Bisexual Invisibility Has Dangerous Consequences

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

The stigma, or biphobia, that comes with being bisexual has serious consequences. Bisexuals have higher incidences of depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts, alcohol and drug abuse, and poor physical health in general than their heterosexual, gay and lesbian counterparts. Bisexuals most often don't come out to their health provider and as a result receive incomplete information regarding their sexual health. Bisexual women with monosexual partners have an increased rate of domestic violence compared to every other female demographic. Compared to lesbians, bisexual women are twice as likely to live in poverty. Discrimination against bisexuals is greater in the workforce. While lesbians earn 2.7% less than straight men, bisexual women earn nearly 11% less.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emily-dievendorf/bisexual-invisibility-has_b_1370079.html

[Devrim]

While lesbians earn 2.7% less than straight men, bisexual women earn nearly 11% less.

Which means, as women earn on average just over twenty percent less than men in the US, they are doing comparatively well.

Devrim

[l'Enfermé]

While lesbians earn 2.7% less than straight men
Wait, what? They do?

[PhantomRei]

Wait, what does this have to do with bisexual invisibility? It sounds like the opposite is the case.

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

Did anyone bother to read the article? Or did you just pick out one statement in it?

[Lynx]

Mixing politics with relationships may have psychological consequences?
The author claims to be in a monogamous relationship, so what difference does it make that she is bisexual?

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

The author claims to be in a monogamous relationship, so what difference does it make that she is bisexual?
That's a good example of bisexual invisibility. When we're in same sex relationships, we're perceived as gay or lesbian. When we're in opposite sex relationships, we're perceived as heterosexual.

[Lynx]

That's a good example of bisexual invisibility. When we're in same sex relationships, we're perceived as gay or lesbian. When we're in opposite sex relationships, we're perceived as heterosexual.
Her partner perceives her as bi, which is more than can be said for the person who made the 'greedy' comment.

Why is bisexuality an issue? Being bi doesn't determine whether you are monogamous or prefer open relationships. Nor is it a requirement, despite what some people may think.

[eyeheartlenin]

Quote from Huffington Post:


... biphobia ... Bisexuals have higher incidences of depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts, alcohol and drug abuse, and poor physical health in general than their heterosexual, gay and lesbian counterparts.... Bisexual women with monosexual partners have an increased rate of domestic violence compared to every other female demographic. Compared to lesbians, bisexual women are twice as likely to live in poverty. Discrimination against bisexuals is greater in the workforce. While lesbians earn 2.7% less than straight men, bisexual women earn nearly 11% less.

Given the existence of the closet, how could anyone possibly know, down to tenths of a percent, how many employees are lesbian, gay, or bi? Given that enormous improbability, how could comparisons be made, between or among groups? The exact nature of the statistics is unconvincing. The statistics read like they're invented.

And, as a matter of fact, the lesbian administrator who ran the uni department where I worked for decades, made a hell of a lot more of money than I ever did. She owned suburban real estate and vacationed in Britain. I vacationed in my apartment.

[Quail]

Her partner perceives her as bi, which is more than can be said for the person who made the 'greedy' comment.

Why is bisexuality an issue? Being bi doesn't determine whether you are monogamous or prefer open relationships. Nor is it a requirement, despite what some people may think.
It kind of sucks when you're talking to someone and they come out with some stupid comment like, "I wouldn't go out with a bisexual woman, she'd cheat on me." It seems to be a very common stereotype though, and it's not very nice when people make sweeping generalisations like that.

[bcbm]

Given the existence of the closet, how could anyone possibly know, down to tenths of a percent, how many employees are lesbian, gay, or bi? Given that enormous improbability, how could comparisons be made, between or among groups? The exact nature of the statistics is unconvincing. The statistics read like they're invented.

the study they come from is linked in the article if you would like to examine how they arrived at those numbers.


And, as a matter of fact, the lesbian administrator who ran the uni department where I worked for decades, made a hell of a lot more of money than I ever did. She owned suburban real estate and vacationed in Britain. I vacationed in my apartment.

the president of the united states is a rich black man, i guess racism and racial income equality must not exist.

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

Why is bisexuality an issue?
Are you kidding? Why is anything in the LGBT grouping an issue for some people?

