True Or False? Bisexuality Is Just A Phase

Ever wonder whether bisexuality is just a phase? The answer is a loud and proud- NO! For years many people believed the urban legend that being bisexual was linked to the onset of teen hormones or parent rebellion.

These supposed explanations for a person's sexual orientation can be extremely confusing if you think you might be bisexual, know someone who is bisexual, or you're just wondering what it means to be bisexual. It is therefore crucial to have a look at the various factors that determine what bisexuality really is.

There are individuals who feel that the term bisexual reinforces the gender binary. These people feel that the term refers to male and female attraction and does not take nonbinary genders into consideration. Transgender people are disregarded completely.

There are however your more open-minded individuals who apply a broader meaning to the term. They believe that being bisexual means a person is attracted to people of your own gender and to people with gender(s) different than your own.

What is crucial to always remember is that a person who identifies as bisexual is not half gay and half straight. Sexual orientation is not a numbers game of 50/50.

Have you ever heard a bisexual person say that he or she is attracted to a cisgender individual? Cisgendered means the individual remained on the same side of the gender they were initially identified as at birth.

Then of course you will find bi people who are attracted to nonbinary and trans individuals, and in turn there are lots of bisexual people who are transgendered or nonbinary themselves. For this very reason the term bisexual is an inclusive term covering the entire gender spectrum.

Unfortunately, homophobia is largely to blame for the reason that bisexuality is considered just a phase. There are homophobic parents who put it down to being a phase when their family comes out or is outed as having same-sex attraction. Many parents want to fall back on the false peace of mind that their bisexual family will one morning wake up and either be gay/lesbian or straight. Chances are they are hoping the family will choose to be straight.

The term bisexual has however opened up a convenient middle-ground for gay and lesbian individuals who refer to themselves as bisexual before supposedly fully coming out as a means to break the news gently to their family, friends and colleagues. It is especially common for high school aged individuals to say they are bisexual as a fake steppingstone before identifying as lesbian or gay to the world. Many of these individuals at a later period in their lives come out as monosexuals and it is for this exact reason that the stereotype will live on that bisexuality is just a temporary state.

It is very important to never consider bisexuality less stable than other sexual identities and it should not be put down to just a phase. It is definitely not just a phase and the sooner it is accepted the better for everyone involved.