A new study out of American University has found that bisexuals are at “higher risk for poor mental health outcomes” due to what researchers are calling “double discrimination.”
“Bisexual people face double discrimination in multiple settings,” research Ethan Mereish, an assistant professor at American University and the study’s lead author. says. “Bisexual people are often invisible, rejected, invalidated [and] stigmatized in the heterosexual community as well as the traditional LGBTQ communities.”
He adds, “Given that isolation and discrimination, bi people might be experiencing increase factors that might make them more lonely or isolated.”
That study surveyed 503 bisexual adults between the ages of 18 to 64. Respondents were asked about the effects being bisexual has had on their mental health. Many reported feeling extreme psychological distress and loneliness, as well as having suicidal thoughts.
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Many also said they felt pressured to conceal their identities and demonstrated what researchers call “internalized heterosexism,” or feeling they needed to act straight to appear normal.
“Experiencing stress that is uniquely related to being bisexual adversely affects bisexual individuals’ mental health and is distinct from the effects of sexual minority stress on lesbian and gay individuals,” researchers wrote.
Past studies have yielded similar results. A 2016 study from the University of Vanderbilt found that bisexuals reported the highest levels of psychological distress as a result of the marginalization they suffer in both mainstream society and the LGBTQ community. On top of that, they reported higher levels of severe drinking and smoking habits.
“This study adds to the growing body of research confirming that bisexual people face unique mental health disparities [that are] closely related to stigma and discrimination [they face] from straight, gay and lesbian communities,” Heron Greenesmith, a senior policy analyst at the LGBTQ advocacy organization Movement Advancement Project, notes. “Internal stigma adds another barrier to bisexual people.”
Researchers at American University they they hope the results of their latest study can help “underscore the importance of targeting bisexual-specific minority stressors as well as loneliness in preventive interventions” to improve the mental health of the bisexual community.
Related: Bisexuals talk about the differences between dating men and women
Donston
So, based on this research most of the mental issues many bi-identifying and bi-behaving people face are mostly connected to internalized homophobia and the persistent desire to hold on to hetero-normalcy. Outside of that they face many of the same mental problems a great percentage of gay people face. As I’ve said many times, gay and homo-dominant people aren’t the problem when it comes to bisexuals. We also need to be looking inward more often instead of constantly trying to blame all our problems on other demos.
JaredMacBride
Headline should ready: Unscientific Survey From Special Snowflake University Gives Bisexuals Something Else to Whine About.
Kangol
“Special Snowflake University”? WTF?
surreal33
Low self-esteem is rampant in the gay community, therefore, if don’t have a foundation of self-love it is easy to mistreat others. Disrespect, coldness, recklessness, comes from within and the way gay men treat each other online, in person, is a reflection of what is going inside yourself. As a gay or bisexual man if you feel (due to cultural condition) you are not worth love, respect, and happiness it resonates how you treat other gay or bisexual men.
Doug
I totally agree, surreal33. Growing up being gay isn’t exactly an uplifting experience in the society we live in. A lot of gay culture seems to be all about dissing each other for a laugh and putting each other down; if you step back you can really see the anger and low self-esteem that’s directed at each other. I’d really like to see our community work inwardly so we can be more united, supportive and stronger rather than just focusing constantly on the discrimination we receive from outside groups; I feel like within our community a lot of us discriminate against each other.
Billy Budd
I totally agree too. This analysis was spot on. Gay men can be very cruel, sadistic, manipulating, play games and humiliate and laugh at others for sport. This comes from inner problems. I always treat everybody like friends even when I just want to have a fun one-night stand, and I never lie to or mislead anyone. Never.
Dave in Northridge
What else is new? The last study I looked at said over half of all bi men are closeted (mostly because gay men are “mean” to them”) and we all know how much damage the closet does, I hope. Maybe they need to come out like the rest of us are exhorted to.
KaiserVonScheiss
When a paper uses the term “heterosexism” I tend to think it’s bullshit. It reeks of social justice. Also, it’s just a survey. Highly biased and not the most scientific.
Jaxton
If a man identifies as bisexual, it opens him up to negative feelings from women. Women tend to be negative toward male bisexuality due to the fact that it dis-empowers women.
Male bisexuality empowers men over women – this is something that she doesn’t want in her perception of life with a man.
This is why the vast majority of men who are in relationships with women will never admit to having homosexual impulses despite having them. They hide them.
On the survey, it is probably influenced by the fact that it sampled men who identify as bisexual, and thus have already been subjected to negative treatment from women. However, keep in mind that there is a much greater population of men with homosexual impulses who do not identify as bisexual for the reason I mentioned above.
dash_board1
I have a question. I keep seeing these surveys and studies about the skurge of bi-erasure and bi-phobia, about how bisexuals face worse discrimination because they get it from both the straight and gay communities. My question is: what about the bisexual community?
