I agree with the notion that we are sexual on a continuum and if that has a name perhaps it is pan-sexual.

I am not attracted to a male or a female because of their gender but because of who they are in the largest sense of affinity.

Whose generalizing here? There is exactly one commenter here — Enemabag Jones — who has made broad, negative generalizations about bisexuals. The article about Chabon is basically an endorsement of Chabon’s endorsement of fluid sexuality and most of the comments endorse the article. Get a fucking grip and argue your case like adults rather than defensive, victimized weenies.

This article also glosses a little too much over the extent to which Chabon lied about the sexual relationship he had in Pittsburgh that inspired the gay angle in the Mysteries of Pittsburgh. I think someone who has lessons to teach us about authentic sexuality might have been a little more up front. Also, his statement that “he learned to love another man so much that it would never have occurred to me to want to sleep with him” is very odd indeed. What kind of love is that then? I wonder what his wife makes of that since presumably he sleeps with her. I am not sure quite what is being expressed there — that sex degrades love or man-man sex degrades love — but it doesn’t come across as very sex-positive.

and this post was perfectly written. keep up the good work!

Well…that’s not the whole truth. Some talent’s just too big to let sexuality get in the way. Truman Capote comes to mind. And the fabulously fay Tesnessee Williams, who was hands down america’s greatest playwright. It takes a talent so big that bigotry just can’t contain it, though…rare. But some who identify as bi in showbiz are…why not? And most people aren’t that great…aren’t creative geniuses of a fraction of that caliber…so can you blame them if what you’re saying is true?

Gays were invisible for long, and now they’re part of the social order. But now others are invisible — men who have sex with men, women who have sex with women, but don’t identify or live as gay. Biologically, we all start out as female, and some get doses of hormones during development that customize the body in a masculine direction. (The genitals of some wind up between male and female; the mental orientation of some is toward persons of the same gender.) There’s no ideal result — some wind up more, some less. Some of us feel definitely, positively gay — but maybe, as Dr. Reinisch hints, it’s not social pressure but experience that leaves others somewhere in between.

So far, discussing causes of “gay” has been unproductive. It should be like religion, people should be free to identify as they want. One problem with gay is that straight people can’t imagine our lives — they keep projecting their experience and concerns onto us. But I can’t really imagine being straight, despite all the models in drama and literature. Not sure I can imagine “bi,” either — but that doesn’t mean it’s not some people’s experience. I hope we’re moving toward a situation where all can love whomever they love, and find their own place in society whatever their perceived identity.

To me, that seemed to state all Bisexuals. If you said, some bisexuals, or in my experience, bisexuals I encountered… then I wouldn’t have comprehended as ALL. But you didn’t say that thus I feel that your making a sweeping statement on all bisexuals.

It seems you’ve had sucky experiences with BIs. And I don’t know many BI people, but IDK, I think if someone says they are Bi, I don’t see them as being slutty or being deemed inferior to gays, or playing sexes off each other. I think they like both men and women. And at sometime in their life they may be with a women or they me be with a man.

In the rest of your response to my post, I see you started using in my experience and that really helps to qualify the statements you make. I was taking exception when you started making blank statements.

I find it sad you had such bad experiences with BI people. And honestly, no offense, it seems apparent in that initial post of yours. That you had a thing against BIs. I may have read that wrong. But that was what I was getting. But, like I said before, I’ve not had those experiences. I’ll admit to that.

Where did I write that? What I wrote was:

“As far as bisexuals, or MEN WHO CLAIM TO HAVE A ‘FLUID’ SEXUALITY;”

These guys who say they don’t like to be labeled are merely avoiding a label so they can keep the playing field open. It also smacks of childish fear.

And really, what can one say about an adult who constantly hems and haws about their sexuality? Kids being “confused” certainly. But grown men and women? Ridiculous. Confusion is just another word for sluting around, it seems.

“Really? What makes bisexual men different than heteros and homos?”

I don’t know. We screw a lot, but we don’t screw everything. Maybe that’s the difference.

“With that logic, then men in hetero and women as well, will constantly look for the next best thing. And homos as well. Or is it just something with bisexuals?”

Of course everyone who refuses to be in a LTR is looking for the next best thing. But, gay men don’t play sexes off each other.

“Monogamy is only within the will, and minds of heteros and homos only, it seems.”

I’m only speaking from my experiences. I’m not saying bisexuals are not monogamous. I am saying that far too many men who identify as bi, will leave the wife and kids at home and go out trolling for cock, and then go running back to their white picket fences when the going gets tough. Neal Boulton comes to mind.

