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What's the Deal with Bisexual Erasure?

Crow T R0bot

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Crow T R0bot
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Jun 14, 2013
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161
So while exploring TVTropes, I found a trope page called No Bisexuals, in which it gives examples of works of fiction (and even real life assumptions) that completely ignore bisexuality or even the existence thereof when it would be logical to at least acknowledge it.

For example, I actually recall hearing secondhand about how fans of Dragon Age II assuming potential love interests were gay or straight depending on your player character's gender flew in the face of BioWare's straightforward explanation that all potential love interests are simply bi.

I'm a bit curious about what causes this phenomenon and wondered if people more knowledgeable than I could explain it to me. My only personal stake in it stems from the fact that two of the main characters in a book I'm writing are part of a "gay" couple, but both identify as bisexual, so I haven't exactly experienced this sort of thing.
 
Crow T R0bot said:
So while exploring TVTropes, I found a trope page called No Bisexuals, in which it gives examples of works of fiction (and even real life assumptions) that completely ignore bisexuality or even the existence thereof when it would be logical to at least acknowledge it.

For example, I actually recall hearing secondhand about how fans of Dragon Age II assuming potential love interests were gay or straight depending on your player character's gender flew in the face of BioWare's straightforward explanation that all potential love interests are simply bi.

I'm a bit curious about what causes this phenomenon and wondered if people more knowledgeable than I could explain it to me. My only personal stake in it stems from the fact that two of the main characters in a book I'm writing are part of a "gay" couple, but both identify as bisexual, so I haven't exactly experienced this sort of thing.
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It's part of a trope called lookatmeweexisttoo!!! in which people create tropes based on their own ignorant perceptions. Don't worry about it and write your book.
 
Bisexual lady speaking.

Basically, it's just your garden-variety prejudice against something that people don't understand. There are people who think that bisexuals are actually either gay or straight, but we just can't make up our minds. There are people who think that bisexual=polyamorous. There are straight people who are prejudiced against anyone who isn't straight. There are homosexual people who are jealous of (and often downright hostile towards) bisexuals because we can supposedly pass as straight and avoid the prejudice that gays, lesbians, and transgendered people have to deal with (it doesn't work that way). And then there are the creepy straight guys who think that having a bisexual girlfriend automatically entitles them to a threesome (with another girl of course).

And just to clear up any confusion: Being bisexual simply means that one is capable of being attracted to people of either gender. It does not mean that one has had sex with and/or dated people of both genders. It does not mean that if a bisexual person is in a relationship with someone of gender A that they will leave them for or cheat on them with someone of gender B; bisexual people can be, and often are, monogamous. It also does not necessarily mean that one is interested in threesomes.
 
Offhand, I can think of Chasing Amy where Amy's bisexuality was very difficult for Ben Affleck to deal with. Kissing Jessica Stein, had her proudly declare for the heterosexual team at the end. Dodgeball, where bisexuality was played as a joke, also ended with the promise of an FFM threesome.

I can't think of an honest portrayal of bisexuality on screen outside of that movie about Kinsey.
 
Loss Leader said:
Offhand, I can think of Chasing Amy where Amy's bisexuality was very difficult for Ben Affleck to deal with. Kissing Jessica Stein, had her proudly declare for the heterosexual team at the end. Dodgeball, where bisexuality was played as a joke, also ended with the promise of an FFM threesome.

I can't think of an honest portrayal of bisexuality on screen outside of that movie about Kinsey.
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I can only think of 2 openly bisexual characters, both on Star Trek: Dax on DS9 and Odan (the original Trill) on TNG. And both of those were only bisexual due to their species.
 
Bisexuality in practice amounts to:

1) Homosexual on Easy Mode

or

2) Hipster Straight

Speaking as a bisexual myself, neither is worth taking seriously.

A bisexual in a hetero relationship enjoys all the privileges of a heterosexual. Ooh, feel the oppression of my sexuality!

A bisexual in a gay relationship suffers all the persecution of a homosexual. But I'm not really gay!

Either way, making a point of being bisexual is a dick move. Any self-respecting bisexual should see to erasing their sexuality as much as possible, and exploiting their chameleon nature without trying to one-up everyone else.

You're writing a story about two fags in a gay relationship, but they're really bi? Mary Sue much?
 
"Sorry ladies, he's ours"

Bisexual erasure is the assumption that people are either straight or gay, ignoring the presence of a spectrum of attraction. That it also erases all other nongay/straight orientations is tangential.
 