[Lynx]

Are you kidding? Why is anything in the LGBT grouping an issue for some people?
The lack of recognition and support is an issue. What's the point of being part of a community if it does not offer those things and more? LGT would be a more accurate acronym if this article is any indication.
How does being bi affect personal relationships? Are stereotypes the only obstacle?

[9]

I don't get why someone's personal sexual preferences make them part of a 'community', honestly I think that is one of the most artificial things ever.

[Ele'ill]

I don't get why someone's personal sexual preferences make them part of a 'community', honestly I think that is one of the most artificial things ever.


What do you think is meant by 'community'

[9]

Basically, a group of people who are united by a shared culture/history/worldview/religion, or who live in the same area.

[Ele'ill]

Basically, a group of people who are united by a shared culture/history/worldview/religion, or who live in the same area.

Or solidarity and support against oppression

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

The lack of recognition and support is an issue. What's the point of being part of a community if it does not offer those things and more? LGT would be a more accurate acronym if this article is any indication.
Or LG, really, since biphobia and transphobia have both been problems within the LG segment of LGBT.


How does being bi affect personal relationships? Are stereotypes the only obstacle?
Being bisexual means that not only does one have to deal with biphobia from heterosexuals, one also has to deal with biphobia from gay and lesbian people, too. If you'll pardon the pun, bi people get it both ways.

It can affect relationships, or potential ones. Some lesbians refuse to date bisexual women. And some that do date bi women pressure them to drop their bi identity. There was a study from a sexologist a couple of years ago that found bi women in relationships with men are far more likely to keep their bi identity than bi women in relationships with lesbians.

Look at the kerfluffle caused recently by actress Cynthia Nixon after she claimed she chose to be a lesbian. What she really meant, as she later clarified, is that she's a bi woman who chooses to focus on women.

Biphobia, at least from LGs, tends to derive from stereotypes or a belief that bisexuality doesn't exist or we're just "confused" (note how similar that is to the claims made by some social conservatives about homosexuality).

[black magick hustla]

Or solidarity and support against oppression
i think nine was talking more about sexuality constructed as an identity. for example, there are some folks that argued that you can't label what happened in greece and rome when dudes porked each other as homosexuality, because the identity of being a homosexual is certainly pretty modern and at that time it was more like, i have a taste for dudes and boys but its ok.

[gorillafuck]

I don't get why someone's personal sexual preferences make them part of a 'community', honestly I think that is one of the most artificial things ever.it probably wouldn't be that way if it wasn't such an issue.

[9]

it probably wouldn't be that way if it wasn't such an issue.But my point was that I don't think it actually is that way in the first place. Obviously there are 'LGBT' activists. Maybe you could reasonably describe those activists as a community. But I don't think a person who is attracted to people of both sexes is part of a 'community' simply by virtue of their personal sexual preferences, as I said. I think the idea that they are is completely nonsensical and fake.

[Искра]

I have a friend who used to be lesbian, but then she got boyfriend and she's kicked out of that comunity. Also, she had really hard time to tell to her firends that she now has a boyfriend and she still didn't said that to some of her "LGBT militant" friends. It like she has to "come out from closet" for second time and she affraid to be kicked out and rejected by this comunity.

Anyhow, I totaly agree with 9. I believe that my example just got along with her point (at least from my interpretation).

[gorillafuck]

I have a friend who used to be lesbian, but then she got boyfriend and she's kicked out of that comunity. Also, she had really hard time to tell to her firends that she now has a boyfriend and she still didn't said that to some of her "LGBT militant" friends. It like she has to "come out from closet" for second time and she affraid to be kicked out and rejected by this comunity.

Anyhow, I totaly agree with 9. I believe that my example just got along with her point (at least from my interpretation).doesn't your example actually demonstrate that there is an lgbt community, and it behaves like all other communities (i.e. shitty)?

[9]

But it is a community of activists, which is different.

[gorillafuck]

But my point was that I don't think it actually is that way in the first place. Obviously there are 'LGBT' activists. Maybe you could reasonably describe those activists as a community. But I don't think a person who is attracted to people of both sexes is part of a 'community' simply by virtue of their personal sexual preferences, as I said. I think the idea that they are is completely nonsensical and fake.ever since homosexuality became a political issue in America, lgbt community has been a term used to assert/group lgbt people in the political and cultural sphere of life. which is why when there is anti-gay legislation it is an attack on the lgbt community and when there is pro-gay legislation it is good for the lgbt community etc. it all has to do with groups and self-interest.