I mean, these are issues that face bisexuals directly. Why isn’t the bisexual community banding together to confront these issues head on? And if the answer is, well, there is no viable bisexual community, then my next question would be: whose fault is that? If bisexuals want to have a thriving, engaged bisexual community then they will have to put in the hard work and build it themselves. They certainly can’t just sit back and complain whilst waiting for straight or gay people to build a bisexual community for them, that would be misguided.
Jaxton
There is no bisexual community. Most opposite sex-attracted men with homosexual impulses want nothing to do with the GLBT concept.
STS
Are they being “discriminated’ against or is it that neither straight nor gay people want them? I ask honestly, because personally I would not want to day a bisexual, not because they are evil or bad, but just because neither sex can fulfill all of a bisexual’s needs this makes bisexuals not necessarily long term dating material. I don’t want to share my partner (I’m old fashioned that way) As I’ve said before, for a long term bisexual relationship to work it may require up to 4 people. As an example, Gary and Sally are both bisexuals and dating each other, Gary finds a guy, Fred he likes and Fred is okay with being part of a bisexual relationship but he’s a bottom and kind of not into Sally. Sally meanwhile meets Lisa. Like Fred Lisa is okay with being a part of a bisexual relationship, and later finds she kind of digs Fred too. Now run with this scenario, and it just becomes complicated and possibly messy.
It seems like it would be hard to find long-term minded people who’d really want to be a part of a complicated relationship like this, like other’s have said the best thing bisexuals could do is find ways to find like minded persons who don’t mind the added complications that can happen when three or more people are all in a romantic relationship.
Donston
A too long response:
Having some type of sexual attraction to multiple genders, having whatever extent of bisexuality to your orientation isn’t the same thing as wanting to live a “bisexual lifestyle”. It also doesn’t actually have anything to do with sexual enjoyment or fulfillment. I had sex and relationships primarily with women until I was 22 and got enjoyment out of it. I still have some inherent sexual attraction to women. Yet, I haven’t had any sexual contact with a woman in almost ten years and am not interested in women sexually or romantically and is very satisfied with the sex life I have with my husband. Another example is Alan Cumming, who claims he hasn’t had any sexual contact or a romance with a woman since the 90’s. Yet, he still considers himself bi. I also never experienced any of the supposed “bi-phobia”. It seems only people who remain desperate to get sexual and romantic attention from multiple genders contend with that stuff.
Wanting to have concurrent and persistent sex and relationships with multiple genders is likely more driven by fetish and ego than orientation. A great percentage of people who live a “bi lifestyle” aren’t actually inherently bisexual or are greatly hetero or homo leaning. While plenty of people who genuinely have dimensions to their orientation aren’t actually interested in sex or relationships with multiple genders.
“Bi-guys” face problems that only they can resolve. One of the problems is that the famous and semi famous “faces” of male bisexuality offer a lot of narcissism in general and also a lot of evasive answers when discussing their inherent sexual attractions and romantic instincts. Very few of them really want to expose their sexual attractions and sexual and romantic instincts unless they’re being anonymous on the internet. Another problem is that the majority of men who claim to be full of “bi pride” are in opposite gender relationships, while ones that mostly or only date men seem to be inherently gay or greatly gay-leaning men who contend with gay-shame, ego problems and/or obsession with retaining some sense of hetero-normalcy. All of this makes it seem like the majority of these “super proud to be bi” guys are mostly driven by fetish, ego and/or sociology rather than being able to build genuine romantic instincts toward multiple genders or having anywhere near substantial sexual attraction to multiple genders.
Men who live an active bisexual lifestyle have been proven to be slightly more likely to suffer from depression and more likely to develop severely narcissistic instincts and more likely to deal with constant feelings of dissatisfaction. But is that even close to being solely the problem of straight and gay people? Like I mentioned earlier, so many people need to look inward rather than trying to find demos to blame for their morale issues and their dissatisfaction. Problems with mental health, self-acceptance, self-pride, self-respect and developing an intact and complete ego are problems many people of all orientations and “lifestyles” face, and their issues that people with a convoluted sense of sexuality or romantic instincts can only fix themselves. However, continuing to talk about the dimensions of sexual attractions, sexual instincts and romantic instincts is important.
So, to sum it up, having some inherent bi-ness to your orientation or simply having had some sexual contact or even relationships with multiple genders is very different than wanting to live a “bisexual lifestyle”. But all of this (and more) is why I identify as homo-dominant and shun the bi “label”.
Jaxton
Bisexuality is not the same as cheating. It is not the same as threesomes, either. A person who can be attracted to both sexes is perfectly capable of monogamy.
Maybe you are afraid of the IDEA that a partner who is bi might cheat or want threesomes but how is that any different from a non-bi partner wanting to cheat or have threesomes?
