Bisexual Activists
Bisexuality refers to an emotional or sexual attraction to more than one gender or sexuality, or attraction to a range of genders and sexuality. Today, most developed societies acknowledge and respect this community, and some progress is being made in other countries. Legislation has been enacted to protect the employment, social, criminal, relationship and property rights of bisexual individuals in a large number of countries.
Studies at the Williams Institute surveying the LGBTQ community in 2013 note that among adults who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual, bisexuals comprise a slight majority. A similar poll in 2018 by Buzzfeed and Whitman Insight Strategies reported that 46% of the LGBTQ population identifies as bisexual, which then skews heavily female, younger, and tends to be more racially diverse. Nevertheless, only 23% of bisexual individuals state that they are open about their sexual orientation.
While more and more individuals are coming out as bisexual, there remains only a small number of bisexual individuals that are activists for recognition and rights for the community. An explanation for this may reside in the belief that a bisexual individual can be comfortable passing off as heterosexual, thereby avoiding any direct phobia or discrimination.
Bisexuality is often believed to be a myth and that such an individual does not really exist. Those bisexuals that are activists report that their activism is based on society's pressure for them to identify as either heterosexual or homosexual. Many believe that those who say they are bisexual are either on their way to being gay/lesbian, are confused, or are unfocused. As a result, bisexuals feel marginalized, ignored, and silenced in their sexual preferences.
There is also the traditional view that because Bi means two, bisexuality as a concept is conferred only on men and women. However, activists have now embraced the fluidity of the notion of both gender and sexuality when using the term.
Many prominent bisexuals today are those in the entertainment industry. Others are writers, academics and scientists.
We have identified prominent bisexual activists from Bolivia, Finland, Great Britain, Israel, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, and the United States. Simply click on their name to see their fascination biographies.
Bolivia
- Jaime Saenz, writer
Finland
- Christer Kihlman, writer
Great Britain
- Nichi Hodgson, activist, author
- Peter Landin, scientist
- Jen Yockney, activist
Israel
- Shiri Eisner, feminist writer and researcher
Singapore
- Leon Markcus, singer/songwriter
Spain
- Ada Colau Ballano, poltics
Turkey
- Elif Shafak, writer
United States
- Kathy Acker, poet and playwright
- Amy Andre, activist and consultant
- Elizabeth Beier, writer
- Wendy Curry, BiNet USA
- Rachel Dolezal, activist
- Lady Gaga, entertainer
- Amber Heard, actor
- Brenda Howard, New York Area Bisexual Network
- Lani Ka'ahumanu, Bay Area Bisexual Network
- Kesha, entertainer
- Alfred Kinsey, researcher and academic
- Fritz Klein, psychiatrist
- Debra Kolodny, religious leader; BiNet USA
- Kate Millett, activist
- Robyn Ochs, activist, Boston Bisexual Network
- Martin Rawlings-Fein, transgender filmmaker
- Monica Raymund, actor
- Susan Sontag, writer and critic
- Lindasusan Ulrich, religious leader
- Leah Yoemans, Bisexual Organizing Project
- Timid Robot Zehta, Bisexual Organizing Project
See Also
- Transgender Activists
- Intersex Activists
- Global LGBTQ HIV/AIDS Activists
- Early European LGBTQ Activists
- Feminist Activists Who Identify as Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender
- Animal Rights Activism and the LGBTQ Community
- Stonewall Icons
- Peace Activists Who Identify as LGBTQ
Further Research/Reading
- https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/magazine/the-scientific-quest-to-prove-bisexuality-exists.html?_r=0
- https://bisexual.org/famous/
- https://muse.jhu.edu/article/575374/summary
- https://www.glaad.org/tags/bi-activists
- http://binetusa.blogspot.com/2017/03/bisexual-activists-erased-from-abcs.html
- https://www.out.com/news-opinion/2018/6/14/new-poll-reveals-just-how-many-members-lgbtq-identify-bisexual