By Iscah Cheah (she/her), 17 years old, editor
September 16, 2024
September is here! In addition to being back-to-school time, it also means that Bisexual Awareness Week, also known as BiWeek, is back. BiWeek takes place every year from September 16-23, and concludes on the 23rd with the celebration of Let’s celebrate Bisexuality Day+.
Having an official week dedicated to celebrating bisexuality is a good opportunity to raise awareness about some of the common difficulties of being bisexual (bi) and inform others about what it means to identify as bi.
What does it mean?
Bisexuality refers to when a person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to more than one gender. It’s certainly normal to take time to question and reflect on your sexual orientation. There’s no right or wrong way to define yourself; the important thing is to figure out what feels right to you.
You don’t need to prove anything to yourself
I identify as bisexual and am attracted to both men and women. I also identify on the aromantic and asexual spectrum (or “aromamantic-specific”), which means I experience less romantic and sexual attraction. “Bi” and “aromantic” may seem like contradictions, which is why I had a hard time figuring out my sexual orientation, but they are both part of my identity.
Some people don’t believe me when I tell them I’m bisexual because I’m currently in a monogamous relationship with a guy. There’s a misconception that our sexual orientation has to fit into a category just because of our relationship. For example, we can be seen as straight or gay depending on the gender of the person we’re dating at the time. This is an example of bisexual erasure, which is the tendency to ignore, deny, or invalidate the existence and experiences of bisexual people.
Sexual orientation can be fluid. It doesn’t have to be “this” or “that,” with no in-betweens. I’ve often felt like I needed to prove to others that I was bisexual, just to feel validated. I now know that our sexual orientation is OUR business and not something we have to prove to anyone!
Excluded from the conversation
Another example of bisexuality being erased is that sometimes bisexual people are excluded from LGBQ+ conversations because we are seen as “straight.” Similarly, we may feel like we don’t fit into a predominantly heterosexual group. There is no winning when we are seen as “too straight” to be gay or “too gay” to be straight.
Sometimes people create their own definitions of bisexuality, and in the process, they make assumptions. For example, some believe that being attracted to more than one gender means that bisexual people must always be romantically and/or sexually involved with multiple people of different genders at the same time. This misconception often leads people to assume that all bisexual people are “promiscuous.”
It can be harmful for people to make assumptions about you based on your sexual orientation, especially when those assumptions are based on stereotypes and myths.
Show your support
Bi Week is a great opportunity to debunk some of these myths about bisexuality. Here’s what you can do, too!
1. Draw attention to the experiences of bisexual people.
2. Promote acceptance and awareness of bisexuality.
3. Unite the bisexual community.
Now that you know a little more about bisexuality, why not show your support and pride by celebrating BiWeek this year? Get involved and celebrate by posting on social media with the hashtag #BiWeek!
Find out more about bisexuality!
