Say goodbye to harmful stereotypes
September 16, 2024
September has arrived! BiWeek, also known as Bisexual Awareness Week, is back every year from September 16-23. The celebration of Celebrate Bisexuality+ Day concludes the week on September 23. BiWeek occurs annually, from September 16-23, concluding on the 23rd with the celebration of Celebrate Bisexuality+ Day.
Having an official week dedicated to celebrating bisexuality is a good opportunity to both spread awareness of some of the common struggles of being bisexual (bi) and inform others on what it means to identify as bi.
What Does It Mean?
Bisexuality refers to when a person is attracted in a romantic and/or sexual way to more than one gender. It’s perfectly normal to reflect and question your sexual orientation. You don’t need to prove yourself
I am bisexual and I’m attracted to both men and women. I am also on the aromantic spectrum, which is also known as “aroace” and means that I have a reduced amount of sexual and romantic attraction. It may seem like “bi” and “aroace”, which are two different words, contradict each other. This is why it was difficult for me to determine my sexual orientation. But they are both parts of my identity.
Some people don’t believe me when I tell them I’m bi because I’m currently in a monogamous relationship with a guy. Some people think that because we are in a monogamous relationship, our sexual orientation is confined to a certain category. We can be categorized as either heterosexual or homosexual depending on who we are dating. This is an example of bisexual erasure, which is the tendency to ignore, deny or invalidate the existence and experiences of bisexual people.
Sexual orientation can be fluid. There is no need to choose between “this” and “that,” without any in-between. It used to be that I felt I had to prove my bisexuality to others to validate myself. I know now that our sexual orientation is OUR business and not something we need to prove to anyone!
Left Out of the Conversation
Another example of bi erasure is that sometimes bisexual people are left out of LGBQ+ conversations because we’re considered “straight-passing.” Similarly, we may feel like we don’t fit in with a primarily heterosexual group. There’s no winning when we’re considered “too heterosexual” to be gay or “too gay” to be heterosexual.
People sometimes create their own definitions of bisexuality and in the process, make assumptions. Some people believe that bisexuals must be involved in romantic and/or sexual relationships with people of both genders. This misconception often leads people to assume that all bisexual folks are “promiscuous.”
It can be harmful when people make assumptions about you based on your sexual orientation, especially when those assumptions are based in stereotypes and myths.
Show Your Support
BiWeek is a great opportunity to bust some of these bi myths. You can also do these things!
1. Bisexuals can be made aware of their experiences by bringing attention to them. Build acceptance and awareness of bisexuality.
3. Bisexuals can come together to celebrate BiWeek. Get festive and involved by posting on social media with #BiWeek!
Check out more facts about bisexuality!
