5 Most Common Misconceptions About Bisexuality

submitted by PeakingPeachEater from (self.Bisexuals)

Explained Through Adorable Kitten Illustrations:

Bisexuality is not...

  1. "Made up for Attention."
  2. Being "indecisive".
  3. Half gay, half straight.
  4. "Just confusion."
  5. An "angsty" phase.

Bisexuality is beautiful and valid!

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[–]MarkJefferson 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

A common theme running through most of these seems to be that of immaturity. Basically, "you don't even know your own mind and are just flailing noisily around like a neglected child in want and fantasy. You need mentors/parental figures to teach you about reality; You'll understand when you're older". Some would say in similiar words to a full grown adult.

If I could add a #6 it would be: 'He/She is actually Gay/Straight'. That's a common one with a male assumed to be coping and a female assumed to be attention-seeking.

[–]PeakingPeachEater[S] 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

That's an interesting observation that I haven't thought of.

Yep, I have got the #6 part...My current acquaintances/coworkers think and see me as "gay"...I guess since I'm a gender non-conforming woman.

My younger brother thought it was "just a phase". All of my siblings are religious and I regret telling them I was bi when I got drunk and depressed on day(loooong, long time ago).

I think we can tack on a #7 and add "promiscuous/slutty/manwhore". Bisexuals always get told that too...

My soon-to-be-former coworker is "pansexual" and fits the bisexual stereotypes all too well. :/

[–]MarkJefferson 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yep, I have got the #6 part...My current acquaintances/coworkers think and see me as "gay"...I guess since I'm a gender non-conforming woman. My younger brother thought it was "just a phase". All of my siblings are religious and I regret telling them I was bi when I got drunk and depressed on day(loooong, long time ago).

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope they will all come around (if they haven't) to seeing bisexuality as a genuine sexual orientation they can accept.

I didn't grow up around people who are remotely religious but I'm one who dislikes to stick out in any way so I keep that aspect of my life private. Few around me need to know, really.

I think we can tack on a #7 and add "promiscuous/slutty/manwhore". Bisexuals always get told that too...

Yeah, it becomes especially apparent after a while that the Bi's people are mostly familiar with are those who make it their entire identity. And many of them are not particularly good representatives of the whole. It's almost like there needs to be some decent PR. But those who are the best representatives are those who don't want all the extra attention that comes with being a representative. And so, the stereotypes persist...

[–]BiHorror 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

Probably it's because I grew up hearing this, but I don't see what's problem with point 3 (half gay, half straight). Maybe because it's makes bisexuality out to be exactly 50/50, but I can't see this being the most tragic thing to be said about it. Especially compared to things like "it's a phrase" or someone's doing it for "attention." Alongside, being "confused."

[–]mvmlego 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Same. I suppose, as you said, that it could paint an overly-simplistic picture and omit those who lean toward a certain sex, but the phrase "half gay, half straight" seems blatantly silly-enough to me in the first place that I don't see why someone would take it completely literally.

Anyhow, that article reeks of identity politics. It doesn't really explain anything; it just shames people who disagree into shutting up while providing empty affirmations to the group that it's seeking to protect.

[–]BiHorror 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

the phrase "half gay, half straight" seems blatantly silly-enough to me in the first place that I don't see why someone would take it completely literally

True, true. I think, in personal opinion, it might seen as such based on how we view other things being bi (two) things. For example, someone who is biracial. If someone is mixed with white and black, are they gonna be exactly 50/50? Of course not, but they're still seen as white and black. We might call them "half white, half black" despite they may be more of one thing than the other.

So, I think that's what people see this as. Since bisexual people are still attracted to both sexes (with heterosexual being the opposite and homosexual being same), they're seen as "half straight, half gay" in this way instead of their very own group if that makes sense.

[–]mvmlego 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

If someone is mixed with white and black, are they gonna be exactly 50/50? Of course not, but they're still seen as white and black.

That's a good comparison.

[–]BiHorror 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Thanks. :>

[–]PenseePansy 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Probably it's because I grew up hearing this, but I don't see what's problem with point 3 (half gay, half straight). Maybe because it's makes bisexuality out to be exactly 50/50, but I can't see this being the most tragic thing to be said about it.

Not so bad in itself, I'd agree; the problem is more a matter of implications. If "bisexual" = "half-gay/half-straight", this naturally leads to the assumption that we're equally-attracted to both sexes... so anyone who isn't (because they have a consistent preference, or it fluctuates/"bi-cycles", or each feels so different from the other that it's apples-and-oranges = not really comparable) therefore doesn't "qualify" as bisexual. Which I've seen play out numerous times: bi? Impossible! They/I ain't 50/50!... despite, yanno, feeling attraction to both men and women! So silly... yet dismayingly-common, and I can't help but think that it robs us of our true numbers, as well as preventing many bisexuals from figuring out who they really are.

[–]BiHorror 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Ah, I get you. I can definitely see where you're coming from. Especially when it then comes to the concepts of "hetero/homoflexibility" (although those people got their own diverse reasons. I made a post about it in the past and I remember someone saying people called themselves that because they didn't want to appropriate bisexuals' identity).