Bisexuality

Bisexuality is a way that some people feel romantic or emotional attraction to both males and females, or to people of any gender. It is one of the main types of sexual orientation, along with heterosexuality and homosexuality. People who identify as bisexual may feel attraction to one gender more strongly than the other, but they still care for both.

Scientists believe that being bisexual, like other sexual orientations, is not a choice. They think it comes from a mix of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors. There is strong evidence that biology plays a big role in shaping who we are attracted to.

Bisexuality has been seen in many cultures and even in animals throughout history. The word "bisexuality" was first used in the 19th century by a German doctor named Richard von Krafft-Ebing, and later brought into English by another doctor, Charles Gilbert Chaddock.

Definitions

Sexual orientation, identity, and behavior

Main articles: Human sexual activity, Sexual identity, and Sexual orientation

Bisexuality is about feeling romantic or personal connection to both girls and boys, or to more than one kind of person. Some people feel this way about people of the same gender and different genders. Experts say that how someone feels about love and relationships can change over time. Some people might feel one way now and another way later.

People might feel attracted to others but not always act on those feelings, and some might not have had any relationships yet. There are many words people use to describe how they feel, like queer, polysexual, heteroflexible, and others.

Some think bisexuality means feeling connected to every kind of person, which is similar to pansexuality. This idea does not limit feelings to just two kinds of people.

Kinsey scale

Main article: Kinsey scale

A long time ago, a scientist named Alfred Kinsey made a way to show how people feel about love and relationships. He said people can feel different levels of connection to girls, boys, or both. The Kinsey scale goes from 0 (only feeling for one gender) to 6 (only feeling for the same gender). People in the middle, from 2 to 4, are often called bisexual. But some people think this scale is too simple because feelings are more complicated than just a number.

Other scales

Main article: Scales of sexual orientation

There are other ways scientists study these feelings:

• Klein Sexual Orientation Grid
  • Looks at many parts of feelings and actions, not just one thing.
• Shively Scale
  • Measures two kinds of feelings separately.
• Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation
  • Checks many parts of how someone feels and acts.
• Multidimensional Scale of Sexuality (MSS)
  • Uses many questions to understand feelings and dreams.

Demographics and prevalence

Main article: Demographics of sexual orientation

Scientists have studied how many people feel attraction toward more than one gender. Their guesses range from less than 1 percent to about 8 percent of people. Different studies over the years have found different numbers. For example, a study in 1993 found that about 5 percent of men and 3 percent of women felt this way. A study in 2014 found that only about 1 percent of Americans felt this way.

In general, more women than men tend to say they feel attraction toward more than one gender. Some studies also show that many young people today are more open about feeling this way. The numbers can change over time as society’s views change.

Studies, theories and social responses

Main articles: Biology and sexual orientation and Environment and sexual orientation

Further information: Prenatal hormones and sexual orientation and Fraternal birth order and sexual orientation

Scientists do not all agree on why someone might feel attraction toward both males and females. They think it comes from a mix of things inside our bodies and our life experiences, shaped when we are very young. Most believe that things inside us, not choices, decide this kind of attraction.

Some researchers have looked at how our brains or genes might affect attraction. Others think that culture and society also play a part. The way people think about attraction to more than one gender can differ between men and women. Some experts even suggest that feeling attraction to both might help people form stronger friendships and work together better.

Community

Main article: Bisexual community

The bisexual community includes people who feel attraction toward more than one gender. Some feel they don’t fit into just gay or straight groups, so they create their own communities and cultures. Others might choose to join either gay or straight groups, though some feel this choice isn’t always easy and can lead to feeling left out.

Like others in the LGBTQ community, bisexual people sometimes face unfair treatment. They may be misunderstood or excluded by both gay and straight people. Some bisexual people keep their feelings private because of these pressures. Studies show that many bisexual people don’t tell many close people about their identity, unlike gay or lesbian individuals.

A common symbol for the bisexual community is the bisexual flag, with pink for attraction to the same sex, blue for attraction to a different sex, and purple in the middle to represent attraction to both. Another symbol is the biangles, two triangles that overlap, also showing the mix of pink and blue into lavender. Each year on September 23, people celebrate Bisexuality Day to honor and recognize bisexual people and their history.

History

Main article: History of bisexuality

See also: Bisexuality in the United States, Homosexuality in ancient Greece, and Homosexuality in ancient Rome

In ancient times, people in places like ancient Greece and ancient Rome had different ideas about relationships and attraction compared to today. For example, men in ancient Greece sometimes had relationships with both men and women, and these relationships were part of their culture. In Rome, it was also common for men to have relationships with people of different genders, though there were rules about who they could be with.

Later, scientists like Alfred Kinsey studied how people feel attracted to others. His research in the 1940s showed that many people feel attraction toward more than one gender, which surprised many people at the time. Even though some think he may have estimated these numbers too high, his work helped people understand more about these feelings.

Media

Main article: Media portrayals of bisexuality

Bisexuality is sometimes shown in a negative way in movies and stories. Some films show bisexual characters in unfair or unfair ways, like making them seem tricky or unfaithful. For a long time, movies didn’t show many bisexual characters at all.

Some important movies with bisexual characters include Something for Everyone, Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Call Me by Your Name. Books also explore bisexuality, with examples like Virginia Woolf’s Orlando: A Biography and works by authors such as D. H. Lawrence and Colette.

Musicians like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury have talked openly about their bisexuality. TV shows such as Orange is the New Black and Torchwood also feature bisexual characters, showing their relationships in different ways.

Among other animals

Main article: Homosexual behavior in animals

See also: Animal sexual behaviour

Some animals show attraction toward both males and females. This behavior has been seen in many types of animals. For example, it occurs in mammals like bonobos, orcas, walruses, and bottlenose dolphins. It is also found in some birds such as certain gulls and Humboldt penguins. Similar behaviors are observed in fish and flatworms as well.