Bisexuality Invisibility report

[neveen]

http://www.birequest.org/docstore/2011-SF_HRC-Bi_Iinvisibility_Report.pdf

[void()]

Interesting reading. Found it interesting, one of my therapist's intake questionnaires asked if you were bi. And surprisingly, he spoke to me about it in a professional manner. He was curious how it affected my mental health. Told him I was alright with it, just wished the world would be. He managed a polite chuckle and nodded, adding that he thought the world really ought to be as well. Beyond that he didn't pry for specifics, just general chit chat and kept asking how such made me feel. Of course, him being a p cyclist, that was his job.

[Briar Rose]

I could so rant about this topic. I won't; but I could. I made myself invisible. But it wasn't hard to do--everything and everyone around me created a reality where it was easy. It does have repercussions too. I certainly have never mentioned that I'm bisexual to my doctor. It isn't relevant right now because I'm monogamous but it could be if I weren't, and it could be in the future, because you never know what life will throw at you.

[void()]

Yes, being invisible is easy. Allow me some humble words though. Please, know your life is more important than any fear. Use that to set fear aside if a need arises to consult medical help. That will make you courageous and in being courageous we are invincible. :) Just humble words, take or leave as you want or need.

[Briar Rose]

I hear you, Void dweller.

I'm actually looking for a therapist right now. I have serious anxiety and depression issues--and have had all my life, I think they are genetic--which are mostly unrelated to my sexuality. We had a run of bad luck with bugs 3 years ago and it triggered what my mother's generation would call a nervous break down. I have major, major anxiety issues. One of my friends says it's almost like dealing with someone with PTSD. I've handled it alone, making myself do the things that scare me, but I seem to have plateaued and can't get any further on my own. I do plan to tell the therapist that I'm bisexual in and amongst the rest of my history.

[Maggot]

The closest I've come to any queries on the medical front regarding sexual orientation is when donating blood (it's an entirely voluntary system in the UK). One of the reasons listed for not being able to give blood is having had unprotected sex with a man who has ever had sex with another man. Call me overly cautious but I don't have sex with anyone, of any gender, without barrier protection (I always have my own supply).

[Annika L]

I certainly have never mentioned that I'm bisexual to my doctor. It isn't relevant right now because I'm monogamous but it could be if I weren't, and it could be in the future, because you never know what life will throw at you.

See, that's the thing, though. Your bisexuality is NEVER relevant to your doctor. It's non-monogamy that is relevant to your doctor. It doesn't matter whether you're gay, straight, or bi...if you have multiple partners (of either or both sexes), then there is an extra set of health risks; if you have one partner, that extra set of health risks isn't there. Am I missing something?

[neveen]

See, that's the thing, though. Your bisexuality is NEVER relevant to your doctor. It's non-monogamy that is relevant to your doctor. It doesn't matter whether you're gay, straight, or bi...if you have multiple partners (of either or both sexes), then there is an extra set of health risks; if you have one partner, that extra set of health risks isn't there. Am I missing something?

yeah, i think making bisexuality relevant is a part of whats causing the whole misconception/preconceptions others have and are struggling w/...perhaps

[void()]

I hear you, Void dweller.

I'm actually looking for a therapist right now. I have serious anxiety and depression issues--and have had all my life, I think they are genetic--which are mostly unrelated to my sexuality. We had a run of bad luck with bugs 3 years ago and it triggered what my mother's generation would call a nervous break down. I have major, major anxiety issues. One of my friends says it's almost like dealing with someone with PTSD. I've handled it alone, making myself do the things that scare me, but I seem to have plateaued and can't get any further on my own. I do plan to tell the therapist that I'm bisexual in and amongst the rest of my history.

Clinical chronic depression, a pinch of anxiety and the repeated suggestion of ptsd. And the ptsd is likely, too, despite me trying to deny it. I survived twenty odd years with a lunatic who would beat me for no apparent reason, also beat mom. Later on, I was into military a bit. And my uncle, who had served in 'Nam did mention me having 'dead eyes' to mom once, when I was about six or seven. "Saw that in guys over there that were in country too long ..." Of course, nothing mom could say or do.

