Bi Identity

The ways in which bisexual people interact with their sexual identity internally and with others are numerous and complex. These sources explore the manner in which bisexual people perceive themselves in their bisexual identity, how or why they choose to, or choose not to, disclose their bisexuality, and bisexual invisibility, biphobia, and bi erasure’s effects on bisexual people. These influences interact with each other in bisexual people’s identity formation and therefore the sources in this section often overlap in their content areas.

Self-Perception and Disclosure

• Albury, K. (2015). Identity plus? Bi-curiosity, sexual adventurism and the boundaries of ‘straight’ sexual practices and identities. Sexualities, 18(5–6), 649–664. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460714561672
• Ballou, A. (2015, January 16). Cis privilege and identity policing in the bi and pan community: 3 harmful tropes and 3 ways we can unite instead. Everyday Feminism. https://everydayfeminism.com/2015/01/bi-vs-pan/
• Bartelt, E., Bowling, J., Dodge, B., & Bostwick, W. (2017). Bisexual identity in the context of parenthood: An exploratory qualitative study of self-identified bisexual parents in the United States. Journal of Bisexuality, 17(4), 378–399. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2017.1384947
• Flanders, C. E. (2017). Under the bisexual umbrella: Diversity of identity and experience. Journal of Bisexuality, 17(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2017.1297145
• Galupo, M. P., Lomash, E., & Mitchell, R. C. (2017). “All of my lovers fit into this scale”: Sexual minority individuals’ responses to two novel measures of sexual orientation. Journal of Homosexuality, 64(2), 145–165. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2016.1174027
• Galupo, M. P., Ramirez, J. L., & Pulice-Farrow, L. (2017). “Regardless of their gender”: Descriptions of sexual identity among bisexual, pansexual, and queer identified individuals. Journal of Bisexuality, 17(1), 108–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2016.1228491
• Guittar, N. A. (2013). The queer apologetic: Explaining the use of bisexuality as a transitional identity. Journal of Bisexuality, 13(2), 166–190. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2013.781975
• Human Rights Campaign Foundation. (2019, February 26). Coming out as bisexual to your doctor. https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/files/assets/resources/ComingOutToYourDoctorAsBisexual-02262019.pdf
• King, A. R. (2013). Mixed messages: How primary agents of socialization influence adolescent females who identify as multiracial–bisexual. Journal of LGBT Youth, 10(4), 308–327. https://doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2013.825198
• Ochs, R., & Williams, H. S. (2014). Recognize: The voices of bisexual men. Bisexual Resource Center.
• Scherrer, K. S., Kazyak, E., & Schmitz, R. (2015). Getting “bi” in the family: Bisexual people’s disclosure experiences. Journal of Marriage and Family, 77(3), 680–696. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24582840
• Tasker, F., & Delvoye, M. (2015). Moving out of the shadows: Accomplishing bisexual motherhood. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 73(3-4), 125–140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-015-0503-z

Bi (In)Visibility

• Alarie, M., & Gaudet, S. (2013). “I don’t know if she is bisexual or if she just wants to get attention”: Analyzing the various mechanisms through which emerging adults invisibilize bisexuality. Journal of Bisexuality, 13(2), 191–214. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2013.780004
• Hartman, J. E. (2013). Creating a bisexual display: Making bisexuality visible. Journal of Bisexuality, 13(1), 39–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2013.755727
• Human Rights Campaign Foundation. (2018). Bisexual visibility in the workplace. https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/files/images/resources/Bi_Inclusion_One_Sheet_FINAL_2018.pdf
• Mehta, V. (2023). Bisexual men exist: A handbook for bisexual, pansexual, and m-spec men. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
• San Francisco Human Rights Commission. (2011). Bisexual invisibility: Impacts and recommendations.
• Still Bisexual. (n.d.). Our campaigns. https://stillbi.org/our-campaigns/
• Still Bisexual. (n.d.). Raising bi-visibility. https://stillbi.org/raising-bi-visibility/
• TEDx Talks. (2019, January 22). Bisexuality: The invisible letter “B” | Misty Gedlinske | TEDxOshkosh [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Oa6AnOCQD50

Biphobia and Bi Erasure

• Doe, L. [sexplanations]. (2017, December 21). Bisexual erasure with Peter Musser [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/h106A8N2Ltc
• E. Todd, M., Oravecz, L., & Vejar, C. (2016). Biphobia in the family context: Experiences and perceptions of bisexual individuals. Journal of Bisexuality, 16(2), 144–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2016.1165781
• Johnson, H. (2017, February 7). Navigating academic spaces when bi. Bi.org. https://bi.org/en/articles/navigating-academic-spaces-when-bi
• Noyce, E. (2022, November 3). Kit Connor didn’t owe us anything. This is why ‘queerbaiting’ is so problematic. Glamour. https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/queerbaiting-kit-connor
• Paul, K. (2023, January 27). Why accusing Harry Styles and Cardi B of queerbaiting is regressive. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/26/queerbaiting-accusations-harry-styles-cardi-b-taylor-swift
• Ritchie, V. [verilybitchie]. (2021, April 16). Why we hate bi women [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/cww0fLXMnzs
• Ritchie, V. [verilybitchie]. (2021, April 30). Why we hate bi men [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/IbHhIeYL9no
• Ritchie, V. [verilybitchie]. (2022, May 20). ‘00s bisexual chic [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/hqdD5d3iRoU
• Roberts, T. S., Horne, S. G., & Hoyt, W. T. (2015). Between a gay and a straight place: Bisexual individuals’ experiences with monosexism. Journal of Bisexuality, 15(4), 554–569. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2015.1111183
• Sharma, A. (2022, November 11). Celebs accused of queerbaiting: How speculations affect one’s identity. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/celebs-accused-of-queerbaiting-how-speculations-affect-ones-identity/articleshow/95430013.cms
• Stroup, J., Glass, J., & Cohn, T. J. (2014). The adjustment to U.S. rural college campuses for bisexual students in comparison to gay and lesbian students: An exploratory study. Journal of Bisexuality, 14(1), 94–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2014.872482
• Yoshino, K. (2000). The epistemic contract of bisexual erasure. Stanford Law Review, 52. https://doi.org/10.2307/1229482