Bisexuality has been recognized as a distinct orientation for decades, yet it remains underrepresented in mainstream discourse despite its prevalence in society. Bisexual individuals may be attracted to people of multiple genders or none at all, and their experiences are often unique compared to those of monosexuals (gay, lesbian, hetero). They face greater social stigma than monosexuals due to stereotypes that associate bisexuality with promiscuity or dishonesty. This article examines how these stigmas reflect flaws in collective identity narratives surrounding gender and sexuality.
Collective identity narratives are stories about groups that define them based on shared characteristics, such as race or nationality. They can be empowering when used positively but can reinforce harmful stereotypes if not questioned critically. In the context of sexuality, they reduce the complexity of human desire to simple categories like "straight" or "queer". By doing so, they exclude and marginalize nonbinary identities like bisexuality while perpetuating false binaries between heterosexuality and homosexuality.
One example is the assumption that sexual attraction is always binary - either male/female or female/male. This view fails to account for non-binary people who identify as neither man nor woman, which excludes intersex, transgender, agender, bigender, or other identities. Similarly, the notion that sexuality is binary ignores asexuality or pansexuality, whereby an individual is attracted to all genders rather than just two. These limiting beliefs reflect a fear of fluidity and ambiguity, which threatens the sense of security provided by clear-cut group boundaries.
Another issue is the idea that sexual orientation determines one's entire personality, behavior, values, and politics. This reduces individuals to stereotypes based on their sexual desires instead of acknowledging nuanced identities shaped by multiple factors. It also implies that same-sex relationships are inherently progressive while opposite-sex ones are oppressive, despite the diversity within each category. Bisexuals may be seen as indecisive or untrustworthy because of this limited viewpoint, even though their attractions do not define them any more than anyone else's.
Collective identity narratives can reinforce rigid gender roles in dating and romance, such as men being masculine and women feminine. They ignore the many ways that humans express themselves through clothing, mannerisms, speech patterns, and emotional expression regardless of biology or sexuality. By promoting these narrow expectations, they perpetuate harmful patriarchy and heteronormativity that harms everyone.
Bisexuality exposes how simplistic and incomplete our ideas about gender and sexuality can be. To embrace it requires questioning assumptions, embracing complexity, and respecting human variation - qualities that benefit us all.
In what ways does bisexuality expose the fragility of collective identity narratives?
Bisexuality has been challenging the notion of fixed identities and sexual orientation since its inception. While monosexism (the belief that there are only two genders) is still widely accepted in our society, bisexuality defies this binary categorization by recognizing both hetero- and homosexual attraction. As a result, it often leads to confusion, ambiguity, and insecurity about one's place in social groups as well as personal relationships.