Let’s Bust Some Common Bisexual Stereotypes

by Guest Contributor · August 12, 2018

As the AAUW puts it,

“Stereotype” is a cognitive shortcut — that is, it allows your brain to make a snap judgment based on immediately visible characteristics such as gender, race, or age. Your brain is hardwired to make quick calls, and that’s ok. The problem comes when we start to apply those stereotypes beyond that immediate impulse. That’s called “bias,” which is basically a belief that a stereotype is true. For example, the stereotype that girls are bad at math can lead to the suggestion that some innate difference between women and men leads to this discrepancy.”

But, in reality, women are as good as men at math!

Stereotypes are, sadly, prevalent in every community, and the LGBTQA+ community is no saint either. Even though the community fights stereotypes that are rampant in society, it has a few of its own, especially when it comes to bisexual people. Are you gay? Well, then why are you attracted to the opposite sex? Then, you must be straight? Or you are just confused!

Why someone’s sexual orientation is anyone else’s business only god knows, but as long as it is, I think we have to debunk stereotypes to make life easier for those who don’t fit society’s boxes.

In today’s post, we will be debunking some common bisexual myths. But before we bust them, let us find out which are the most common ones.

It is a great relief that nowadays most people understand homosexuality. But as soon as you tell people you are bisexual, confusion takes over. It is very difficult for people to wrap their heads around the fact that sexuality run on a spectrum; there are extremes such as homosexuality and heterosexuality, and then there are people you place themselves somewhere in the middle, thus closing the gap between homosexuality and heterosexuality. How difficult is that to understand?!

Here are some common bisexual myths people believe in:

Bisexuals are just confused bunch

If I had a dime for every time someone told me bisexuals are just people who cannot decide, I would be Nirav Modi. Any who! This is the stupidest thing to say. So the truth is there are a lot of homosexuals who use bisexuality in order to come out of the closet, and there are many who try bisexuality to get a better understanding of their sexual orientations. But, this isn’t true for all of us. The majority of bisexuals strongly identify as bisexuals!

Bisexuals are basically selfish folks!

Wait what? Yes, I am a greedy human, but not because I am a bisexual. Again, I am not bisexual because I am greedy. I am bisexual because I am attracted to both men and women. It is not like I cannot understand what my gender identity is, and therefore, I have decided to pose as a bisexual. I have identified my gender to be bisexual, you dumb*ss!

They don’t really exist, do they?

No, we are Santa Claus. What?! So many people believe that bisexuality is a myth, but this only goes to show that they believe sexuality is only black and white, there is no grey area. I reiterate sexuality can be stretched on a spectrum, and everyone gets to decide where they think they stand. Also, they get to change their position as and when they want to. Tomorrow if I decide that I am only attracted to women, it does not mean I was never bisexual. It only means that, right at that moment, I identify as homosexual.

Bisexuals spread STDs

Even if this were true, you do not curb it by getting rid of bisexuals (wait, what?), you curb it by spreading awareness about safe sex and contraception. Bisexuals are t a greater risk of getting sexually infected because of the whole stigma around bisexuality. If the stigma is removed, then they get to practice safer sex in safer places. Get it?!

Bisexuals are okay with cheating their beaus!

What kind of logic is this? Just because I am attracted to both men and women, I must think infidelity is cool? A cheater is a despicable person, no matter what their sexual orientation. Being attracted to more than one gender, does not mean we are allowed to cheat, it means we have more options when it comes to choosing a partner.

Bisexuals are a minority

Now that depends on how exactly you define minority, because our community isn’t that small you see. One of the reasons you don’t see that many of them may be because of the whole stigma around bisexuality, or the fact that people believe in stupid myths about bisexuals, myths that I am busting today.

Bisexuals fear commitment

If a person cannot decide whether they like men or women, then it only goes to show how much their fear commitment, right? Wrong. The ability to commit or not is a very personal thing, it does not involve your sexual orientation. It could be because you fear responsibility; you aren’t looking for anything serious; you have had very bad experience in the pats etc. See how sexual orientation didn’t make it to that list?!

Many people tell me that bisexual stereotypes are not going anywhere, that they are here to say, to which I respond: That’s another myth!

That is a wrap on today’s post on debunking common bisexual myths. Did you find this useful? Let us know in the comment section below. If you have any recommendations of your own, then do share them with us!

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Featured image source: Pixabay under Creative Commons License

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