Bisexuality is an attraction to more than one gender. It has been studied since the late 1800s, when it was called "bisexual" by Charles Darwin, Sigmund Freud, Richard von Krafft-Ebing, and others. They saw bisexuality as a result of childhood experiences, including parental figures of both genders and early exposure to nonbinary gender presentation. In the 20th century, biologists believed that bisexuals were born that way because they inherited genes from both parents. Psychologists thought that bisexuality was due to unresolved sexual conflicts between masculine and feminine aspects of the personality.
Bisexuals may feel attracted to men and women for different reasons and have different kinds of relationships.
Some might experience sexual pleasure from being desired, while others seek emotional closeness or romance. Some might prefer same-gender partners for certain activities but heterosexual ones for others. Some might even choose a partner based on gender identity or societal expectations.
Researchers in the 1970s proposed models of bisexual identity integration and stability, but most focused on monosexism (the belief that there are only two genders) and assumed bisexuality was a transitional phase. The first model suggested that bisexuals had internalized monosexist norms and were attracted to their own gender, plus a small number of other genders. Another said that bisexuals experienced sexual fluidity and tended to switch back and forth between monosexual identities over time. A third claimed that bisexuals were confused about their sexual orientation and needed therapy to resolve it.
Later research challenged these theories by showing that many bisexuals did not fit them. Some studies found no difference between bisexuals' attraction patterns and those of straight people. Others discovered that bisexuals were less likely than homosexuals to switch identities over time. Still others showed that bisexuals could be stable without experiencing significant trauma or mental health issues.
Recent research has emphasized individual differences rather than universal categories. It suggests that sexual orientation is influenced by multiple factors, including social and environmental contexts, gender roles, personality, biological sex, and genetics. Bisexuals may have more complex relationships with gender and identity because they experience multiple attractions, while gay and lesbian individuals tend to identify strongly with one gender. Some experts argue that bisexuality challenges assumptions about how gender affects behavior and relationships.
Some psychologists have questioned the idea that all sexual orientations should be integrated into a single identity. They suggest that different orientations can coexist harmoniously, even if they don't always match up neatly with each other. Bisexuality might be an example of this complexity, as it involves simultaneous attractions to men and women in ways that are difficult to categorize or predict.
How does bisexual experience question psychological models of identity integration and stability?
Bisexuality is characterized as being attracted to both males and females simultaneously, where it challenges the traditional binary categories of gender that have been prevalent in Western culture for centuries. According to several studies, bisexuals are considered to be more unstable than heterosexuals or homosexuals when it comes to their sexual orientation due to social stigma and lack of acceptance from society.