Reflections on the Archive: Bisexual Visibility

The need for bisexual people to assert their right to be loved and respected stems from a pervasive form of prejudice that permeates society, commonly known as biphobia. Two factors are at play in this particular form of discrimination: heteronormativity, AKA the social belief that heterosexuality is the only acceptable form of sexual orientation; and monosexism, meaning the belief that sexual orientation only has two fixed categories and that people can either be heterosexual or gay/lesbian.

Bisexual people have been debunking myths about their sexual orientation for the longest time. In February 1993, Sharon Forman Super wrote an article for Issue 48 of the GCN magazine titled ‘Myths / Realities of Bisexuality’, in which she broke down misconceptions like “Bisexuals cannot be monogamous” or “Bisexuals are denying their lesbianism or gayness”. 

Arguing against the claim that bisexual people can hide in the heterosexual community, the author wrote: “To ‘pass’ for straight and deny your bisexuality is just as painful and damaging for a bisexual as it is for a gay person.”

In the same page of that magazine, a companion to Sharon Forman Super’s article, is another feature titled ‘Bisexuality: A Few Home Truth’, written by Geraldine Andrews.

“Many people immediately conjure up images of bisexuals being selfish, promiscuous, over-sexed, fence-sitters who are unable to find their ‘real’ sexuality,” Andrews wrote. Discussing how bisexual people often experience prejudice both inside and outside the LGBTQ+ community, the author continued: “Biphobia is just another wall that needs to come down. Lesbians and gay men are no strangers to bigotry and persecution, so why should we continue to malign somebody else’s sexuality.”

In the article, Andrews described news of the time, where the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard had come under fire for their treatment of bisexual people calling for support. “Our own Gay Switchboard Dublin were shocked to hear about the recent problems within the London Switchboard,” the writer commented, asserting that Dublin’s Switchboard always incorporated Bisexual Awareness training within their programme for volunteers.

“It is amazing that so many people waste so much time and energy on worrying that someone else might actually be enjoying life in ways they don’t approve of,” Andrews concluded.

In March 1994, Odile Hendriks wrote an article on the same topic for Issue 60 of the GCN Magazine, with the emblematic title: ‘Bisexuality: How to be clobbered from both sides!’

“Firstly, one has to face the rejection in heterosexual society, and then, and this is more difficult, the lesbian community,” Hendriks wrote. “I have heard lesbian friends mention that they would never consider becoming involved with a bisexual woman, as they seem to think they will be dropped for a man sooner or later.”

While maybe not expressed in these terms, the sentiment is still alive and well today among some parts of the community. It might take the form of “personal insecurity” or other milder versions, but it boils down to the same type of prejudice.

Two years later, in Issue 84 published in 1996, Kate Karnew wrote: “I told a gay male friend that I was writing an article on bisexuality and randomly asked him how he felt. The first word he replied with was ‘scary’. Then he followed on with ‘You can never fulfill someone who is possibly thinking of a different gender. You feel insecure… inadequate.’

“Wow! There seems to be this implication that bisexual always means both instead of either,” Karnew commented, adding that bisexual people seem to be “regarded with a great measure of suspicion”.

In Issue 62, out in May 1994, N. Murphy was also writing about biphobia and the impact it had on their coming to terms with their sexuality. “If I was able to unquestionably accept gayness, why the big problem with bisexuality?,” the author wrote. “But when my closest friend, a newly out gay woman, told me I was bisexual, it all became too much for me.”

Describing the prejudices that got in the way of identifying as bisexual, Murphy wrote: “Bisexual conjures up a Jeckyl and Hyde scenario.” They continued: “What about the little ‘having your cake and eating it’ quip? Is this all part of some Catholic driven guilt trip?”

Setting about dismantling these biases with irony, Murphy wrote: “It is also a myth that we float in a sea of unending, unbridled saliva, sperm and orgasms. As with everyone else we are limited to the people we are attracted to and the people who find us attractive.”

“Generally speaking we don’t have more or less lovers than any other group in society. The only difference is that we are free enough to choose our partners according to personality and looks, rather than ‘type’.

“Let’s enjoy and appreciate each other, let’s step out of our little claustrophobic, cloistered cliques at least for long enough to acknowledge the beauty of diversity,” Murphy wrote. They concluded the article with the following cheeky words: “When men stop giving me orgasms, I’ll give up men. When women stop giving me orgasms, I’ll give up women. When my right hand stops giving me orgasms… Lord there’s a frightening thought. Thank Christ I’m bisexual.”