Donston
Jaxton/Brian/Billy Budd/some others- haven’t you been spending an incredible amount of time recently trying to convince people that bisexuality is legitimate? Yet, weren’t you just saying that you don’t believe in bisexuality a year ago? And in a post higher up in this comment section you not so subtlety suggested that bisexual men are “heterosexual men with homosexual impulses” (as if gay and gay-leaning men can’t have straight impulses). But you’ve also spent an incredible amount of time defending bi-identifying and behaving men and claiming gay men should date them (or worship in your case worship them). But then if they want nothing to do with gay men like you claim how is someone supposed to date them? In another post in this comment section (as Billy Bud) you claim that you don’t mistreat or look down on people, yet you persistently trash everyone who comes out as gay and praises anyone who comes out as something other than gay or says they’re gay but want to be with women.
I’ve never known someone (even by anonymous internet standards) that’s so redundant in their inconsistencies and contradictions. Proof of a person with some serious issues.
However, I will agree that pretty much all hetero-leaning men or “opposite sex attracted” men with “gay impulses” are not interested in truly supporting lgbt and are not interested in truly owning a bi identity. The majority of “bi and loud and really proud” guys are inherently gay or gay-leaning whose egos and/or fetishes won’t allow them to be comfortable with a “gay lifestyle” or to simply be seen as another gay dude.
dash_board1
@Donston, but why should these bi men feel comfortable with ‘a “gay lifestyle” or to simply be seen as another gay dude’? They are not gay.
I am a little confused by your statements. You are a bisexual male but you don’t identify as such because of baggage attached to the label? So you then create a new label? Wouldn’t it make more sense to embrace the bi label and then educate people, rather than abandoning the label altogether? You mentioned Alan Cumming, and I think that is what he is saying: just because he is now married to a man doesn’t negate his inherent bisexuality. When you had your relationships with women you were bisexual, so why not identify the same way just because you are now in a relationship with a man?
Donston
Another too long response:
Actually no, it doesn’t matter if you’ve had a relationship with a woman. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had sex with multiple genders. The original definition for bi was simply sexual attraction to multiple genders (and this was before non cis people came into play). Managing to have sexual contact with multiple genders, wanting to have sexual contact with multiple genders or having had a relationship with multiple genders- even now, these things are not the definition of bisexual. Sex or relationships are behaviors not orientations. If you don’t have inherent sexual attraction to multiple genders or feel romantic instincts towards multiple genders (and having a relationship with someone isn’t the same thing as romantic instincts) then you’re not bi. It doesn’t matter who you have sex with or relationships with. And yes, even Alan Cumming has started to distance himself from “bisexual” in recent years. I just used him as an example for that particular purpose.
Yes, I am inherently bisexual based off the original meaning. And I’m not a “denier”. I just don’t use the word “bisexual” when describing myself or I add a “homo-dominant” in front. “Bisexual” has become too vague, too impractical, too much about social politics and has a net that’s been too widely cast (some people like you want to believe it means ever having any sexual contact with multiple genders or any relationship ever with multiple genders. Some people have moved on from “sexual attraction” to “physical attraction”. Some people have moved on from “romantic interests” to “emotional connections”). It’s also a word that’s become too often used to manipulate people, to shield internalized homophobia, to shield homosexuality, used simply for attention’s sake, used to shield megalomaniac and narcissistic fetishes and instincts, to shield pedophilia, hebephilia and ephebophilia based attractions. All of these things has rendered the word by itself suspect and almost useless from the sociological standpoint. Now, it’s mostly used for social politics.
I don’t identify as homosexual, which immediately lets people know that I have “dimensions”. But my substantial and sustainable sexual attractions are with men. My sexual passions are entirely with men. My sex life has only been with men for almost ten years and will remain so for the rest of my being. And I have no sexual or romantic interests in women. So, there’s no practical reason for me to identify as bi. I am very specific and straight-forward with people about who I am inherently and the life I live. That’s what’s important. As I’ve mentioned before, the focus needs to be on people being straightforward and honest about their dimensions and their motivations not what they “label” themselves. That will actually lead to more legit honesty, more self-comfort, less shame and less manipulation. This constant and sometimes impractical obsession with “label pushing” isn’t helping to aide those things. It’s just helping people hide behind “labels” and “lifestyles”.
Donston
Also, as I mentioned earlier, having some bisexuality to your orientation, to whatever extent, doesn’t equate to wanting to have sex and/or relationships with multiple genders. There are plenty of men who are not inherently bisexual but live a “bisexual lifestyle” or identify as “bisexual”. And there are plenty of men who have some bisexuality to their orientation but live entirely straight or gay “lifestyles”. The desire to have continuous, and in particular concurrent, sex and/or relationships with multiple genders (hell, with multiple people) isn’t something that is driven by inherent orientation. Separating behavior from orientation and understanding that “lifestyle” and behaviors are frequently not driven by orientation is key in understanding the psychology and sociology of sexuality. The dimensions and degrees of sexual attractions and sexual instincts, and sexual behavior or lifestyle not driven by orientation is partially why the term “bisexual” is still controversial and is more convoluted than ever.
