Unique challenges of bisexuality

[Will]

Heh, yeah.  I've always thought it was a stretch to call the Kinsey scale a "spectrum," but the basic idea is there. XD

[Trieste]

Exactly! I need to consider my thoughts/prejudices more in regard to people who are bisexual.  :-[

Wasn't meant as a dig. >.> *hugs*

I think the fact that Kinsey divided things up into discreet groups (1 is different than 2 is different than 3) made things too cut-and-dried.  The scale should (in my opinion) function as a continuous thing - someone could be a 3.7, for example, or a 1.9.

I like this idea.

[Lord Drake]

I 100% agree with Torch that there is this...what's the word?...questioning of bisexual men by gay men.

Ok, I MAY be putting myself in difficult waters here but I would like to offer for debating something that I saw happening and made me think. I happened to assist to the outing of an italian television character named Alessandro Cecchi Paone who now actually professes himself as gay. I remember noticing that he, at first, declared to be bisexual.

In his particular case, I think that he was concerned with the effect that his words could have on his image (he was one of those "nice" guys that were liked by women and girls (there is for some reason the worry of losing audience when someone "good-looking" suddenly comes out being gay... which speaks a bit about the level of the television programs made by this one) but again I am wondering if this could somehow have deeper roots than that...

I know that unfortunately getting aware of one's true sexuality is not always an easy trial. I am personally straight and for me my self awareness has not been traumatic at all (I live in a society where the majority is straight or professes to be so). For some, things may get worse... I know some other gay person who has thought in his/her own life to be bisexual... maybe they see (possibly wrongly) bisexuality as a "transition" state of awareness...

I like Oniya's idea, too. I think that sexuality is a continuous thing and I have to say also that it probably evolves in time as a person grows. I think that one's sexuality should be treated a bit more in the Socratic way... rather than saying that I am straight it would be better for me to say:

"Until now I have been sexually attracted only by people of the female gender, so I am for now qualifying as straight..."

[HockeyGod]

Wasn't meant as a dig. >.> *hugs*

Aw...thanks for the hugs. I didn't take it as a dig, but an important reminder to keep thinking outside my boxes.  :-)

[Host of Seraphim]

I do think though that people need to stop labeling everything and trying to fit everything in a nice, neat box.

This! You said it a lot better than I could have in my rambling, roundabout way...  ::)

[Will]

This! You said it a lot better than I could have in my rambling, roundabout way...  ::)

Agreed, completely.  But it seems like human nature to do so. :-\

[Braioch]

Agreed, completely.  But it seems like human nature to do so. :-\

The ironic part is you kind of just did so, by labeling it human nature ;) If you think about it, it's less nature and more of what people are raised to believe. Many things that we attribute to human nature is more environment than nature.

Err..../derail

I too have seen bisexual men AND women get pretty negative treatment. I think it's less known for the sheer fact that the negative feelings and treatment towards the Bisexual community is less....overt in the grand sense like media coverage and such than the other parts of GLBT. It doesn't make it any less there, or any less painful and difficult it's just less thrown out into the open with all of the fanfare and dragging feet as the rest of the acronym.

Also I will have to throw my hat in with the fact that sexuality isn't just a statue that stands the test of time, never wearing and never moving and blah blah blah. It really is fluid, and the liquid metaphor is quite a good one as you go on in life I've found that not only can the current change, but you find a few things in those depths sometimes ;). For instance I've noticed quite a few new things since having joined Elliquiy and having been around some of my new friends that I wouldn't have really given thought of before. Not too mention I'm starting to wonder about my actual orientation (if that's even the right word to use anymore >.>) in and of itself. (le gasp, the male may not be all for me? O_O xD)

Odd thing is that I have never disbelieved in bisexuals....not that I don't give my Bi friends a hard time sometimes.

No really, the one really is greedy....not gonna sugarcoat that one.....

[Will]

The ironic part is you kind of just did so, by labeling it human nature ;) If you think about it, it's less nature and more of what people are raised to believe. Many things that we attribute to human nature is more environment than nature.

O.o Only in the loosest possible sense is that even close to the same.  And sorting and arranging things is a basic part of human nature, though it can surely be influenced by environment.  Anyone who's spent any amount of time with a toddler can tell you as much.