Now, I'm on an anti-anxiety med. I avoid big department stores, especially Wal-Mart. I have massive panic reaction in them after more than a few minutes. Wife turned to me once, "oh gawd honey, I know, let me get you out of here before you have a psychotic break." In honesty, guess I ought to be one those Bundy types. But I just can't manage being that misanthropic, or ditch humanity again.

Bisexuality is relevant, in that it is part of what makes us, us. Docs are now starting to use the whole approach, better or worse. Least we can do is give benefit of the doubt. That may actually help. I try to avoid taking the medicine. But I'm a stubborn salty dog and fight this poop hard. The depression seems to be faring worse lately. Not suicidal, just feel exasperated and as though life is crap, will always be crap.

Notice, I feel that. Those are feelings, not me. You need to step outside a bit at times, and yeah it can be hard to do. Good luck.

Need to get going.

[Long Duck Dong]

most of my friends are fine and open about me being bisexual but it was a interesting remark by one of them, that got me thinking....

" you don't use bisexuality as a excuse for your actions, you label your desires as being bisexual, but I have never seen you justify anything you do, as being cos you are bisexual "

in simple terms, my friends are not hostile or judgement to me as a bisexual, as I give them no reason to be hostile or judgement....

bisexuality is not the issue that people think it is... its the attitude of the person and how they use their sexuality as a reason for their actions... and its why you don't see hetero, gay. les people using the excuse that they are Straight, Gay, les as the reason they may be unfaithful or non commited

bisexuals are the people that use the sexuality as a excuse and a reason... and that is why bisexuality has the rep it does....

[Annika L]

most of my friends are fine and open about me being bisexual but it was a interesting remark by one of them, that got me thinking....

" you don't use bisexuality as a excuse for your actions, you label your desires as being bisexual, but I have never seen you justify anything you do, as being cos you are bisexual "

That's because bisexuality is a descriptor, not a physical condition. I've never heard a rational person excuse their actions because they like lemons, either.



bisexuals are the people that use the sexuality as a excuse and a reason... and that is why bisexuality has the rep it does....

Are you saying you're *not* bisexual here? I thought we just agreed that bisexuality is just a preference. Bisexuals are the people who are attracted to both sexes.

I don't believe that bisexual males, in particular, are any more likely to use their sexuality as an excuse or reason than the promiscuous heterosexual male...he won't say "it's because I'm straight"; instead, he'll say "hey, I'm a guy"...but in his world, those two amount to the same thing.

[tenni]

"I don't believe that bisexual males, in particular, are any more likely to use their sexuality as an excuse or reason than the promiscuous heterosexual male...he won't say "it's because I'm straight"; instead, he'll say "hey, I'm a guy"...but in his world, those two amount to the same thing."

Annika
I am more and more aware that there is a possible variation for bisexuals and in particular bisexual males just as there are other variations in bisexuality itself. (ie the sexual attraction is not uniform for all bisexuals and same sex attraction may ebb and flow while for others it is more equal. Some bisexuals have only emotional attachment to opposite sex while others are capable for emotional attachment to both genders, etc.) For some bisexuals same sex activity is a "desire" while for others it is a "need". It is not an excuse.

It may be a vacuum for some bisexuals as basic as need for sex or food or water. In other words without sexual activity with both male and female they are incomplete and unhappy. For others, it is only a desire and no different than their desire for sex with opposite sex. They have a partner and that meets all their needs regardless of the gender of their partner. This may or may not be found more commonly in pansexuals where the actual sexual organ(s) is not that relevant. While for some bisexuals, it is a need and opposite sex activity doesn't fulfill the need. It is not an excuse.

Just my thoughts/opinion and observations. Disagree if you are inclined but your opinion is just that as well.

