{"id":630,"date":"2019-11-20T12:39:10","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T12:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/?p=630"},"modified":"2023-03-23T16:53:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T16:53:00","slug":"what-being-bisexual-actually-means","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/what-being-bisexual-actually-means\/","title":{"rendered":"What being bisexual actually means"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Despite very much being in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/lgbtiq-acronyms-explained-a-complete-glossary-of-common-terms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LGBT<\/a> umbrella, (it\u2019s worth remembering that the B in LGBT stands for bisexual), in recent years there seems to be various misconceptions about bisexuality, all of which have mostly worked to disregard bisexuality as a recognised sexual identity.<\/p>\n<p>With supposedly clearer definitions for those identifying as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/gay-escorts\/gb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gay<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/lesbian-dating\/gb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lesbian<\/a>, many people who identify as bisexual continue to struggle.<\/p>\n<p>It is perhaps no surprise that many bisexual people end up identifying either as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/straight-relationships\/gb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">straight<\/a> or gay, just to be socially accepted by their peers, while avoiding unwarranted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.huffpost.com\/entry\/why-wouldnt-we-the-sad-truth-about-biphobia_b_3506551\" target=\"_hplink\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-ylk=\"subsec:paragraph;cpos:2;elm:context_link;itc:0\" data-rapid-parsed=\"slk\">biphobia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#what-is-bisexuality-and-what-does-it-mean-to-be-bisexual?\">What is bisexuality and what does it mean to be bisexual?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#how-do-you-know-if-you're-bisexual?\">How do you know if you\u2019re bisexual?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#the-stigmas-linked-to-bisexuality\">The stigmas linked to bisexuality<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"&quot;#bisexual-vs.-pansexual-what's-the-difference?\">Bisexual vs. Pansexual? What is the difference?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#charities-avaliable?\">Charities available?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#final-thoughts\">Final thoughts on being and identifying as bisexual <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"what-is-bisexuality-and-what-does-it-mean-to-be-bisexual?\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>What is bisexuality and what does it mean to be bisexual?<\/h2>\n<p>While bisexuality involves an attraction to both men and women, even this basic definition causes confusion, due to many people identifying as more than one gender.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-636\" src=\"http:\/\/vivastreetuk.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/gender-fluidity.png\" alt=\"gender fluidity \" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/gender-fluidity.png 768w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/gender-fluidity-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/gender-fluidity-600x338.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As gender today is far more fluid than just two choices, this has meant that some people feel the basic definition of bisexuality doesn\u2019t really apply.<\/p>\n<p>However, in keeping it simple, being bisexual merely refers to having feelings for both men and women, whether emotionally or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/gay-and-lesbian\/gb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sexually<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This means, rather than having what was considered conventional thoughts and feelings for a member of the opposite sex, bisexuality also encourages that same sense of feelings for a member of the same sex also.<\/p>\n<p>In the same way, as a heterosexual person is attracted to members of the opposite sex, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/five-gay-online-dating-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">gay men are attracted to men<\/a>, and lesbian women are attracted to women &#8211; those that are bisexual develop some strong feelings for men and women and find either sex appealing.<br \/>\n<a name=\"how-do-you-know-if-you're-bisexual?\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>How do you know if you\u2019re bisexual?<\/h2>\n<p>Most people become aware of their bisexuality when they begin to develop feelings for both people of the same sex and those of the opposite sex.<\/p>\n<p>These feelings are stronger than those linked with friendships and are usually more emotional, both physically and mentally<\/p>\n<p>Some people find these feelings begin at a very early age, around primary or secondary school life.<\/p>\n<p>Some find they may develop later into their teenage years or when they become adults.<\/p>\n<p>Some people may even discover they\u2019re bisexual when they\u2019re married or happily living with a partner.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, at any stage, many people who believe they may be bisexual will often push those nagging feelings away and refuse to acknowledge them for fear of stigma.<\/p>\n<p>The truth is, there\u2019s no time scale for when and how you discover whether you\u2019re bisexual.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s all simply a process and should be allowed to take its natural course.<br \/>\n<a name=\"the-stigmas-linked-to-bisexuality\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>The stigmas linked to bisexuality<\/h2>\n<p>Unfortunately, with the discussion of bisexuality comes stigma. It is not uncommon for bisexual people to feel that their choice is somehow devalued by their gay and heterosexual peers.<\/p>\n<p>Some find it difficult to define and label someone who identifies as bisexual, so in this case, the biggest stigma comes from a lack of understanding.<\/p>\n<p>This is especially problematic for those who refuse to comprehend that it\u2019s possible to be attracted to more than one sex.<\/p>\n<p>Though most people identifying as gay and lesbian also face prejudice, they can at least be identified by the people they are attracted to.<\/p>\n<p>With bisexuality, it isn\u2019t necessarily that clear-cut.<\/p>\n<p><b>i. Bisexuality is grossly misrepresented in the media<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-638\" src=\"http:\/\/vivastreetuk.