“Funny, I think that’s the same argument homophobic people use against gays and why gays are pigeonholed as promiscuous.”

And it’s the argument that sends bi’s running for the heterosexual hills when the going gets tough. “I’m not gay, I’m bi.” What that seems to say is, “Don’t lump me in with those queers.” I find that disingenuous.

Too many bi’s are using the bisexual label as a shield against being deemed what?; as inferior as gays? There is a B in LGBTQ. But sometimes it seems like too many bi’s are there in letter only.

No one should have to defend their sexuality to anyone, especially readers on a queer blog. I’m just speaking from experience. You’re more than welcome to present your own experiences, Scott.

Man, wasn’t that a great scene? It surprised me. That is my favorite book of all time, just sprawling and epic and unfilmable. I’m gonna have to take it out again, it’s that good. Chabon also wrote Wonder Boys, which I have not read but loved as a movie – Tobey MCGuire and Robert Downey Jr naked in bed.

that picture is freaky.

Monogamy is only within the will, and minds of heteros and homos only, it seems. Funny, I think that’s the same argument homophobic people use against gays and why gays are pigeonholed as promiscuous.

Me too, TANK :)

“I don’t think people can really be bisexual maybe they just want the “respectability” of marriage?”

Interesting thought, GETREAL. That was the impression I got from Tom Robinson’s marriage. Everything he fought against, is what he eventually became. It’s like the Thatcher 1980′s finally broke him and all he cared about was legitimacy. I mean, did he really need a woman to have a LTR? Why didn’t he work harder at LTR’s with all the men he slept with?

Who was that British dyke who was a lesbian for 12 years, then married a man, had a pile of kids and became the toast of British TV as some kind of super-mom/actress/writer? I remember her proudly stating that sexuality is a choice and she finally made the proper choice in marrying a man. It’s amazing how her career took off and she was inundated with work after marrying. She even stated as such, saying getting married to a man was the best thing for her career.

I don’t want it to seem like I’m trashing real bi people, because I’m not. But it seems too many people use bisexuality as an excuse to be slutty, or to play other people’s emotions.

Very astute. I’d be inerested in a followup to this question.

In your analysis of Chabon’s non-straight characters, you make an interesting point in that, sleeping with men forces gay men to, I suppose, essentially grow up and accept ourselves. You use Chabon’s treatment of “alternative” sexuality as evidence of this. Yet you write:

“But, by novel’s end, Art’s put both of them aside in favor of maturity.”

So which is it? Sleeping with men and realizing we like it makes us grow up; or sleeping with men makes us realize that it’s immature and sleeping with women and forming relationships with them is the mature thing to do?

I mean, I see the opposite. I still remember when Craig Russell married Lori Jenkins, he said, “It’s time to stop playing with boys and grow up.” Elton John said something similar after his punitive marriage to Renate Blauel. Hell, even Tom Robinson of “Glad To be Gay” fame and later, “Glad NOT To Be Gay” said essentially the same thing.

All this “experimenting” does is perpetuate the myth that sexuality is a choice. And by Hollywood celebrating this absurd argument, it makes it even harder to sell the idea of full equality to anti-gay Americans.

Of course. Get rid of the queer and make sure all the characters are played by a well know straight actors.

As far as bisexuals, or men who claim to have a “fluid” sexuality; it’s impossible to date them, or even dare have a relationship with them, because they’re constantly “experimenting”, or looking for the next best thing. And don’t get me started on men who marry women and continue to troll for cock. God forbid you should call them on their sluttery.

I’m personally tired of experimenters, closet cases and phony bisexuals using gay men and our hearts as their play things.

And yet, that’s exactly what happens at the end. Nonetheless the suggestion is that the relationship of the remaining two works out just fine.

It also has one of the best-written gay love scenes I’ve ever read. My mom’s visiting NYC right now, and she recently dragged me up to the Empire State Building on the worst possible day. I’d had a long day at work. It was cold, rainy and the clouds obstructed most of the view. But when we got off the elevator, she told me, “I had to come up here. This is where the cute gays kissed in ‘Kavalier and Clay’!”

Peter Sarsgaard is a good actor, though I can NEVER see him as hot after that nude scene in Kinsey. Talk about a pencil dick…

Michael Chabon has a major case of GAYFACE.

Nevertheless, perhaps it is telling that I see these themes pop up in fiction more than I do in ordinary life.

he sounds like a really interesting person. I like his viewpoints. I’ll have to check out his works, which have been recommended to me but I never got around to it.