[Annika L]

"I don't believe that bisexual males, in particular, are any more likely to use their sexuality as an excuse or reason than the promiscuous heterosexual male...he won't say "it's because I'm straight"; instead, he'll say "hey, I'm a guy"...but in his world, those two amount to the same thing."

Annika
I am more and more aware that there is a possible variation for bisexuals and in particular bisexual males just as there are other variations in bisexuality itself. (ie the sexual attraction is not uniform for all bisexuals and same sex attraction may ebb and flow while for others it is more equal. Some bisexuals have only emotional attachment to opposite sex while others are capable for emotional attachment to both genders, etc.) For some bisexuals same sex activity is a "desire" while for others it is a "need". It is not an excuse.

It may be a vacuum for some bisexuals as basic as need for sex or food or water. In other words without sexual activity with both male and female they are incomplete and unhappy. For others, it is only a desire and no different than their desire for sex with opposite sex. They have a partner and that meets all their needs regardless of the gender of their partner. This may or may not be found more commonly in pansexuals where the actual sexual organ(s) is not that relevant. While for some bisexuals, it is a need and opposite sex activity doesn't fulfill the need. It is not an excuse.

Just my thoughts/opinion and observations. Disagree if you are inclined but your opinion is just that as well.

My point, tenni, was that this is no different from male heterosexuals who feel a need (yes need, not just inclination) to sleep with multiple partners. With as widespread as infidelity is, not in the bisexual community, but in general, I have to believe this is a need. (And I don't necessarily mean to single out males...I just think it makes for a cleaner comparison.)

[tenni]

Thanks Annika
We may be discussing this from two different points.
I agree that there is some merit to the theory that males may have a biological "need" to spread their seed with as many partners as possible regardless of their sexuality. I was thinking about that angle after posting. Society socializes us to monogamy to some extent so that men just do not have sex with just any woman that they can force it on. That is a taboo but seduction is another matter. I suspect that it becomes complex when factoring in various societal values/pressures etc. There still is a biological drive to mate with as many partners as possible for most men. As most men mature, their values etc. usually or often dull this drive. It is the consequences that may keep some men from giving into this drive. Generally, men's raunchy sex drive is greater in youth..lol (testosterone levels?)

What I was referring to is in part outside of this biological "need" when it comes to bisexual males. The need that I am referring to is not in all bisexual men. I don't think that one bisexual is better than the other but suspect that heterosexual society does. Some have a need for same sex while for others it is only a desire. For those that this is a desire, their need for sex, itself, is meet by a partner of the same or opposite gender in a monosexual relationship.

My thoughts get a little foggy around this point about the biological drive to mate with as many partners as possible and the bisexual males who have differing needs/desires. There probably are so many variables that need to be broken down to get a good grasp. I have not thought them through but that doesn't mean that there is not any merit to the point that some bisexual men have differing needs versus desires. I don't know if men generally have a difference though as you point out men have a drive to mate with as many partners as they can.

Uh...I will have to re read the study but we may be rather off the topic of this report? One of the results of this study that I found interesting was that bisexual needs are not being meet by the GLBT programming. There were insufficient numbers of bisexuals on many boards that received funding to give voice to bisexual social, psychological, etc. needs in their programmes. Bisexuals are lumped in to the numbers to get funding for programmes and there is little evidence that bisexual needs are met in these programmes which are primarily for monosexual G & L. Perhaps my point about bisexual males differing from monosexual men has led to the stereotype of bisexual men being promiscuous or wrong. At one time, same sex activity was seen as "wrong" and needed "fixing".


My point, tenni, was that this is no different from male heterosexuals who feel a need (yes need, not just inclination) to sleep with multiple partners. With as widespread as infidelity is, not in the bisexual community, but in general, I have to believe this is a need. (And I don't necessarily mean to single out males...I just think it makes for a cleaner comparison.)

[Long Duck Dong]

That's because bisexuality is a descriptor, not a physical condition. I've never heard a rational person excuse their actions because they like lemons, either.



