Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior towards people of more than one gender. It encompasses the attraction to individuals of one’s own sex or gender, as well as those of other sexes or genders. Often misunderstood, bisexuality exists on a spectrum, with varying degrees of attraction to different genders.
Bisexual Meaning
Key Takeaways
- Bisexuality involves romantic or sexual attraction to more than one gender
- It is distinct from pansexuality, which refers to attraction regardless of sex or gender identity
What Does Bisexual Mean?
Bisexual refers to a person who is sexually or romantically attracted to people of more than one gender, sometimes understood to include their own sex or gender and at least one other sex or gender. It is a sexual orientation that falls within the LGBTQ+ spectrum. The potential for attraction may differ in time, manner, and degree, and it doesn’t necessarily mean the attraction is experienced simultaneously.
Gender and Bisexuality
While bisexuality is often seen in the context of the gender binary (male and female), it is important to recognize nonbinary and genderqueer individuals when discussing this sexual orientation. Nonbinary individuals do not fit into the traditional category of being exclusively male or female, and queer people might have their own unique gender identity or presentation. As a result, bisexual attraction can extend beyond cisgender individuals, including trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer people.
Related Terms to Bisexual
Here are some related terms that help explain different aspects of bisexuality:
- Cisgender: A person whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.
- Trans: A term used to describe people who identify with a gender that is different from the one they were assigned at birth.
- Queer: A term that can be an umbrella term for people who don’t identify as heterosexual or cisgender, or as an individual identity.
- LGBTQ+: An acronym representing the diverse community that includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other sexual and gender identities.
- Gender Binary: The classification of gender into two distinct and opposite categories, male and female.
- Nonbinary: A term used to describe someone whose gender identity does not fit within the binary framework of male and female.
- Cis: A shortened version of cisgender, referring to someone whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth.
- Sexual Orientation: A person’s enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or other genders.
- Fluid: A description of changing or evolving attractions or orientations over time.
- Sexual Attraction: The desire or interest to engage in sexual activity with another person.
Comparison with Other Related Terms
In comparison to other sexual orientations, there are some key distinctions that set it apart, as well as some overlaps with related orientations.
Pansexual identifies individuals who experience attraction to people regardless of their gender. While bisexuality acknowledges attraction to multiple genders, pansexuality recognizes attraction to all genders, including non-binary and genderqueer individuals.
Gay and lesbian orientations are characterized by same-sex attraction. Gay typically refers to attraction between men, and lesbian refers to attraction between women. In contrast, bisexuality involves attraction to both one’s own and other genders.
Asexual individuals experience little or no sexual attraction and may have varying levels of romantic attraction. This differs from bisexuality, which includes sexual attraction to more than one gender.
Heterosexual denotes attraction to individuals of the opposite gender. Bisexuality differs as it encompasses attraction to one’s own gender as well as others.
Biromantic and panromantic orientations refer to people who experience romantic attractions to more than one or all genders, respectively. These terms differentiate from bisexual and pansexual, which focus on sexual attraction.
Robyn Ochs, a prominent bisexual activist and writer, defines bisexuality as “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 encompasses the bisexual umbrella, which includes various multi-gender attractions like polysexual, heteroflexible, and more.
Biphobia refers to prejudice, discrimination, or negative attitudes towards bisexual individuals. It can occur within the LGBTQ+ community, among heterosexual individuals, or within society in general.
Homosexual is a term that refers to same-sex attraction, which includes gay and lesbian orientations, differing from bisexuality that acknowledges attraction to multiple genders.
Within the LGBTQ+ acronym, non-binary, agender, and genderqueer identities pertain to gender identity rather than sexual orientation. These terms describe individuals whose gender identity does not fit within the conventional male/female binary.
Aromantic individuals lack romantic attraction toward others, standing distinct from bisexual and other sexual orientations.