By Iscah Cheah (her), 17 years old, editor
September 16, 2024
September is here!! In addition to it being back to school time, it also means that Bisexual Awareness Week, also known as BiWeek, is back! BiWeek takes place annually, from September 16 to 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 raise awareness about some of the common struggles of being bisexual (bi) and inform others about what it means to identify as bi.
What does it mean?
Bisexuality refers to when a person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to more than one gender. By the way, it is normal for you to take time to question yourself and reflect on your sexual orientation. There is no right or wrong way to define yourself; The important thing is to discover what feels right for you.
You don’t need to prove yourself
I identify as bi and am attracted to both men and women. I also identify on the aromantic and asexual spectrum (or “aroace spec”), which means I experience reduced amounts of romantic and sexual attraction. “Bi” and “aroace” may seem to contradict each other, which is why I had a hard time discovering 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. There is a misconception that our sexual orientation must fit into a category simply because of our relationship. For example, we can be seen as heterosexual or homosexual depending on the gender of the person we are dating at the time. 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. It doesn’t have to be «this» or «that», with nothing in between. I often felt like I needed to prove to others that I was bisexual, just to feel validated. Now I know that our sexual orientation is OUR business and not something we need to prove to anyone!
Excluded from the conversation
Another example of bisexual erasure is that sometimes bisexual people are left out of LGBQ+ conversations because we are considered «transparent.» Similarly, we may feel like we don’t fit into a primarily heterosexual group. There is no way to win when we are considered “too straight” to be gay or “too gay” to be straight.
Sometimes people create their own definitions of bisexuality and make assumptions in the process. For example, some believe that being attracted to more than one gender means that bisexual people should always be in romantic and/or sexual relationships with multiple people of different genders at the same time. This misconception often leads people to assume that all bisexual people are «promiscuous.»
It can be harmful when people make assumptions about you based on your sexual orientation, especially when those assumptions are based on stereotypes and myths.
Show your support
BiWeek is a great opportunity to dispel some of these bisexual myths. You can also do the following!
1. Draw attention to the experiences of bisexual people.
2. Develop acceptance and awareness of bisexuality.
3. Bring the bisexual community together.
Now that you know a little more about bisexuality, why not show your support and pride by celebrating BiWeek this year? Get involved and be festive by posting on social media with #BiWeek!
See more data about bisexuality!