Are you saying you're *not* bisexual here? I thought we just agreed that bisexuality is just a preference. Bisexuals are the people who are attracted to both sexes.

I don't believe that bisexual males, in particular, are any more likely to use their sexuality as an excuse or reason than the promiscuous heterosexual male...he won't say "it's because I'm straight"; instead, he'll say "hey, I'm a guy"...but in his world, those two amount to the same thing.


lol I have seen it a few times on the forums, threads and posts, where males have said that their bisexuality is the reason for their behievour....lol....

and yeah, I have always said that I am pansexual, more than bisexual, as I do not view people in terms of sex organs, I view them in terms of people first and a sexual being afterwards....

for me, a bisexual is a person that is attracted to both sexes, people.... not a person that is attracted to one person and the sexual organs of another person...... that is more in line with a person that has a paraphilia / fetish....
but people do not want to see themselves in that light.....
they want to be seen as and taken as seriously as a person that is able to and can have equal level relationships with both sexes.....

I do agreed with you that yes bisexual males can and do use the statement " I do it cos I am bisexual" in the same way that other males will use the term that " its a guy thing " but yes, in essence, its the same thing.... its a way of making your actions ok

to me its like a guy standing up to piss and saying, I do that, cos its a guy thing..... lol

back to the thread topic anyways.... we talk about bisexuality invisibility... but I am curious... what are we lacking ???
how can we be * more visible ? * by walking down the street in a parade ? having cruise clubs? etc

most of the bisexual visibility stuff is about people knowing about us as bisexuals and honestly the only way we are going to have more people know about us as bisexuals, is to talk to them about us and our bisexuality.....
that means coming out to people more and more.... friends and family etc.... and expecting them to be interested and understanding of us as bisexuals and what bisexuality means to us as a individual....
oh course that is setting up a number of issues, if people do not have a interest in knowing about our sexuality or agreeing with it.... cos immediately the catch phrase of " biphobia" comes to mind.......

we have to remember that cos each bisexual is unique in their bisexuality... it comes down to a individual bisexuals sexuality that is shared with other people.... not bisexuality as a whole..... so one persons bisexuality is anothers persons paraphilia / fetish... and not all bisexuals are open relationship / casual sex orientated... so when we push for more bisexual visibility... we are really pushing for people to see that our ways are right for us as individual people, but wanting people to understand that we want our ways to be right for them too.....

while people can say that its great to be out and proud.... that works for people that like to be open and clearly visible as bisexuals..... but it raises the aspect of how do you appear bisexual to people in the general public and what rights are we lacking as bisexuals ?

we are full of issues and complaints and arguments about how we are not visible enuf yet so lil answers on how do we be more visible and taken seriously.....???

[tenni]

from the report

Often, the entire sexual orientation is branded as invalid, immoral, or irrelevant.

Despite years of activism and the largest population within the LGBT community, the needs of bisexuals still go unaddressed and their very existence is still called into question.

This erasure has serious consequences on bisexuals’ health, economic well-being, and funding for bi organization and programs.

[void()]

"For some bisexuals same sex activity is a "desire" while for others it is a "need". It is not an excuse. "

Void reads, re-reads, pauses and reflects, enters a nirvana of mediation based upon the above quoted words ... hugs tenni.

Thank you for presenting this point, as directly and cleanly as you did. Sometimes, I think you must be that mysterious fellow those theistic folks converse about. Then you go and say something way out in outfield, and I realize you're human, too. ;) :)

[Long Duck Dong]

from the report

Often, the entire sexual orientation is branded as invalid, immoral, or irrelevant.

Despite years of activism and the largest population within the LGBT community, the needs of bisexuals still go unaddressed and their very existence is still called into question.

