When feminist singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco married her sound engineer Andrew Gilchrist in 1998, she was met with a backlash from her predominately lesbian fan base. Although DiFranco was a self-described bisexual, who had been involved in many relationships with both females and males, her marriage was described as a betrayal to the lesbian community. Likewise, lesbian activist/author JoAnn Loulan was criticized by the gay community when she became involved with a man.
My personal take on this issue is that human sexuality is fluid and not static. We all are capable of loving either sex and our preferences are often (but certainly not always) the result of cultural influences. However, in American society, it is preferred that you choose one side or the other. Many people do not even recognize bisexuality as a sexual orientation, and prefer to label any person who engages in same-sex activity as homosexual even if they also engage in sexual acts with persons of the opposite sex. This makes it hard for bisexuals to gain acceptance because heterosexuals see them as homosexual and homosexuals see them as fakers or in denial.
Even though homosexuality is still not a fully accepted sexual lifestyle in our society, it still gains more acceptance than bisexuality, which is sexual behavior and/or attraction to both sexes. This lack of acceptance is true on both sides of the sexual fence, with many heterosexuals and homosexuals alike describing bisexuals as confused rather than decided in their sexuality. For instance, many homosexuals regard bisexual persons as being in the primary stage before "coming out" as homosexual and a common saying in the gay community is "Bi now, Gay later." Since many issues in American society are seen in black/white and either/or terms, bisexuals are often the target of ostracism for "not making up their minds" and adhering to one side or the other.
When Alfred Kinsey conducted his monumental research on male and female sexual practices in the 1940s, he found that most people fell somewhere in the middle on the sexual continuum. This should not be that surprising since bisexuality has been common throughout human history. For instance, bisexual practices were accepted and often expected of both ancient Roman men and Japanese Samurai. And, the ancient Greek poet, Sappho, who was female, wrote of love for both men and women, although it is uncertain whether she was referring to herself in her poetry. Yet, many contemporary western societies regard homosexuality and bisexuality as taboo. And even with the gaining acceptance of homosexuality, there is little acceptance for bisexuals who are seen as riding the fence. 
Bisexual practices are common in the animal kingdom as well with the most notable examples being bottle nosed dolphins, orca, bonobo chimpanzees, and Humboldt penguins. In fact, bonobo chimpanzees, which share 98% of their DNA with humans, practice all forms of sexuality between all members of their communities including incestuous and pedophilic practices- and they do so consensually and frequently. And, bonobo females use female-female sexual practices as a means of bonding, which is an important part of this female dominated society.
My personal take on this issue is that human sexuality is fluid and not static. We all are capable of loving either sex and our preferences are often (but certainly not always) the result of cultural influences. However, in American society, it is preferred that you choose one side or the other. Many people do not even recognize bisexuality as a sexual orientation, and prefer to label any person who engages in same-sex activity as homosexual even if they also engage in sexual acts with persons of the opposite sex. This makes it hard for bisexuals to gain acceptance because heterosexuals see them as homosexual and homosexuals see them as fakers or in denial.
6 comments:
Wow Genevieve, let me just applaud your chutzpah in tackling such a controversial topic in the State of Alabama no less. Good, well researched information.
also enjoyed this post...I agree that roles don't always fit some mold. I would think that there would be as many possibilities of preferences as there were people. Some fall into accepted catagories and some don't - and "accepted" is different depending on who you're talking to. I had not considered that bisexuals were not accepted by some homosexuals. Interesting how you can judge others even if you have been judged yourself.
I think the thing about it is that most people want you to chose one side or the other on any subject. We are uneasy about people who want to have their cake and eat it too.
I agree with you that bisexuality is even less accepted as a whole than homosexuality. I'll use one of my favorite movies, 'Chasing Amy,' as an example. On the surface the film appears to simply be about a guy who happens to fall in love with a lesbian. Well, as it turns out that is not even necessarily its premise at all. However, the film has been universally praised for the way it deals with the topic of lesbianism. One scene from the movie depicts the reaction from a group of lesbian friends when one of them professes her love for a man. They all express disapproval, with one even saying, "another one bites the dust." Now I'm not saying this movie should be the beacon of insight into the attitudes of homosexuals (it was made by a straight man, Kevin Smith). However, I think this scene probably was pretty accurate.
I always thought that bisexuality was more accepted than homosexually. It is interesting to know that a group that advocates for equal rights, would not be accepting of a lifestyle or sexual orientation different from their own. I feel that our sexual preference is genetically determined, so wouldn't a person's bisexuality be genetic also.
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