How can bisexual experience foster reflection on relational multiplicity, love, and ethical responsibility? Bisexual people are those who have romantic, physical, and/or emotional attractions to more than one gender. This means they may be attracted to multiple genders simultaneously or sequentially. Bisexuals often report that their identity challenges the binary model of male-female attraction, which is the normative framework for sexuality in Western culture. In this article, I will explore how bisexual experience can foster reflections on three concepts: relational multiplicity, love, and ethical responsibility.
Relational Multiplicity
Bisexuality suggests that romantic and sexual attraction does not occur within binaries but across them.
A person might feel sexual attraction to both men and women, but also romantic attraction to one or the other. Alternatively, someone might experience simultaneous romantic attraction to two people of different genders. These experiences can challenge traditional ideas about the meaning of relationships, which tend to be framed as binary. Romance and sex, marriage and cohabitation, monogamy and polyamory, all exist along a continuum rather than as discrete categories.
Love
Bisexual experience can also lead us to reflect on what we mean by "love." Traditional definitions of love emphasize exclusivity, permanence, and commitment between two individuals. But this definition excludes many forms of intimacy, such as polyamorous arrangements involving three or more partners. Moreover, it implies that only certain kinds of love (romantic) are valuable while ignoring others (friendship).
Ethical Responsibility
Bisexual experience can encourage reflection on our ethical responsibilities towards others. If we understand love as encompassing more than just romantic relationships, then it becomes clear that we have an obligation to care for friends, family members, colleagues, neighbors, and strangers in addition to lovers. This broader understanding of love can inform our actions toward those around us, prompting us to engage in ethically responsible behavior beyond our immediate social circle.
Bisexuality challenges us to reconsider our assumptions about sexuality, relationship types, and ethical responsibility. By reflecting on these issues, we may learn how to embrace greater relational multiplicity, expand our concept of love, and act with increased ethical sensitivity.
How does bisexual experience foster reflection on relational multiplicity, love, and ethical responsibility?
Bisexuality can promote reflection on relational multiplicity, love, and ethical responsibility because it challenges traditional notions of sexual orientation as a binary construct that limits individuals' romantic and sexual attraction to only one gender. Bisexual individuals may have experienced relationships with people of both genders, which can allow them to explore their feelings and desires more openly and honestly, leading to greater self-awareness and understanding of their needs and preferences.