Attitudes to Bisexuals Shift from Negative to Neutral
A Study by Indiana University’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion has found attitudes towards bisexual people are slightly better than previously.
The study, led by Brian Dodge, associate professor in the Department of Applied Health Science and associate director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University’s School of Public Health in Bloomington, is to be presented today at the Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association in Denver, Colorado.
The study is only the second to explore attitudes toward bisexual men and women — those with the capacity for physical, romantic and/or sexual attraction to more than one sex or gender — in a nationally representative sample. It is also the first to do so with a sample of gay, lesbian and other-identified individuals (pansexual, queer and other identity labels), in addition to those who identify as heterosexuals. The nationally representative sample was… Continue reading
ONS Report Shows 45% Increase In Bi Identities
The Office of National Statistics has released data that shows a 45% increase in young people identifying as bisexual in three years.
The Office of National Statistics has updated the Sexual Identity Statistical Bulletin with data collected from the Annual Population Survey of 2015.
It reports that 1.7% of adults in the UK identified themselves as lesbian, gay or bisexual, comprising 1.1% who identified themselves as gay or lesbian and 0.6% who identified themselves as bisexual. A further 0.4% of the population identified themselves as “Other”. Significantly, 4.1% replied with ‘do not know’ or refused their answer.
The number of people openly identifying as bisexual rose from 230,000 in 2012 to 334,000 in 2015, a 45% increase.
The results echo those of last years’ YouGov survey which found that half of young people (and almost a quarter of the total population)… Continue reading
Ofcom to Investigate Christopher Biggins Biphobic Big Brother Comments
The complaints are believed to have been made under Section Three of the Broadcasting Code(.pdf) which states that, “Material which contains abusive or derogatory treatment of individuals, groups, religions or communities, must not be included in television and radio services except where it is justified by the context”.
“We’re investigating whether a contestant’s comments about bisexual people were offensive and breached generally accepted standards,” a spokesperson said. The initial investigation is expected to be completed within 15 days.
Should the complaints be upheld, Channel Five are unlikely to face any sanctions.
Minor Royal Comes Out
Lord Ivar Mountbatten, great-great-great grandson of Queen Victoria and cousin to the current Queen has come out as bisexual.
In an exclusive interview with the Mail on Sunday, Lord Ivar Mountbatten (53) has said that he is bisexual. Acknowledging that he had struggled with his sexuality, Mountbatten revealed that his ex-wife Penny, with whom he has three children, had known of his sexuality when they married in 1994, and had been supportive of his decision to come out.
“Everyone in our family knows and could not be more supportive, ” he said.
Despite Mountbatten using the word ‘bisexual’ to describe himself, the rabble-rousing tabloid chose to repeatedly label him as gay in both headline and article. Pink News, the Independent, and the majority of the British and American press has chosen to follow suit.
Survey Finds Biphobia Alive and Well in America
Almost half of adults would not date a bisexual person, according to a survey of 1000 adults across the USA.
We are often told that bisexuality doubles your chances of a date on Saturday night, but the reality may be that your chances are halved, according to a new survey.
The survey, carried out by sex toy retailer Adam and Eve, found that 47% of respondents would not enter into a relationship with a bisexual person. A further 19% were undecided.
Men were less likely to reject a potential partner because of their bisexuality, with 39% of those polled saying they would date someone bi compared to just 31% of women.
The findings are no surprise to bisexual activists. With belief in the myths that bisexual people are more likely to be unfaithful, pass on sexually transmitted infections and need multiple partners to be content so… Continue reading
“Better Lovers and Fathers”: Study Looks At Women In Relationships With Bi Men
An academic at an Australian university recently spoke to 78 women of varying sexual orientations about their relationships with bisexual men. Some of the research has been used in Dr Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli‘s new book, Women in Relationships with Bisexual Men: Bi Men By Women.
“These mixed-orientation relationships or what I call MOREs, sit outside the boundaries of what many may consider a ‘normal’ relationship, whether it’s straight or gay,” says Pallotta-Chiarolli. “What the research has shown is that they are very real and valid and deserve our attention, support and understanding. It’s just that they’re something ‘more’ than most people expect or accept.”
Pallotta-Chiarolli hopes that the book will dispel negative stereotypes about bisexual men: “That all bisexual men are untrustworthy and have secret affairs; that all bisexual men transmit HIV and STIs to women; that all bisexual men are abusive to their women partners.”
“While we… Continue reading
Dictionary.com Updates Entry on ‘Bisexual’
Searching the word ‘bisexual’ on Dictionary.com, now yields a more satisfying result.
You’ll still find the usual definitions for the biological sense of the term, but when it comes to the word as a sexuality or identity label a few changes have been made:
The new text is accompanied by an explanatory note which reads, in part, “The term is increasingly being used to refer to a level of sexual fluidity in which an individual moves bidirectionally along a spectrum of sexuality. This newer sense accounts for attraction to people who do not fall within the gender binary”.
The word ‘bisexual’ has been defined by leading bi organisation as attraction to more than one gender since the early days of the movement, and a recent social media campaign calling for Merriam-Webster to update its own definition gained over… Continue reading
Bisexual Teen Violently Attacked on Last Day of School
(contains descriptions of violence, graphic pictures)
Jamie Watson, 15, of Birmingham, was brutally attacked by three masked youths, who verbally abused him before kicking and punching him for around five minutes. The attack was the culmination of a period of bullying and intimidation by the youths, and had been planned in advance.
He was taken to Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, where he was treated for a fractured arm, broken ribs and numerous superficial abrasions as well as injuries to his neck muscles as a result of being repeatedly kicked in the head.
Detective Sergeant James Bennett, from Birmingham’s Violent Crime Team, told The Birmingham Mail: “We are trawling CCTV for any clues and want to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and who may have seen the attack to come forward.
“At this stage we believe the attackers could be local and we are… Continue reading
Christopher Biggins is Sorry Not Sorry
Calling Jewish fellow housemate Katie Waissel a “very sensitive girl with a few issues”, Biggins said that he was “mortified” he had lost his appearance fee upset people with his shocking remarks.
In an interview in the Sun on Sunday, Biggins emphasised that he is “in no way a bigoted person”, and that he knows Lesley Joseph and also some black people.
He did not, however, apologise for his scientifically illiterate, hateful and psychologically telling remarks regarding the bisexual community.
Biggins, who wed Australian model Beatrice Norbury in 1971, sensationally confused himself with other people, telling fellow housemates that bisexuals are ‘homosexuals in denial’ who ‘fuck up a lot of relationships’.… Continue reading
Asylum Denied: The Grim Irony of Proof of Sexuality Edicts
If a documented history of relationships with more than one gender does not equal ‘bi’, what can we do? Holly Matthies tackles the thorny issue of ‘proving’ your sexuality.
My first exposure to the news of Ray Fuller’s failed asylum case was a tweet from Bisexual Index. “Horrifying,” it said. “Not bisexual because he’s attracted to women, asylum judge rules.”
My first response was to write When we say “Biphobia kills,” it’s not hyperbole. People don’t know what bisexuality is, and that harms bisexuals. It’s not the only way biphobia can be deadly, of course, but for anyone to be deported… Continue reading →