Intrepid: An LGBTQ+ Arts Magazine September 2015 | Page 10

The B- Word
A commentary on bisexual erasure
By: Jasmin Haddad
“Bisexual” has become a
How could anyone besides that indaunting word for some people in dividual possibly be able to underboth the straight and queer comstand the workings of their mind?
munities. It seems that people tend For instance, who they find sexualto gravitate towards the idea of ab- ly or romantically attractive. There
solutes. Someone is either gay or
are very few things in terms of atstraight because any mixture of
traction, in general, that are stathe two would be inconceivable.
ble. What right does anyone have to
This idea of bisexuals being “lying, invalidate someone or even judge
greedy cheaters” has penetrated
someone’s specific character traits
deep into society, seemingly out of based on who they hit on?
an inherent misunderstanding of
Now, bisexuals are not the only
the sexuality spectrum.
ones that suffer this type of era Overwhelmingly, sexuality is
sure. The other ghosts of the queer
seen as a far and wide, colorful
community tend to include: Asexspectrum essentially coming to
uals, Aromantics, Pansexuals, Inmean that sexuaity is as fluid as
tersex, and any other queer identhe sea. What is meant by that is
tificaion that gets swept under the
while some people seem to be com- rug. This type of “sweeping” makes
pletely straight or completely gay people trying to figure out their
there is a vast “in between” space. sexuality feel as if they don’t have
Sometimes, it is remarkably easier a place in any community and that
to think of the sexualiy spectrum in their feelings or queerness are not
terms of percentages. For instance, valid. That is not only dangerous
someone may identify as bisexual for young queer people trying to
if they happen to be attracted to the figure things out, but also for peosame sex 50% of the time and to the ple who have been a part of the
opposite sex the other 50% of the
queer community for a long time.
time. While not everyone identifies These people are doubting themas bisexual if they happen to fall on selves because of people trying to
the spectrum more so in the range kick them out of their special corof 80:20 or any other type of com- ners. An open community is not
bination, their identity is still valid only something the queer commubased on who they have gravitated nity needs to be, but something
towards in terms of sexual attrac- that is crucial in preserving queer
tion. Calling someone out on who lives.
they want to sleep with is a ridiculous thing to do.