Biphobia refers to the prejudice and discrimination against bisexuality and bisexuals as individuals. This might involve making derogatory remarks about bisexuality based on assumptions and stereotypes, like “bisexuality isn't real” and “you're just confused.” Biphobia exists outside the LGBTQ community as well as inside and can affect the perception of sexual orientation.
Confused? Greedy? Indecisive?
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There is a stigma attached to bisexuality as just a “pitstop” until a person comes out as gay. This is mostly because before finding a term that fits their sexuality, some gays/lesbians refer to themselves as bisexual. This negatively affects how the sexuality is perceived, leaving outsiders thinking that all bisexuals are just closeted gay people.
Movies and TV shows also tend to perpetuate this stigma, dismissing bisexuality as a joke and playing it off for laughs. In the show Glee, Kurt Hummel, a gay character, says, “Bisexual is a term gay guys use in high school when they want to hold hands with a girl and feel normal for a change.” Again in the show Sex and the City, multiple negative comments are made about bisexual people: “I’m not even sure bisexuality exists. I think it's just a layover to Gaytown” and referring to bisexuals as “Greedy double dipping.” |
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Too gay for the straights and too straight for the gays
It is really common for bisexuals to be ostracized from the LGBTQ+ community. Some see bisexuality as nonexistent, assuming that you’re either homosexual or heterosexual. Others within the community see it as, “you have an option to be straight passing, so you don’t go through any bigotry.” This could not be further from the truth. Bisexual people are continuously interrogated and judged just because of who they love.
It's just a phase
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Biphobia is sometimes expressed by women and men differently. Bisexual women are seen as extra or wanting more attention. It is just seen as a phase until they undoubtedly go back to being “normal” (straight). They're also oversexualized, causing them to be viewed as more promiscuous, leading them to be fetishized. Bisexual males, on the other hand, are said to be afraid of being gay, so they just call themselves bi. They are perceived as only being able to be either straight or gay, with no in-between. They're often chastised for coming out as bisexual. In relationships, however, they face the same problem, with their partner concerned that they would cheat on them for someone of a different sex.
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“I Used to be bi, but now I’m just hetero”
When a person who is not bi utilizes the appearance of bisexuality to garner attention, it is called “performative bisexuality” or “queerbaiting.” This is usually portrayed by women in music videos pretending to be bi for the pleasure of an audience, which furthers society’s false narrative that bisexuality is just a phase or a sexual fetish. This is usually tailored for the male gaze, meaning that it is being made for the appeasement and validation of a straight male viewer. It replicates what men believe bisexuality to be: hypersexual, swingers, and overall a fantasy.
Since the people that participate in performative bisexuality are heterosexual, they only behave this way for a short period of time. For example, Nicki Minaj admitted to saying she was bisexual for media attention and headlines. Recently, Billie Eilish has been accused of queerbaiting in a recent music video. In the music video for “Lost Cause,” Eilish is shown flirting and dancing with the women in the video. Even though she has continuously said that she is straight, posting the video during pride month gave the assumption that she was trying to come out. People accused her of hinting that she might be queer as a strategy to make her song more popular. It is a harmful tactic because it gives off the impression that bisexuality is just a phase. This leads to more biphobia.
Since the people that participate in performative bisexuality are heterosexual, they only behave this way for a short period of time. For example, Nicki Minaj admitted to saying she was bisexual for media attention and headlines. Recently, Billie Eilish has been accused of queerbaiting in a recent music video. In the music video for “Lost Cause,” Eilish is shown flirting and dancing with the women in the video. Even though she has continuously said that she is straight, posting the video during pride month gave the assumption that she was trying to come out. People accused her of hinting that she might be queer as a strategy to make her song more popular. It is a harmful tactic because it gives off the impression that bisexuality is just a phase. This leads to more biphobia.
Bisexuals don’t even exist
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Compared to gays and lesbians, there are not a lot of bisexual and bisexual figures of color in mainstream media. This is most likely due to the lack of acceptance and the negative stigma surrounding bisexuality.
There are still many celebrities that have come out as bisexual. Actors like Kristen Stewart, Tessa Thompson, and Ezra Miller, singers like Halsey, Brendon Urie, and Lady Gaga, and even comedians like Lilly Singh have spoken out against biphobia and are unapologetically themselves despite the stereotypes and stigmas. |
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How to not be biphobic:
Do not invalidate a person's sexuality just because it is not yours. If someone shares their sexual orientation with you, take their word for it. Sexuality is fluid. There is no need to make someone feel awful and unwelcome because of theirs.
Do not invalidate a person's sexuality just because it is not yours. If someone shares their sexual orientation with you, take their word for it. Sexuality is fluid. There is no need to make someone feel awful and unwelcome because of theirs.