This erasure has serious consequences on bisexuals’ health, economic well-being, and funding for bi organization and programs.

yeah cool...... now what are the issues.... ??? seriously....

all you have done is what I said, happens, people talk about the issues we face, yet what are the issues ??

lack of cruise clubs, we are expected to be monogamous in some relationships, our partners want divorces if we are unfaithful ?

what are the issues that so seriously and adversely affect bisexuals ?

[AidanS57]

See here is the thing and I have heard the same thing from a lot of bisexuals I know, to me unless I plan on fucking em, no one needs to know that I don't have a preference in the bedroom. I'm currently engaged to a wonderful woman, that doesn't make me non bisexual,it makes me a bisexual male engaged to a wonderful woman. It works for me, it works for quite a few people I know. What doesn't work is screaming I am bi, what ya want a freaking cookie? Does it matter you are bi if you aren't sleeping with multiple partners? Does it matter you are bi when the doc is drawing blood for a cholesterol test? Because I sure as hell don't see the fact I had relations with a man to have any bearing on my HDL and LDL counts. It doesn't matter that I'm bi when I want to buy groceries or when I want to go to the movies. It doesn't matter I'm bi to anyone but me. I know, why does the world need to not only know but be forced to acknowledge I am not straight or gay or plaid?
:2cents:

Aidan

[void()]

See here is the thing and I have heard the same thing from a lot of bisexuals I know, to me unless I plan on fucking em, no one needs to know that I don't have a preference in the bedroom. I'm currently engaged to a wonderful woman, that doesn't make me non bisexual,it makes me a bisexual male engaged to a wonderful woman. It works for me, it works for quite a few people I know. What doesn't work is screaming I am bi, what ya want a freaking cookie? Does it matter you are bi if you aren't sleeping with multiple partners? Does it matter you are bi when the doc is drawing blood for a cholesterol test? Because I sure as hell don't see the fact I had relations with a man to have any bearing on my HDL and LDL counts. It doesn't matter that I'm bi when I want to buy groceries or when I want to go to the movies. It doesn't matter I'm bi to anyone but me. I know, why does the world need to not only know but be forced to acknowledge I am not straight or gay or plaid?
:2cents:

Aidan

In general and for the most, I agree with you. But I have come to be a bit respectful of medical professionals. If someone is drawing blood, figure they at least ought to know of possible risk, despite me being clean. And I plan on staying clean. That isn't the issue though. Maybe it's good manners?

Besides that most docs, nurses and such already take precautions. Normally you get a response of, "oh, thanks for saying, most people don't." But they don't deny treatment or become unprofessional, at least in my experience.

[tenni]

First, I would ask posters to actually read the report before commenting as a few are commenting about things that seem not to be really connected to the report.

This report brings out a major point that bisexuals are the majority of people in the GLBT group and yet receive the least support. I don't think that the report states that bisexuals do not get this support because a segment of the bisexuals are not out and screaming to the world that they are bisexual. I didn't read that in the report. The report doesn't differentiate between out bisexuals and in the closet bisexuals.

The report states that not all who are bisexual report themselves as bisexual. They report their sexual attraction to both genders but do not necessarily label themselves as bisexual. I see this as a lack of understanding about themself and not because they are not out. This may be a factor as to why bisexuals suffer from health issues as well as economic well being. The report states that funding is not given to organizations focusing on bisexuals and programmes for bisexuals. Yet, bisexuals are the largest section in the GLBT group!!! WTF??? The report gives a few reasons why. The GLBT political leaders who are making policy decisions for programmes are not paying sufficient attention to the majority within the GLBT group.

The report further points out that bisexuals are invisible. It gives examples such as two people holding hands are assumed to be either heterosexual or gay rather than bisexual. If it is two same gender people, they are believed to be gay. Bisexuals are invisible not necessarily through discretion in that case but perhaps because of monosexual's perceptions.

