Pride or Prejudice
Social perceptions towards bisexuality
Myths & Facts
One persistent misconception regarding bisexuality is that it is only a stage on the path to coming out as either homosexual or straight. This misconception denies that bisexuality is a real sexual orientation. Bisexuality is actually a real and enduring part of one's identity. Bisexual people's orientation does not change over time in the same way that someone who identifies as heterosexual or gay does. Their feelings and appeals are constant and true. The fact is Bisexuality stands alone as a distinct and stable sexual orientation; it is not a stepping stone to other sexual orientations. Just like their heterosexual or gay counterparts, bisexual people can have satisfying and long-lasting relationships with people of either gender. The idea that bisexual people are promiscuous or greedy because they are attracted to multiple genders is a detrimental prejudice regarding bisexuality. Biphobia and the incorrect classification of bisexuality as a sort of sexual excess are the roots of this myth. Bisexuality actually has nothing to do with a person's actions or sexual preferences. Bisexual people have a wide range of interests and values when it comes to relationships and intimacy, just like everyone else. Bisexuality is not about how many individuals someone is attracted to or how promiscuous they are; it is about who they are attracted to. It's a prevalent misperception that being bisexual entails having a perfect 50/50 attraction to each gender. This understates how complicated human attraction is. Bisexual people may be attracted to multiple genders to varied degrees, and this attraction may alter over time. Recognizing that bisexuality encompasses a range of attractions is crucial. The idea that bisexual people can choose to be straight or gay based on their circumstances or inclinations is a false one. This misconception claims that bisexuality is a choice or a convenience, ignoring the intrinsic nature of sexual orientation. Bisexuality is not a choice; neither is sexual orientation. It is a significant component of a person's identity that is shaped by external events. Just as heterosexual or homosexual people cannot select their orientation, neither can bisexual people choose to be straight or gay. It's a prevalent misperception that being bisexual is an uncommon or rare sexual preference. This myth might be the result of some people hiding their bisexuality out of fear of discrimination or misunderstanding. Bisexuality is a sexual orientation that is prevalent in a sizable section of the population and is not uncommon. Depending on how it is assessed and defined, the precise prevalence of bisexuality varies, although multiple studies have demonstrated that a sizable proportion of persons identify as bisexual.
It's not a phase for a Bi rather the society is evolving in a phased manner.
Bisexuality has undoubtedly progressed in our society throughout the years as a concept. Even individuals have had difficulty realizing and accepting that they have a fluid sexual orientation. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it all began to be written or brought to the public's attention. However, bisexuality is natural and has always existed; this may be seen from ancient times. Greeks had a concept of "aphrodisiac" during the time of Aristotle and Plato, which meant yearning for sexual contact, regardless of gender. In China, same-sex love relationships were common among upper class or powerful members of the community, and the same individuals also engaged in heterosexual relationships. “People who engage in sexual or romantic relationships with the same sex typically also engage in heterosexual relationships. For example, emperors who have male concubines also have female concubines and offspring” (*) “Androgyny” is a term used in Dutch to describe people who used to keep sexual relationship with both sexes. This term was used to describe someone who has masculine and feminine characteristics both. This from 19th century onwards got the recognition of bisexuality. According to Freudian theory, a child is first born bisexual and remains that till the phallic stage when their psychosexual development gets to the 3rd stage and they take a step forward to their sexual orientation journey. (*) one of the myths existed in until 1950 that bisexuals are those who possess both male and female parts in one body. But the rumor was quickly disproved. Bisexuality has undergone numerous stages of development as a conversation topic since the early 18th century. And these had more to do with how people perceived bisexuality than with how a bisexual person came to realize and settle on their own sexual orientation.
Recounting.
In India, only approximately 1% of the population may be categorically classified as bisexual, compared to about 4% globally. The irony is that the balance of the population, which includes those who didn't opt to engage in a study or weren't even sure how to identify their sexual orientation, is classified as heterosexual, despite though over 10% of it is made up of lesbians, gays, and transgender people. Because someone who chose not to participate in the survey or who chose not to identify their sexual orientation may actually be bisexual, all reported data about sexual orientations are therefore inaccurate and far from factual.
From the earliest to the first millennials, all of our generations were born, raised, and passed away in a non-egalitarian society. Our upbringing has been carefully planned in order to avoid any hints of change from creeping in. To avoid being swayed and unaffected, we have been taught to keep our brains and hearts closed. We frequently fabricate stereotypes or falsehoods about people who have different sexual orientations, such as that they are "colorful/unfaithful creatures" or "rich and influential people." Our biggest social status process i.e. marriage for heterosexual people as well does not recognize that bisexual is a cause how marriages can break legally. There is no legal provision that allows a married couple to seek a divorce if they learn their partner is bisexual. Even if the couple's justifications are incorrect or inappropriate, they must only use legal justifications. Being bisexual is not a crime, either socially or legally. The question still stands: should we break free from the constraints of our society's "prejudice" that loves to quickly form perceptions, or should we live in pride that we are skilled at managing perceptions? We must choose between shedding the chains of prejudice and living a life of pride.
Even in this day and age of high levels of understanding, education and inclusion, the societal stigma associated with bisexuality still tightly grips our cultures. Additionally, the global distribution of this is more urban than rural. In conclusion, myths and misconceptions about bisexuality in society can be widespread and are frequently driven by ignorance and biphobia. To build a more diverse and welcoming society, it is crucial to dispel these myths and accept the reality of bisexuality. One of the most important steps towards increasing empathy, respect, and support for bisexual people within their families, among friends, and in society at large is the acceptance of bisexuality as a valid and legitimate sexual orientation.
#BiWeek #MakeADifference #RespectAndEqualityForAll #bisexualityAwarenessWeek #equalityforall #respectforall #loveislove
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