Also curious....

[Greywing]

Who here is bisexual? It seems many people are comfortable being 'out' as gay, yet bisexuals are much less inclined to talk about their orientation - particularly bi men. I fall into that category, by the way, so I like to think I'm at least a bit more open about that sort of stuff than most other bi males!

So, anyone else "go both ways", to coin a cliché?

[Pseudicide]

It's actually a big issue and the lack of identifiable bi characters in media, whether it be books, comics, tv, etc is one of those things that many think on. I'm bi (I just say queer most of the time) and while I do have a husband, that doesn't make me straight though I've been told that it does by some.

~Dee

[Sagafan]

Me, and yeah I don't talk about it much. But that's mainly because I'm a very private person with anxiety problems in real life.

[Greywing]

Yeah, it's definitely an issue. Gail's done a great job in Secret Six, even teasing that there's a bi male on the team (though yet to be revealed who) and you have shows like Torchwood that have dealt with it, but bisexuality seems to be an awkward subject for many to address or confront.

As you say & have encountered, a lot of people seem to think a bi person who's seeing someone of the opposite gender becomes straight, or gay if it's the same gender. Obviously this isn't the case - I didn't stop being attracted to guys when I was with my last girlfriend, or girls when I've dated a guy.

I wonder if part of the problem leading to erasure is simply that straight guys don't like to consider that it's possible to be attracted to another guy without being camp or queeny, and still like girls too? Basically that it becomes too uncomfortable for them, so don't want to be presented with anything that MAKES them consider it? (And obviously, the same POV for some women, with genders reversed.)

[Bouncing Boy]

I'm bisexual, and fairly open about it here at CBR. In real life not quite as much. Obviously my wife knows (I made sure she knew before we got together). I told my mom about a year and a half ago. I told my step-dad about 10 months before he died I think, it was definitely before we knew he was sick. Other than that I don't think that many people know. I know I can't tell my last surviving Grandma because she's really conservative and would probably disown me.

[Greywing]

So, just the four of us then? We few, we proud....

[Electric Version]

I thought bisexuality was just something they invented in the 90s to sell hair products?

[40footwolf]

I'm bisexual, but straight for all intents and purposes.

[beetlebum]

I am.

[Greywing]

I'm bisexual, but straight for all intents and purposes.

You're just popping into all these threads, claiming a piece of the pie for yourself, aren't you?

In all seriousness, I guess you'd place yourself a 1 or a 2 on the Kinsey Scale then? Minimal same-sex experience?

[40footwolf]

You're just popping into all these threads, claiming a piece of the pie for yourself, aren't you?

In all seriousness, I guess you'd place yourself a 1 or a 2 on the Kinsey Scale then? Minimal same-sex experience?

I'd say 2. My biggest same sex experience was Frenching a dude when I was drunk, but he was a guy I'd been crushing on for a bit.

For my female-to-male attraction ratio, it's like 95/5, you know? That's why I say I'm basically straight.

[ceebee_eebee]

Hello! My name is ceebee_eebee and I'm bisexual.

Do I get a prize? Other than the obvious, I mean. ;-) My major issue with the way bisexuals are portrayed in the media? We are always EVIL. As if being attracted to both genders makes us selfish or overly sexual. Or maybe just untrustworthy?

Either that, or it's just a phase. ::sigh::

Whatever. I can't imagine being either straight or gay, so I guess it's probably the same way for gays and straights. That DOESN'T, however, mean that anyone else gets to define my sexuality for me. Thanks, but I've got it covered.

[Free-Man]

Hello! My name is ceebee_eebee and I'm bisexual.

Do I get a prize? Other than the obvious, I mean. ;-) My major issue with the way bisexuals are portrayed in the media? We are always EVIL. As if being attracted to both genders makes us selfish or overly sexual. Or maybe just untrustworthy?

Either that, or it's just a phase. ::sigh::

Whatever. I can't imagine being either straight or gay, so I guess it's probably the same way for gays and straights. That DOESN'T, however, mean that anyone else gets to define my sexuality for me. Thanks, but I've got it covered.

What about Captain Jack?

[ceebee_eebee]

What about Captain Jack?

Sorry. I was being hyperbolic. American media portrayals of bisexuals have generally been craptastic. British media is a bit less offensive. Generally.

[BnL]

Bisexual men on TV = Haven't realized yet that they're just gay.
Bisexual women on TV = Haven't realized yet that all they need is a nice cock. And/or, they will express sexual interest in women to highlight the fact that they're evil, as CB said.

There are rare exceptions to these, but this is generally how it happens.