The report does not clearly identify which health issues are affected in bisexuals whether they are out or not. That may be in other studies and the conclusions are being reported. Certainly, I can see if you do not even know or accept your bisexuality just for yourself, you may suffer from "stress" as to being "different". We see that in this site all the time. People who are stressed because they are uncertain if they are bisexual and they feel isolated etc. Organizations set up to support bisexuals rather than gays are probably needed. Bisexuals are not gay and lesbian. We have different issues and it doesn't matter whether the bisexual is out or not.

The report indicates that the majority of research lumps data on bisexuals under "gay" or "lesbian" which makes it difficult to draw conclusions about bisexuals. Few studies compare bisexuals to people who are not bisexuals and the needs of bisexuals may be hidden not because the bisexuals are in the closet but either sloppy research processes or ignoring that bisexuals are not the same as G & L.

There is even inconsistent terminology used about bisexuals in these studies making it impossible to compare the studies as far as bisexuals are concerned. Not written is probably the point that gay and lesbian comparisons are possible due to consistency of terminology and that these terms are understood by many while bisexual is not. This report discusses the variations in meaning for bisexuals and states that the English language has not caught up with all the possibilities. It states "Bisexuality is the capacity for emotional, romantic, and/or physical attraction to more than one sex or gender. A bisexual orientation speaks to the potential for, but not requirement of, involvement with more than one sex/gender." My suspicion is that eventually bisexuals will be re defined into more than one grouping. For example, I see "pansexuals or omnisexuals" are different from bisexuals where the person's sexual organs do matter whether they are attracted to a person.

[neveen]

yeah cool...... now what are the issues.... ??? seriously....

all you have done is what I said, happens, people talk about the issues we face, yet what are the issues ??

lack of cruise clubs, we are expected to be monogamous in some relationships, our partners want divorces if we are unfaithful ?

what are the issues that so seriously and adversely affect bisexuals ?

the answers to that are going to be as varying as the many varying kinds of bisexuals that make up this group of individuals...so, to answer for myself, where i live the local pride center is constantly battling us to be allowed adequate visibility during the parade and at rallies and whatnot, seriously arguing about the size of our banner or how many t-shirts we can order, it's ridiculous...but yeah, i bi cruise would be awesome :P

[void()]

yeah cool...... now what are the issues.... ??? seriously....

all you have done is what I said, happens, people talk about the issues we face, yet what are the issues ??

lack of cruise clubs, we are expected to be monogamous in some relationships, our partners want divorces if we are unfaithful ?

what are the issues that so seriously and adversely affect bisexuals ?

Although in my case depression isn't directly related to bisexuality, I could see how depression might be an issue to face. And it in itself is a really serious problem to handle.

Possibly, objectivity training could be an issue for the medical profession and bisexuals alike. Some in the medical profession want to give treatment, and do so well regardless of who is being treated. Then you've always got the bad apples who turn a blind eye to bisexuality.

Bisexuals need taught the correct procedure to report and help guide the profession. Yes, doctors have supervisors and a chain of command. if one treats you bad, you can go to another and explain the last care giver's 'bedside manner'. The new doctor may say, "well, that's not me. I'm sure we can look into that, though." And the new doc more than likely will treat better, and report his colleague upstream.

But we need to not report every little incident. Doctors are human just like us. Give them a benefit of doubt. They might have just had a phone call about a family member dying before treating you, or possibly a theory on stem cell research was rejected on merit. We need to be objective as we expect them to be. "What's good for the goose, suits the gander as well."

This is just one or two examples of what I see as issues. I'm sure other folks can probably offer more.

[Long Duck Dong]

the answers to that are going to be as varying as the many varying kinds of bisexuals that make up this group of individuals...so, to answer for myself, where i live the local pride center is constantly battling us to be allowed adequate visibility during the parade and at rallies and whatnot, seriously arguing about the size of our banner or how many t-shirts we can order, it's ridiculous...but yeah, i bi cruise would be awesome :P

that sounds to me to me more of a argument over who gets what from a limited budget.......

the reason I ask about what are the issues that bisexuals have to deal with... is cos some of them are fuckin hilarious

does it matter if people see us walking down the road with a person and they are not correct about our sexuality.....????
seriously.... are people that so obsessed with their sexuality that strangers need to know our correct sexuality when we are holding hands with another person ????