Donston
I hate to keep dragging this on as usual, but I feel like this last point needs to be re-iterated:
We need to get to a point where when most people go on a date with someone they’re less concerned with whether that person sees themselves as gay, straight, bi, homo-dominant, hetero-dominant, fluid, queer, flexible, etc and will instead ask questions about degrees of their sexual attractions, their sexual instincts, their feelings on monogamy, their romantic instincts and the “lifestyle” they live and whether all of that is compatible to them.
I don’t really care about the “bi agenda”. Hell, I don’t care much about gay or trans “agendas”. I care much more about people comprehending the dimensions and degrees of sexual attraction and sense of gender and comprehending how much psychology and sociology can have a great effect on people’s sense of self and “lifestyle”. That needs to be the primary focus of lgbt groups and sites, not titillation, sensationalism, sob stories and the constant promotion of sex and narcissism. Less defensive social politics and click-bait and more helping people be truly honest about exactly who they are, help people understand themselves and understand each other, help people be less manipulative and less manipulated, help people gain self-comfort and a content ego and mental health. That is what will actually lead to real progress, empathy and more genuinely happy people.
Jaxton
I don’t believe in the word “bisexuality” but that does not mean I am a denier. Men all have homosexual impulses.. even if they deny it.
I will use the word “bisexual” for the sake of convenience, so here goes: it’s better not to identify as bisexual. Identity politics does not co-exist well with men who date women but who also have homosexual impulses.
Women are very homophobic and see the male homosexual impulse as a threat to girl power. This impulse gives her man the option of denying her the power of consent that women exercise over men.
Donston
No, not all men have homosexual impulses. That’s something only hetero-worshiping, self-hating gay men think. Also, having “impulses” isn’t the same as sexual attraction or romantic instincts.
Jaxton
Women look at male bisexuality and see a threat to girl power.
JonQAverage
I am male homoflexible. My male sex partners see nothing objectionable with me having additional female sex partners.
My female sex partners openly complain about me having additional male sex partners, but are not openly offended if they know of additional female sex partners.
Donston
Are you actually in a real relationship or just dealing with “sexual partners” right now, and do you actually have substantial sexual attraction to women and passion for women, or do you feel your desire to have sex with them might be driven more by other things? And would you ever consider a monogamous relationship with a man or a woman and do you feel like you have the ability to love and commit to both?
I don’t identify as “homoflexible”, because although there is some instinctual but minute sexual attraction and arousal to some women sometimes there is no sexual or romantic desire for them, and I’ve never been turned on by the entirety of what of woman is. I am also instinctively monogamous. Always has been, even when I was only dating women.
I will say that most men who are not into monogamy (or are simply flat-out slutty) do not care if their male partners hook up with whoever and whatever gender sometimes. In fact, many men (particularly hetero-worshiping men) are very much turned on by guys who have sex with women sometimes no matter what their inherent sexual attractions are. So, the idea that almost all men don’t want to date guys that are bi-identifying or bi-behaving is nonsense.
Heywood Jablowme
@Donston: You contradict yourself. Yes, “slutty” = no doubt, not knowing (or particularly caring) if a sex partner is bi or not. Or, the gay slut may even be turned on by that “straightness.”
But right after that you say, “So, the idea that almost all men don’t want to date guys that are bi-identifying or bi-behaving is nonsense.” DATING is different! Dating is an entirely different thing from sluttiness. Back when I was young & slutty I undoubtedly blew a few bi guys (w/o necessarily knowing it), but now that I’ve grown up I wouldn’t want to DATE a bi guy. Too complicated! Bi guys can date each other.
Anyway, a bi guy might have been eating pu$sy last week and that’s just gross. Ew! 🙁
Jaxton
If a man can openly switch his sexual desires from women to men, it publicizes the fact that women can be defeated in the war of the sexes. It destroys the liberal idea that women should be allowed to own male sexuality.
This is why liberals are often the biggest opponents of male bisexuality. Liberals don’t want to see women defeated in the battle of the sexes. Anything that reduces the ascendancy of women – such as male bisexuality – is to be opposed.
Heywood Jablowme
You really should look into getting treatment for your syphilis before it’s too late.
Heywood Jablowme
I don’t get why bisexual guys are so “lonely and isolated” when there are SO MANY OF THEM. Do they have trouble finding each other? Don’t they have any support groups and social groups?
Starting up a new group on Meetup..com is super-easy. All you need is a cheap meeting place in some Unitarian church basement, or a public library meeting room. They could even go bowling. Bisexual Bowlers, lol.