Bisexuality is an umbrella term for people who are attracted to more than one gender, usually man and woman. It includes different levels of attraction from mild interest to romantic love, passionate infatuation, lustful obsession, sexual desire, or emotional attachment. These definitions can be combined with each other and/or other orientations such as heterosexual, homosexual, pansexual, polysexual, monoamorous, and asexual. Bisexuality does not mean that bisexuals have equal attraction to men and women, but rather that they may have varying degrees of it. The same applies to their partners' genders.
Bisexuality is often conflated with promiscuity, confusion, indecisiveness, and frivolousness.
This ignores its role in shaping identity, culture, and community. People's preferences shift through time and experience. Some feel more strongly about certain identities at certain points. Others experiment to find their place. This is normal human behavior, common among all kinds of people, especially young ones. Bisexuality should not be used to judge anyone's sexual choices or morality.
Bisexual people do not always identify as such because society has created stigma around them. Many hide their true selves or downplay their desires to avoid discrimination. They also face rejection by members of both communities due to stereotypes, misconceptions, and jealousy.
Some straight people fear bi people will lead them astray; others accuse them of being confused or greedy. Some lesbians and gays see bisexuality as a phase between two extremes, which implies that bisexuals cannot make up their minds. As such, they are treated as less than monosexuals, even though the latter have no reason to assume so.
Bi people can have relationships with one person at a time, multiple people simultaneously, or both types. Their relationships can be short-term, long-term, open, closed, casual, serious, monogamous, polyamorous, kinky, vanilla, or anything else. These arrangements depend on personal preference rather than gender or orientation. Everyone deserves love, intimacy, and companionship, regardless of how they live it.
Contrary to popular belief, bisexuality does not mean having intercourse with men and women at the same time. It means attraction to more than one gender, without needing exclusivity. This distinction is important because it allows people to express their emotions freely, without feeling pressured into sex acts. Nonetheless, bi folks may enjoy both, either alone or together. They may explore different fantasies and preferences within and outside mono/poly dynamics.
Bisexuality's implications for relational ethics differ across cultures, ages, races, religions, classes, disabilities, etc. People from all backgrounds deserve mutual respect, understanding, acceptance, care, empathy, affection, loyalty, commitment, trust, support, communication, honesty, integrity, compromise, privacy, boundaries, safety, consent, freedom, security, and other components of healthy relationships.
Some say bi people cannot form lasting bonds due to their unstable natures.
This stems from heteronormative assumptions about romantic partnerships. Love between any two humans is valid as long as it meets everyone's needs. One can be happy in a loving, long-term relationship despite their sexual orientation. Bisexual couples are no less worthy of marriages, adoptions, inheritances, rights, privileges, traditions, or anything else.
Bisexuality reflects the complexity of human desire and intimacy. There are countless combinations of identities, lifestyles, and beliefs among them. No two bi folks are alike, yet they face similar struggles and successes when dating. Monosexuals should not judge or shame them because bisexuality simply means attraction to more than one gender. It does not imply promiscuity, confusion, indecisiveness, or immorality. Only individual choices matter.
In what ways does bisexuality illuminate the multiplicity of desire, attraction, and relational ethics?
Bisexuality is an identity that involves physical, romantic, and/or sexual attraction towards more than one gender simultaneously or sequentially. The term "bisexual" has been used since 1892 when it was coined by Charles Donovan as a medical diagnosis for men who were attracted to both women and men. Since then, it has come to encompass individuals who identify with this label regardless of their gender identities or sex characteristics.