In the midst of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month, many wonder if bisexuality has its own lane in the gay community.
Many, including lesbians and gay men, disagree with the philosophy of bisexuality. Some define bisexuality as “confusion” or “having the best of both worlds.” It has been viewed in many different opinions and perspectives.
Breanna Daniels, a junior biology student at Florida State University from Tallahassee, said she knows firsthand the experiences of bisexuality and believes it exists. She is a homosexual who believes that any human being can have feelings, emotional or physical, for any gender.
“For some people, being bisexual can be a phase of exploration, but I think that everyone is a little bisexual because we all have the ability to judge every sex by their looks and personality,” Daniels said. “You mostly hear about girls being bisexual, but guys are just as likely to experiment. It’s just more of a secret for men.”
Daniels, who lives with her girlfriend, said that after years of dating both genders, she realized that she was no longer attracted to both sexes and found closure in being with a woman.
In communities today, bisexuality has socially been less accepted among men than women. Bearing in mind the difficulty in defining bisexuality, it is hard to say how common it is.
A recent survey among men 18 to 44 by the American National Center for Health Statistics found that 1.8 percent of them considered themselves bisexual, 2.3 percent homosexual, 3.9 percent something else and the majority heterosexual.
“I honestly feel that being bisexual is a choice,” said Brandon Winters, a junior social science student from Jacksonville. “You’re either gay or you’re not. Using the word bisexual gives people the excuse to not face reality with themselves and not be true to who they really are.”
Most bisexuals describe themselves as being emotionally, sexually and/or romantically attracted to men and women and feel capable of loving and forming relationships with either. To most bisexuals, the gender of the person they find attractive is less important than who the person is.
Studies show that bisexuality is part of curiosity and sexual experimentation but not a permanent way of life. It may be acceptable because many people consider sexual experimentation part of healthy development. However, when bisexuality is classified as a separate sexual orientation, curiosity, sexual experimentation and personal development are usually not part of the equation. Many people believe that a person should decide if he or she is homosexual or heterosexual based on inner feelings and not be trapped between the two.
Debbi Baldwin, treasurer for the Board of Directors of The Family Tree, Tallahassee’s LGBT community center, said the center offers a nonjudgmental environment for all sexualities.
“No one can tell you that you are not bisexual,” Baldwin said. “It definitely does exist. Although people think that most bisexual people are confused, most people that come to our center are very sure that they enjoy both genders and want their lifestyles to be respected with every other sexuality.”
For more information on LGBT, call The Family Hotline at 850-222-8555 or visit familytreecenter.org and safezone.fsu.edu/links.html.