Bisexual Double

Bisexual Double
Medically Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on June 28, 2021
Bisexuality is an attraction to more than one gender. Those who identify as bisexual feel a sexual and/or romantic attraction to people of a different gender as well as their own.
While this offers a basic definition, bisexual people are a diverse group. Each individual perceives their sexual orientation differently. Some may be equally attracted to both men and women, while others have a stronger attraction toward one gender over another.
A bisexual person may be in a long-term same-sex or heterosexual relationship, or they may alternate between the two.
Bisexuality is often confused with pansexuality, which is when someone is attracted to all genders, including cisgender, transgender, agender, non-binary, and other gender non-conforming individuals.
These definitions may seem very similar, but there is a distinct difference. Bisexual means attracted to multiple genders, while pansexual means attracted to all genders.
For many in the LGBTQ community, these terms may overlap. Some people may identify as bisexual but still feel an attraction for all genders. Identifying as bisexual versus pansexual mainly comes down to the preference of the individual.
Bisexual people often face misconceptions about their identity. These misconceptions can lead to prejudice, known as biphobia. It can happen within or outside the LGBTQ community.
Myth: Bisexual people date only cisgender men or women.
While the prefix “bi” may literally mean two, bisexuality does not mean attraction to only two genders. For many bisexual people, the “bi” indicates an attraction to their same gender as well as other genders.
Myth: Bisexual people are confused or in denial.
One pervasive misunderstanding about bisexuality is that it’s a phase — and that bisexual people will eventually come out as gay or lesbian. But bisexuality is not transitional or experimental. It is a valid identity.
One study found that only 18% of LGBTQ youth who initially came out as bisexual later came out as gay or lesbian. So while some may come out as bisexual first before identifying as gay or lesbian, this doesn’t mean that bisexual identities aren’t valid.
Myth: Bisexual people are more likely to cheat.
Sexual preference is not linked to promiscuity. There’s no evidence that bisexual people are more likely to cheat on their partners than people of any other sexual orientation.
Men can be bisexual , too. But they may be less likely to be open about it. In one study, only 12% of bisexual men said they were openly bisexual, compared to 28% of all bisexuals and 77% of gay men. The survey found that this disparity may stem from the fact that 33% of respondents perceived social acceptance of bisexual women, while only 8% said the same for bisexual men.
While there may appear to be fewer bisexual men than women, this may be due to the social stigma around coming out as a bisexual man.
Due to some of the myths about bisexuality, it can be challenging to come out to family, friends, or a partner as bisexual. You don’t have to tell anyone about your sexual orientation unless you are ready. But some people find that having a conversation with loved ones about it is helpful.
If you decide to tell others, your friends and family members may have a lot of questions after you come out to them. It may help to put together a few online resources about bisexuality that you can share. This will help answer their questions, fight any misconceptions they’ve heard about bisexuality, and will take some of the burden of explanation off of you.
Bisexual Resource Center: "Pan and Bi: A Handy Guide."
Journal of Bisexuality : “‘Regardless of Their Gender’: Descriptions of Sexual Identity among Bisexual, Pansexual, and Queer Identified Individuals.”
Journal of Sex Research : "Sexual Identity Development among Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youths: Consistency and Change Over Time."
Pew Research Center: "Among LGBT Americans, bisexuals stand out when it comes to identity, acceptance."
PLoS One : "Attitudes toward Bisexual Men and Women among a Nationally Representative Probability Sample of Adults in the United States."
UCLA School of Law Williams Institute: "How Many People are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender?"
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WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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Bisexual people may experience more mental health challenges than their peers. A 2017 meta-analysis found bisexual participants had higher rates of depression and anxiety than heterosexual participants, and higher or equivalent rates than those who were gay. Public health experts and people with lived experience suggest these mental health challenges may be related to the discrimination that many bisexual people face. “Bisexual folks experience stigma not only from heterosexual communities, but also from—even though they’re named in it—the LGBTQ community,” said Jessica N. Fish, a researcher at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. “The stereotypes of confusion, that it’s a phase, that they’re promiscuous, those perpetuate on both sides. That can be really influential on someone’s mental health.” Advocacy groups like the Bisexual Resource Center and The Trevor Project offer resources and support for bisexual people who are struggling.
Spark Extra! Learn about preventing suicide among LGBTQ people .
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), under Grant No. 1H79SM083028-01
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The term “bisexual” is used to describe a person who experiences emotional, romantic and/or sexual attractions to, or engages in romantic or sexual relationships with, more than one sex or gender. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in a 2016 publication that 1.3 percent of women and 1.9 percent of men said they were “homosexual, gay, or lesbian,” and that 5.5 percent of women and 2 percent of men said they were bisexual. These findings indicate that bisexual people may comprise the largest single group in the LGB community for both women and men. Nevertheless, many believe that bisexuality does not really exist, and bisexual people suffer bi-invisibility or erasure and bi-negativity from both the lesbian and gay community and the heterosexual community, which may explain evidence suggesting higher rates of health disparities bisexuals experience compared to either. Here are a few more research findings:
Answers to Your Questions For a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality

