Being Bisexual

Attraction isn’t black and white and there’s a lot of delicious grey area between being straight or gay. We are slowly making a shift towards a more inclusive mindset, however it’s still common for people to want to define someone’s sexual preferences with a clear cut label. One of the most misunderstood of these is being bisexual.

Regardless of how you identify (cis gender, non-binary, transgender etc) it’s perfectly normal to be attracted to, fantasise about and want experiences/relationships with more than one gender. So why aren’t more people open about being bisexual? I think part of it is a lack of understanding and support.

Here are some common myths about being bisexual:

• It’s an even split: People don’t have to be attracted to all genders equally to be bi. Also, having more experiences with one gender over others doesn’t make anyone’s bisexuality any less valid
• It’s just a phase: Bi people aren’t ‘just confused’ and it isn’t a temporary state or a stepping stone to being gay
• Bi people are hyper-sexual: They don’t necessarily want to have sex with everyone all the time! They also may not want/have threesomes on the regular either
• They’ll never be satisfied: Bi people are just as capable of committed relationships, if that’s what they want. Being bi doesn’t mean they won’t want monogamy or will cheat on a partner either!

How can we all help combat these myths and support bisexual people better?:

• Be respectful: If someone is open about being bi, don’t immediately ask if they’ve had a threesome
• Call people out: If you witness someone misunderstanding bisexuality (‘I heard Ben likes guys too…I hope he doesn’t hit on me!’) speak to them about it
• Talk about it: Whether you are bi or know someone who is, being more open about it will help dispel the myths

People who are bisexual, heteroflexible, pansexual, bicurious etc shouldn’t have to feel ashamed, hide it or define it to anyone. Someone doesn’t need to fit any preconceived label of bisexuality to be accepted…sexuality is fluid and different for each individual. We all need to be respectful, support and encourage bisexual people to be exactly who they are, without judgement.