If you’ve scrolled through social media at all today, then you probably already know that September 23 is Bi Visibility Day. However, if you don’t identify as bisexual, you may wonder why people are spamming you with pink, purple, and blue today. After all, we just had Pride Month back in June, right? Why do we need a specific day just for bisexual people?
Unfortunately, the bisexual community is one of the most discriminated factions of the LGBTQ+ community.
People who identify as bisexual don’t just take heat from our heteronormative society. They also receive hatred from their own community. Studies show that up to 27 percent of bisexual women and 18 percent of bisexual men regularly face discrimination within the LGBTQ+ community. Also, over 25 percent of bisexual people remain in the closet even within their social circles because they fear discrimination. And bi representation in mainstream media is either joke fodder or a way to appeal to horny straight men who fetishize girl-on-girl action.
Even though I came out as bi a few years ago, I remain quiet about my sexual orientation for these very reasons. I worry that my family won’t accept me. I fear that if I start dating women, I won’t find a partner who is willing to stick with me because I “play for both teams.” I also don’t want every person I tell about my sexuality to ask me when I’ll “grow out of it.”
Here’s the thing, though: I’m in my 30s, and I’ve felt this way since middle school. I don’t think that I’ll ever “grow out of” my sexuality at this point. I’m bi — and the world needs to deal with it. My sexual preferences are very real and don’t make me any less worthy of love.
That’s why Bi Visibility Day matters. We deserve to be seen, and we deserve just as much respect as our heterosexual, gay, and lesbian neighbors. We matter too.
At the end of the day, bisexuality is a very real sexual orientation. It deserves just as much acceptance and visibility as every other group in the LGBTQ+ community.
So if you identify as bisexual, know someone who does, or simply care about people’s right to love who they want to, I hope you’ll help make bisexuality more visible today (and every day). You can do so many things to help the bisexual community feel validated. It starts by simply posting some pink, purple, and blue today so we know that you see us.
Feature Image via Wikimedia Commons.
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