" hold fire on that business question, mate, I have seen a couple walking down the road and I have to work if they are hetero / gay or bisexual, cos they may be concerned that I will get their sexuality wrong, even tho I do not care about their sexuality and I do not know them at all "

its the same thing with medical tests, as aidan pointed out.....

" pardon me nurse but I need you to know that I am bisexual"
" thats fine sir, but we are trying to take your x rays, not work out your sexuality "

things like sexuality matter in a situation where there is a reason to know about it, such as blood donors etc...... tho I could imagine saying to a surgeon " when you remove that cyst from my leg, please remember I am bisexual "

it comes down to the fact that we want to stand out, we want to matter and be seen to be valid people...... and the trouble there, is the only thing we are basing the whole deal around... is a fluid sexuality.....

fluid sexuality, we can be more gay than hetero, more les than hetero and vice versa over our life times..... and then we get our knickers in a twist cos thats how people see us.... as people that * change sides *

most of the time it appears that people are seeing us for what we are... people with a fuild sexuality and changing needs, wants and desires.... and then we complain about them seeing us as people with a fluid sexuality....

we all know that its annoying as hell dealing with people that constantly change their minds all the time..... so we vent about them..... and yet we expect people to respect the fact that we can do the same thing sexually......

I do not expect people to agree with what I say or even accept it..... but the simple truth is nor do I care if people accept my bisexuality, cos I am the one that has to live with it... not other people

[tenni]

re post #17
Ah...thanks Void...hug back

[tenni]

from the report issues not being dealt with by the GLBT organizations

1/"Bisexual people experience greater health disparities than the broader population, including a greater likelihood of suffering from depression and other mood or anxiety disorders.

2/ Bisexuals report higher rates of hypertension, poor or fair physical health, smoking, risky drinking than heterosexuals or lesbians/gays. ..."

3/ The majority of people in the GLBT group fall under the label of bisexual but funding and programmes are not directed towards this group by these organizations under the belief that gay programming will also meet the needs of bisexuals. Issues related to their heterosexual aspects will be met by organizations dealing with heterosexual issues. Issues relating to their homosexual aspects will be dealt with by GL organziations. There are far too few organizations dealing with bisexuality on its own.



In my own situation, I was interviewed by my present doctor several years ago when I was looking for a doctor. In that interview of gathering information about me, the doctor asked if I was in a relationship and it was my choice as to whether I would disclose my sexuality. Follow up annual physicals, the similar question was asked. There was no specific inquiry as to my sexuality and I wonder if he has forgotten sometimes.

If bisexuals report higher incidents of hyper tension, drinking, poor health than other sexualities this would indicate to the doctor that their sexuality may be playing a factor if they are suffering. If the person has not disclosed their sexuality, then the medical profession may be not able to direct the patient appropriately. I'd suspect that anyone who didn't disclose their sexuality to have a greater degree of repressing their sexuality (not all though) whether they are in a monogamous opposite sex relationship or not. If bisexuals suffer the greatest disparity with their health and the reason why is shame, fear, ignorance, repression of one's bisexuality then this is certainly a significant "issue" that needs more resources.

If the budget is limited and most of the people in the GLBT group organization that is receiving funding is not addressing these bisexual issues and considers them as no different than the issues of being gay, then maybe certain posters to this thread should wake up to see the issue. It is a form of discrimination against bisexuals...or at least this largest group that falls under the label of bisexuality. Funding for research on sexuality may not being spent on bisexuality and instead lumped into homosexual research and programming. This large group called "bisexuals" may actually be several other groups but funding is not being spent to find out. Programming is not being created under the misunderstanding that gay programmes will meet bisexual's needs.