This pamphlet is designed to provide accurate information for those who want to better understand sexual orientation and the impact of prejudice and discrimination on those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. The brochure is also available in Russian and Spanish.
Guidelines for psychological practice with sexual minority persons (PDF, 1.5MB) opens in new window

These guidelines provide practitioners with a frame of reference for the treatment of lesbian, gay and bisexual clients, and basic information and further references in the areas of assessment, intervention, identity, relationships, and the education and training of psychologists.

Guidelines (February 2021)
Div. 44 Committee on Bisexual Issues

The Div. 44 Committee on Bisexual Issues leads the Division's efforts to highlight and support the study of bisexual issues in psychology. The committee provides opportunities for psychologists to network and to participate in convention programs and other professional development opportunities focused on bisexual concerns.
News Beyond the Binary

From the Div. 44 Committee on Bisexual Issues. A compilation of a sampling of recent scholarship and popular media coverage pertaining to bisexuality and psychology.
VisiBility

From the Div. 44 Committee on Bisexual Issues. A three-minute YouTube video highlighting the importance of visibility and inclusion of bisexual people.
Bisexual older adult women: A review of the literature

An overview on previous studies related to bisexual, older adult women to provide recommendations for future research on this group.

Adult Development & Aging News , April 2018

The American Institute of Bisexuality

The American Institute of Bisexuality encourages, supports, and assists research and education about bisexuality, through programs likely to make a material difference and enhance public knowledge, awareness, and understanding about bisexuality.

BiNet USA

As America’s oldest advocacy organization for bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer-identified, and unlabeled people, BiNet USA facilitates the development of a cohesive network of independent bisexual and bi-friendly communities; promotes bisexual and bi-inclusive visibility; and collects and distributes educational information regarding sexual orientation and gender identity with an emphasis on bisexual, pansexual, fluid and queer (bi+) communities.

Bisexual.org

The project is meant to introduce bisexual community to the world and give voice to the bisexual community, share accurate information, answer questions, and provide educational resources. It is a valuable resource for investigation of bisexuality, whether to better understand your own sexuality, to better understand a loved one or simply for learning.

Bisexual Resource Center (BRC)

The organization envisions a world where love is celebrated, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression. Because bisexuals today are still misunderstood, marginalized, and discriminated against, the BRC is committed to providing support to the bisexual community and raising public awareness about bisexuality and bisexual people.

Bi Visibility Day

Bi Visibility Day, also known as International Celebrate Bisexuality Day, has been marked each year since 1999 to highlight biphobia and to help people find the bisexual community.

GLAAD Accelerating Bi+ Acceptance

Through media advocacy, GLAAD lifts up the stories of bisexual and allied communities to build understanding and accelerate acceptance.

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – Explore: Bisexual

HRC is working with other advocates to increase bi-visibility and address the unique needs of the bisexual community.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Aging

An extensive list of APA and other resources to support the aging lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health

Resources reflect recent and ongoing work both in government agencies and the non-profit health care community to address LGBT health issues.

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