while discouraging allies from speaking up for them.
3. Failure to address biphobic violence. Queer politics tend to focus heavily on transgender rights but rarely talk about bisexual oppression outside of heteronormative violence against women and men. There has been little attention paid to anti-bisexual violence against trans and nonbinary individuals who identify as bisexual or pansexual; this leaves many vulnerable to abuse without support networks.
Few resources exist for combating biphobia in schools, workplaces, healthcare settings, or elsewhere where social stigma affects people every day.
4. Prioritizing cisgender perspectives. Cisgender individuals still hold much power within the LGBTQ+ movement due to their privilege—they are more likely to have access to jobs, education, medical care, housing, etc., making it harder for marginalized groups (including bisexuals) to gain representation at decision-making tables. When bisexuals experience erasure due to lack of visibility or voice, they become disillusioned with activism altogether, leading some to leave the movement entirely or never join at all.
It's important that we challenge these patterns if we want equality across all sexualities and genders. We must create spaces where everyone feels heard and seen, not just cisgender monosexual people. Organizations should recruit diverse speakers and leaders so that bisexual experiences aren't forgotten or sidelined when discussing issues like marriage equality or adoption laws. And we need to educate ourselves about how intersections between gender identity and sexual orientation affect our lives personally and politically.
In what ways does bisexual erasure in activism perpetuate structural inequality within queer politics?
Bisexual erasure is when bisexual individuals are ignored, invalidated, or denied recognition by individuals, institutions, or communities that identify as LGBTQ+. This can occur through various forms of discrimination such as biphobia, which can manifest in both interpersonal and systemic levels.