[gorillafuck]

But it is a community of activists, which is different.he didn't say she is an activist. just that she associates with a lot of gays/lesbians.

if kontrra could give some elaboration there that would be swell.

[9]

which is why when there is anti-gay legislation it is an attack on the lgbt community and when there is pro-gay legislation it is good for the lgbt community etc. it all has to do with groups and self-interest.

I would simply say that it is an attack on LGBT people, not some nonexistent LGBT community. It would be like saying that anti abortion legislation is an attack on the female community. That would be dumb, and I would equally have a problem with that.


he didn't say she is an activist. just that she associates with a lot of gays/lesbians.


He said her friends were LGBT militants. I doubt some random gay person on the street who wasn't an activist would give a flying fuck about the specificities of kontrras friends sexual orientation.

Anyway, I gotta go to work, so if you respond, I will get to it later.

[Искра]

Most of LGTB people don't hang around with militants, they don't go pro-gay stuff and nobody knows that they are gay. I don't say that that is a good thing, but that is a difference between militants and rest.

[gorillafuck]

I would simply say that it is an attack on LGBT people, not some nonexistent LGBT community. It would be like saying that anti abortion legislation is an attack on the female community. That would be dumb, and I would equally have a problem with that.it is an attack on the sisterhood

but yeah, I guess you're right. but then again, the black community is an accepted term, lgbt community is an accepted term, muslim community is an accepted term, woman community is not an accepted term. maybe whether or not the term "community" is used is actually just based completely on whether or not it sounds good or whether it sounds weird to people who hear it.

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

1. a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.
2. a locality inhabited by such a group.
3. a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (usually preceded by the ): the business community; the community of scholars.
4. a group of associated nations sharing common interests or a common heritage: the community of Western Europe.
5. Ecclesiastical . a group of men or women leading a common life according to a rule.
From: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/community

Definition #3 is relevant to what we're discussing here.

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

I have a friend who used to be lesbian, but then she got boyfriend and she's kicked out of that comunity. Also, she had really hard time to tell to her firends that she now has a boyfriend and she still didn't said that to some of her "LGBT militant" friends. It like she has to "come out from closet" for second time and she affraid to be kicked out and rejected by this comunity.
This is a perfect example of what bi people experience, especially from some gay and lesbian people who really should know better. They actually only believe in a LG community, no bi or trans people need apply.

[Искра]

Actully, she's not bi. She's lesbian. She doesn't like guys, but women. But she can't be lesbian anymore according to the book...:rolleyes: Which is why to me whole this "tag" thing is fucking stupid.

[Devrim]

but yeah, I guess you're right. but then again, the black community is an accepted term, lgbt community is an accepted term, muslim community is an accepted term, woman community is not an accepted term. maybe whether or not the term "community" is used is actually just based completely on whether or not it sounds good or whether it sounds weird to people who hear it.

Accepted by whom? I thought that for communists communities under capitalism were 'false' communities. For communists society is divided into classes, and members of different classes have different, opposed, interests.

Derim

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

Actully, she's not bi. She's lesbian. She doesn't like guys, but women. But she can't be lesbian anymore according to the book...:rolleyes: Which is why to me whole this "tag" thing is fucking stupid.

How does she have a boyfriend if she is lesbian, though? How does that work?

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

Actully, she's not bi. She's lesbian. She doesn't like guys, but women. But she can't be lesbian anymore according to the book...:rolleyes: Which is why to me whole this "tag" thing is fucking stupid.
So she doesn't like guys, but she's dating one? :confused:

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

How does she have a boyfriend if she is lesbian, though? How does that work?
One can have a lesbian identity but be bisexual by orientation.

[gorillafuck]

Accepted by whom? I thought that for communists communities under capitalism were 'false' communities. For communists society is divided into classes, and members of different classes have different, opposed, interests.

Derimsociety at large, politics in general is what I was referring to.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

One can have a lesbian identity but be bisexual by orientation.

What is the identity based upon if not on the orientation?

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

What is the identity based upon if not on the orientation?
A lesbian identity is based around having loving relationships only with women and engaging in lesbian culture, so some women identify as lesbian even though their actual orientation is bisexual (and some bi women feel pressured to do this because of the intolerance toward bi women).