By Thalia Kattoura | Staff Writer

Before delving into this article, one has to go back to the fundamental theory behind bisexuality and identify critical components that led to the different narratives today.

In the simplest of terms, bisexuality is the attraction to more than one gender – it is often attributed to the attraction to two genders: men and women. However, many bisexual people go by a different definition that is more inclusive of the different preferences, which is inspired by award-winning activist Robyn Ochs’s speech: “I call me bisexual because I acknowledge that I have in me the potential to be attracted – romantically and/or sexually – to people of more than one sex and/or gender, not necessarily at the same time, not necessarily in the same way, and not necessarily to the same degree.”

This definition in itself already leaves room for new perspectives on bisexuality, seen as the report has previously been restricted to the liking of only two genders at once. Whether that definition is harmful or not will be explored by looking at an extensive research paper that covers this.

The Epistemic Contract on Bisexual Erasure by Kenji Yoshino tackles the topic of bisexual erasure, a phenomenon that should be greatly highlighted in discourses about bisexuality. In essence, bisexual erasure is the tendency to invalidate and/or constrain bisexuality to an understanding that bisexual people themselves do not dictate. In retrospect, there is a forced attempt to connect bisexuality to either heterosexuality or homosexuality.

Yoshino demonstrates that bisexual people are often seen as being “halfway between” gay and straight, and this very comparison leads to ambiguity and stigma. In actuality, this harmful correlation leads to the group’s marginalization from both heterosexual and homosexual spaces. Bisexual people feel inclined to conform to attractions that resemble that of straight people, or of people from the queer community.

Research studies found in the paper showcase that these constraints affect bisexual people’s mental health. Many have reported suffering from anxiety, depression, and other mental conditions – in fact, they have the highest rates of depression among the queer community. However, the primary objective is not to compare struggles faced within that space. More so, it is about addressing the inevitable alienation of bisexual people due to injustices that they face from their surroundings.

The writer attests that bisexual erasure is a form of epistemic injustice. Epistemic injustice is a form of injustice that occurs when someone’s knowledge is discredited or ignored. It can take on two types: testimonial and hermeneutical injustice. Testimonial injustice is when society invalidates someone’s testimony because of prejudices that they face from being a member of a specific social group. On the other hand, hermeneutical injustice occurs when someone cannot make sense of their experiences because of stigma. It results from the lack of shared concepts or frameworks that help make sense of particular experiences.

Narratives pushed by heterosexual people that bisexuality is illegitimate and those by homosexual people that it is a form of “heterosexual privilege” enable bisexual people to doubt their sexuality and experience – hence exposing them to epistemic injustice.

In Lebanon, cultural and religious norms reinforce conservative views on sexuality. Moreover, many LGBTQIA+ rights movements in Lebanon mainly focus on discussing gay rights – which are crucial – yet, not enough of these discussions serve to develop a well-rounded understanding of bisexuality.

It is imperative, according to Yoshino, to address underlying biases and stereotypes directed at bisexual people to begin eradicating the concept of bisexual erasure. Dr. Brian Dodge, a notable academic, proposes an action plan in his 2012 article on Bisexual Erasure: An Excavation. He suggests that there needs to be greater recognition and visibility of bisexuality within LGBTQ+ communities and beyond. He also emphasizes the need to account for the unique experiences of bisexual individuals in academic research since bisexuality is not a middle ground between homosexuality and heterosexuality.

Bisexuality is an independent and valid sexual orientation in its own right, characterized by the potential for attraction to people of more than one gender. It is a fluid and varied experience that can encompass attraction to multiple genders in varying degrees. It is important to recognize and respect bisexuality as a legitimate sexual orientation, rather than reducing it to a simplistic binary or categorization. In other words, bisexuality is not the best of both worlds, it is a world of its own.