CelticRose said:
Bisexual lady speaking.

Basically, it's just your garden-variety prejudice against something that people don't understand. There are people who think that bisexuals are actually either gay or straight, but we just can't make up our minds. There are people who think that bisexual=polyamorous. There are straight people who are prejudiced against anyone who isn't straight. There are homosexual people who are jealous of (and often downright hostile towards) bisexuals because we can supposedly pass as straight and avoid the prejudice that gays, lesbians, and transgendered people have to deal with (it doesn't work that way). And then there are the creepy straight guys who think that having a bisexual girlfriend automatically entitles them to a threesome (with another girl of course).

And just to clear up any confusion: Being bisexual simply means that one is capable of being attracted to people of either gender. It does not mean that one has had sex with and/or dated people of both genders. It does not mean that if a bisexual person is in a relationship with someone of gender A that they will leave them for or cheat on them with someone of gender B; bisexual people can be, and often are, monogamous. It also does not necessarily mean that one is interested in threesomes.
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Are you trying to tell me that bisexual people come in the same eclectic mix of personalities, proclivities and preferences that straight or gay people come in because they're, um, people?

I'm shocked, I tells ya.
 
theprestige said:
Bisexuality in practice amounts to:

1) Homosexual on Easy Mode

or

2) Hipster Straight

Speaking as a bisexual myself, neither is worth taking seriously.

A bisexual in a hetero relationship enjoys all the privileges of a heterosexual. Ooh, feel the oppression of my sexuality!

A bisexual in a gay relationship suffers all the persecution of a homosexual. But I'm not really gay!

Either way, making a point of being bisexual is a dick move. Any self-respecting bisexual should see to erasing their sexuality as much as possible, and exploiting their chameleon nature without trying to one-up everyone else.

You're writing a story about two fags in a gay relationship, but they're really bi? Mary Sue much?
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What the ### did I just read
 
A lot of TV shows have pissed me off about this, including L&O:SVU. Bi status is never brought up. It's only "oh he's gay so he couldn't have been with him/her" or "oh he's straight so couldn't have been with him/her".

A lot like my other hatred for such procedural shows declaring that only a left-righthander could've shot the gun from such a position. Ignoring not only a clever person using the other hand, but also ambidextrous people! (Scene: Detective throws ball. Suspect catches it in his LEFT hand!! Guilty!!) [p.s. I'm not ambi but if some ball comes at me I'm going to catch it in whatever hand is nearest/works best, with good results].

If a guy is found out to have slept with another guy on such a show, he's automatically GAY and would never have sex with a woman. The police and prosecutors will completely dismiss him as a suspect, since there are only either hetero or homo sexual people. Never people who like both.

Outside of TV, some homosexual people have a biphobia wherein they dismiss that anyone could be attracted to both sexes. Many other LGBs have transphobia. Hatred isn't limited to straights.

btw theprestige: your post is utterly bizarre. Are you a self-loathing bi? Or wtf? Point?
 
It is complex because unless the person is in polyamorus relationship with both sexes it is easy to view them as gay or straight. Add this that many bisexuals are closeted about being by (only 26% are out to their family) so they have to mention it or if they follow the standard serial monogamy of our culture you can just assume them to be only attracted to what ever their current partner is.

Then there are people who object to bi people not being closeted and conversely many people who object to telling bi people to be out.

Basicly there is no way not to get people mad at you on this issue.
 
ponderingturtle said:
It is complex because unless the person is in polyamorus relationship with both sexes it is easy to view them as gay or straight. Add this that many bisexuals are closeted about being by (only 26% are out to their family) so they have to mention it or if they follow the standard serial monogamy of our culture you can just assume them to be only attracted to what ever their current partner is.

Then there are people who object to bi people not being closeted and conversely many people who object to telling bi people to be out.

Basicly there is no way not to get people mad at you on this issue.
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Really?

I have zero interest in someone's sexuality unless I actually want to sleep with them, then it becomes important, otherwise it's none of my damn business.
 
Information Analyst said:
Jack Harkness in Doctor Who/Torchwood - he'll have anything!
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Isn't the proper term for that "pansexual" then?

Incidentally, High Five? Big Doctor Who fan here (albeit one for less than a year. Binged on all seven seasons since July and now I'm watching classic episodes to hold me over til Peter Capaldi can get 45 minutes of screentime under his belt).
 
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