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bisexuality-mispresented-in-the-media.png\" alt=\"bisexuality mispresented in the media\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bisexuality-mispresented-in-the-media.png 768w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bisexuality-mispresented-in-the-media-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/bisexuality-mispresented-in-the-media-600x338.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>When a celebrity, pop star, or well-known face comes out as bisexual (t.A.T.u anyone?), they drum up instant publicity.<\/p>\n<p>But problems arise when such stars decide to use bisexuality as a way of increasing their fame &#8211; especially when they aren\u2019t actually bisexual.<\/p>\n<p>Some pop stars are the worse culprits of this, with many of them appearing in a video and performing sexually around members of the same sex, merely to play up to the cameras.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the time, the star in question isn\u2019t bisexual &#8211; rather, they are queer-baiting and playing to media attention.<\/p>\n<p>This is because, in the media, sex sells \u2013 and nowhere is it more profitable (unfortunately) than suggesting bisexuality, especially amongst women.<\/p>\n<p>What this does is undermine the whole concept of bisexuality.<\/p>\n<p><b>ii. The common misconceptions regarding bisexuality<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Ask anyone identifying as bisexual, and you\u2019ll be guaranteed to find they\u2019ve encountered some common <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/heteroflexibility\/\">misconceptions about their sexuality<\/a> at some point in their life.<\/p>\n<p>The most common phrases bisexual people regularly encounter include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><em>Bisexual people aren\u2019t serious about relationships, or they\u2019re commitment-phobes<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Bisexual people are confused because they can\u2019t decide<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Bisexual people are selfish because they want the best of both worlds<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Those who claim to be bisexual are just playing at it<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Being bisexual is just a phase youngsters go through<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Bisexual women are just trying to appeal to men<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Bisexuality is just temporary until a person has tried both sides<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Those who think they\u2019re bisexual are really gay or lesbian<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Bisexual people will automatically fancy me<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>You can only be bisexual if you\u2019ve had a relationship with both a man and a woman<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"bisexual-vs.pansexual-what's-the-difference?\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Bisexual vs. Pansexual &#8211; What&#8217;s the difference?<\/h2>\n<p>What is the difference? For those struggling to come to terms with or understand bisexuality, recent years have seen an expansion of terminology, to define sexuality further.<\/p>\n<p>One of these terms gaining momentum is that of pansexual. To be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/pansexuality-what-does-it-mean-to-be-pansexual\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pansexual<\/a> is to be attracted, whether physically or emotionally, to people of all sexes and all genders.<\/p>\n<p>This can mean that the other person is a woman, a man, transgender, or someone who defines themselves as non-gendered (amongst other definitions).<\/p>\n<p>Whereas bisexual tends to refer to liking someone of the same and opposite sex (that is men and women), pansexual accounts for all people regardless of how they present themselves or define themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Those who identify as pansexual say they\u2019re attracted to people, rather than define certain gender types<\/p>\n<p>Bisexual people, though, tend to be able to label their affections as men or women.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"charities-avaliable?\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Charities available<\/h2>\n<p>For those looking for support or help coming to terms with their bisexuality, there are plentiful <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/lgbtiq-resources-in-the-uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">charities offering support<\/a>, access to further information, and guidance.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinknews.co.uk\/2019\/04\/03\/lgbt-charities-supporting-donating\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Some fantastic LGBT charities<\/a> worldwide promote various opportunities to get involved, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stonewall.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Stonewall <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mind.org.uk\/information-support\/guides-to-support-and-services\/lgbtiqplus-mental-health\/#.XdJ__lf7Tcv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Mind <\/a>to name a couple.<\/p>\n<p>These charities also work hard on educating and continually improving the lives of those identifying as bisexual.<br \/>\n<a name=\"final-thoughts\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>Ultimately, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yourtango.com\/experts\/dr-lori-bisbey\/am-i-bisexual-what-being-bisexual-really-means-to-me-at-least\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">exactly what bisexuality means<\/a> to one person may not mean the same to another.<\/p>\n<p>In its most basic form, bisexuality is a sense of being comfortable liking both women and men, while not having to explain why or offer any reasonable explanation for doing so.<\/p>\n<p>For some people, it\u2019s obvious; for others, it\u2019s not as clear. But, the term bisexual is real, it\u2019s important, and it should be respected.<\/p>\n<p>Most importantly, it should be enjoyed and celebrated by anybody who willingly chooses to be identified by it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite being in the LGBT umbrella, in recent years there seems to be various misconceptions about bisexuality, all of which have mostly worked to disregard bisexuality as a recognised sexual identity. With supposedly clearer definitions for those identifying as gay or lesbian, many people who identify as bisexual continue to struggle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":640,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"CBBTypography":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[223],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sex-and-relationships"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=630"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=630"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivastreet.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}