In tough times, when queer people were fighting for their lives and for basic legal protections, some gay rights groups strategically rejected bisexual people. Bisexuality introduces nuance, which has always made it easier to discard than accommodate it. There have long been toxic misconceptions of bisexual people as promiscuous and unfaithful, in a confused state of sexual transition or experimentation, lying about their attractions for attention or to attract men (particularly bi women), or simply adhering to some sort of trend (particularly young people).īeing bi could also get you kicked out of your local queer space. Historically, there have been a number of reasons for this, including wanting to avoid discrimination and stigma. One reason why we might “forget” bisexuals is because those who are attracted to people of multiple genders rarely call themselves bi. Which term people use is almost entirely down to preference, although sometimes the choice is driven by an ahistorical misconception that the bi in bisexual reinforces a gender binary and excludes trans and nonbinary people.
Nestled within the term bisexual are other labels, including pansexual, omnisexual, and polysexual. Bisexuality is the sexual and/or romantic attraction to multiple genders. That is, until we see that bi people have been there all along, they’ve just been mislabeled or left out of the narrative. This rigorous and fun book will challenge us to think deeper about who we are and how we love.Collective amnesia makes us feel as if there are no bi people in history. From the hunt for a bi gene, to the relationship between bisexuality and consensual non-monogamy, to asylum seekers who need to prove their bisexuality in a court of law, there is more to explore than most have ever realised. In Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality, Shaw explores all that we know about the world's largest sexual minority. It is a personal journey that starts with her own openly bisexual identity, and celebrates the resilience and beautiful diversity of the bi community. After years of feeling the crushing dearth of information on bisexuality, psychological scientist and bestselling author Dr Julia Shaw dug deep and found a colourful and fascinating world that she is bringing out of the shadows. A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2022: POLITICSSignificant strides have been made in recent years in the movement for LGBTQ+ rights, visibility and empowerment, but the conversation is far from over.
0 kommentar(er)
