Introductory statement
Bisexuality is a term used to describe an individual who experiences romantic, physical, or emotional attraction towards both males and females, although it can also refer to multiple genders. Bisexuals tend to have a difficult time when it comes to their identity because society views them as either homosexual or heterosexual based on gender and sexual orientation norms. This causes confusion about how they are supposed to identify themselves since some people think that they are gay while others assume that they are straight which makes it hard for bisexuals to know where they fit into this world where there seems to be no room for them. The way bisexuals construct meaning from dissonance between personal experience and social language has been studied extensively but still lacks clarification regarding its origins due to lack of research on the subject matter.
Dissonance
The construction of meaning involves using language to make sense out of an experience or event. According to psychologist William James, "our perception of reality depends largely upon how we label something". In other words, if we do not have a word or phrase for what we perceive then it becomes difficult for us to understand what we saw or felt.
If I say my dog barks at night instead of saying he makes noise at night, you would get confused because you don't know what kind of sound your neighbor's pet is making. Bisexuals often face similar challenges because they cannot use labels such as gay or straight in describing their relationships with others. They may feel like they are being pushed away by one group while trying to connect with another; thus creating confusion within their own minds about who they really are.
Personal Experience
Bisexuality can be confusing because people tend to assume that all bisexuals identify themselves solely through sexual attraction towards men and women when in reality this isn't always true. Some bisexuals find themselves attracted more strongly to certain genders than others while some prefer none at all. Others still might only date someone outside of their preferred gender but remain romantically involved with those of their same sex. Regardless of these variations, however, many individuals will still struggle with understanding why they feel differently from everyone else around them which leads to feelings of isolation, loneliness, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and even suicidal thoughts among some bisexuals.
Social Language
According to sociologists Stuart Hall and Dorothy Smith, language plays an important role in determining how people construct meaning based on their experiences. In addition, they argue that social categories determine whether something exists or not and shape our perceptions about it. This means that without the proper words or phrases available for us to use, we cannot effectively communicate our feelings about any given situation. Without a word or phrase for bisexuality, then society has no way of acknowledging its existence let alone accepting it as normal behavior or lifestyle choice. Therefore, bisexuals must work harder than heterosexuals to convince society that their relationships exist despite having less supportive institutions like marriage laws, parental approval, employment opportunities etc.
Constructing Meaning
To overcome this problem, bisexuals need to develop ways of communicating their personal experience without using words related specifically to sexual orientation.
They could talk about being open-minded towards different types of partners rather than limiting themselves only to one specific category. They could also discuss feelings of love and intimacy regardless of whom they are attracted to because those things aren't limited by gender identity. By focusing on what makes them happy instead of trying to fit into predefined categories, bisexuals can begin to see themselves differently and stop worrying so much about labels and definitions imposed upon them.
How do bisexual people construct meaning from the dissonance between personal experience and social language?
Bisexuality is often misunderstood and marginalized due to the negative stereotypes that persist within society. These stereotypes include ideas such as bisexuals being "greedy" for sex, unable to commit to monogamy, or even promiscuous. This can lead to feelings of isolation and confusion among those who identify as bisexual, as they may feel like their identity does not align with what others expect them to be.