This is called “fluidity.” Many people, including sex researchers and scientists, believe that sexual orientation is like a scale with entirely gay on one end and entirely straight on the other. Many people say that they knew they were lesbian, gay, or bisexual even before puberty.Īlthough sexual orientation is usually set early in life, it isn’t at all uncommon for your desires and attractions to shift throughout your life.
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This doesn’t mean that you had sexual feelings, just that you could identify people you found attractive or liked. You probably started to become aware of who you’re attracted to at a very young age. For example, exposing a boy to toys traditionally made for girls, such as dolls, won’t cause him to be gay. People don’t decide who they’re attracted to, and therapy, treatment, or persuasion won’t change a person’s sexual orientation. But research shows that sexual orientation is likely caused partly by biological factors that start before birth. It’s not completely known why someone might be lesbian, gay, straight, or bisexual. Your sexual orientation can change over your lifetime. 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.Sexual orientation is a natural part of who you are - it’s not a choice. It may help to put together a few online resources about bisexuality that you can share. If you decide to tell others, your friends and family members may have a lot of questions after you come out to them. But some people find that having a conversation with loved ones about it is helpful. You don’t have to tell anyone about your sexual orientation unless you are ready. Helping Your Loved Ones Understand Bisexualityĭue to some of the myths about bisexuality, it can be challenging to come out to family, friends, or a partner as bisexual. 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.
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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. In one study, only 12% of bisexual men said they were openly bisexual, compared to 28% of all bisexuals and 77% of gay men. But they may be less likely to be open about it. There’s no evidence that bisexual people are more likely to cheat on their partners than people of any other sexual orientation. Sexual preference is not linked to promiscuity. Myth: Bisexual people are more likely to cheat. 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. One study found that only 18% of LGBTQ youth who initially came out as bisexual later came out as gay or lesbian. But bisexuality is not transitional or experimental. One pervasive misunderstanding about bisexuality is that it’s a phase - and that bisexual people will eventually come out as gay or lesbian. Myth: Bisexual people are confused or in denial. For many bisexual people, the “bi” indicates an attraction to their same gender as well as other genders. While the prefix “bi” may literally mean two, bisexuality does not mean attraction to only two genders. Myth: Bisexual people date only cisgender men or women. It can happen within or outside the LGBTQ community. These misconceptions can lead to prejudice, known as biphobia.
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Myths and Misconceptions About Bisexualityīisexual people often face misconceptions about their identity. Identifying as bisexual versus pansexual mainly comes down to the preference of the individual. Some people may identify as bisexual but still feel an attraction for all genders. Bisexual means attracted to multiple genders, while pansexual means attracted to all genders.įor many in the LGBTQ community, these terms may overlap. These definitions may seem very similar, but there is a distinct difference. What Is the Difference Between Pansexual and Bisexual?īisexuality 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. Some may be equally attracted to both men and women, while others have a stronger attraction toward one gender over another.Ī bisexual person may be in a long-term same-sex or heterosexual relationship, or they may alternate between the two.
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Each individual perceives their sexual orientation differently. While this offers a basic definition, bisexual people are a diverse group. Those who identify as bisexual feel a sexual and/or romantic attraction to people of a different gender as well as their own. Bisexuality is an attraction to more than one gender.