[Long Duck Dong]

The higher rate of mental illness and issues, has a common denominator... the life style, not the sexuality.

its something that is already known about in NZ... there is a higher rate of depression and situational hyper tension found amongst bisexuals that live a lifestyle that is more stress related and high tensile.... IE lifestyles that involve hiding secrets or misleading people... and its not to do with being out or not, its got more to do with being unfaithful or monogamous.

The thing is the studies were not released to the general public as it enforces the bad image of bisexuals as people that can not commit or be faithful in relationships and as people that are not able to maintain a honest and open lifestyle.....

another issue that faces the bisexual community is the double standards.... we want to be treated equally and the same as everybody else, but when its to getting something based on our sexuality, we want to be treated separately and as a separate entity.....

in NZ its became clear during the gay pride parades that the gay community was the majority of participants in the parade, but the bisexual community wanted equal standing and acknowledgement, even tho they lacked the numbers and support of their own community.
this was made very clear when a bi pride was attempted, and 23 people turned up.... the gay pride parade attracted over 20k people.

as for the stats.... lol.... stats are twisted as I have posted in the site... and I know, I used to help compile the stats in NZ for the LGBT community studies..... and they were regularly laid out to present the worse possible look ....

if there are 100k people than we include the non sexuality based issues such as work and home / relations stress, pre and post natal depression etc, into the findings, so it boosts the numbers......
that way a bisexual female that has post natal depression, is added to the fiqures to boost them, as part of a sexuality based study.....
but pre and post natal depression are not sexuality based, they are hormone and personality based....... but cos they are bisexual, the data is used to present a *worse * outcome......

that is why most studies do not detail the types of mental illness .... as it would present a different picture... and cos its dammed near impossible to show that bisexuality is part of a mental illness or that mental illness can be caused by bisexuality...... so they use broad spectrum data and adjust it to match the findings they want to present to people that are gullible enough to believe that the data is true

[void()]

"so they use broad spectrum data and adjust it to match the findings they want to present to people that are gullible enough to believe that the data is true"

So, it comes back to the 50/50 argument. LOL.

"Gonna rain?" "50% chance, might or might not."

This keeps reminding me of the quote from the movie Spartan. "When you go home, some people toss their hats, others don't ... it's all the same." I heard a similar phrasing from my uncle and grandfather who had both went through wars. And I've grown to see most of it as 'all the same', too.

It is kind of a bleak view but it is what it is out there. I might accept it. That doesn't imply I need to like it. Any wonder then, I rather just not be here at times? Vacuums are real fun. :-|

[tenni]

I believe that the report stated that the information about bisexual/gay/lesbian/transgendered came from self reporting. It was not just one study but this report states several studies have shown that bisexuals are the largest segment in the GLBT grouping. To report your sexuality in the privacy of a survey is quite a different example than those who are out and parade about. That seems to be an apple and oranges attempt at comparisons: in other words faulty logic.

If I have to chose between a formal Human Rights commission assigned to report the situation of bisexuals and some person presented himself as in the know about how stats are manipulated due to being on the inside, I will pick the Human Rights Commission report. I find it more credible than some person making claims to the contrary of these studies.

It was in fact, this report that has stated that the organizations have been lumping in bisexuals to increase the stats and services for the G&L groups. That there is not a clear enough definition of bisexuality used by different studies to make comparisons to determine more detailed information.

As far as "lifestyle" rather than sexuality being a cause of depression, where are the facts to back up this statement? This report makes no such statements other than to report that bisexuals had more self reporting on depression, health etc. in a large scale Canadian study compared to other sexualities. (I didn't read any reference to a NZ studies in this Human Rights Commission sumaries) Otherwise, it is one person's opinion and this person has a history of promoting certain pet concepts such as monogamy on this site .

Anyone who believes that money is granted for "studies" about sexuality or anything but not released for whatever reason, may be gullible. No study is kept secret and still receives funding unless it is "state secrets" or such things. It isn't the general public but the academic journals, conferences etc. that report on such matters. If this study could not be published it is more likely due to faulty research reporting methods. In other words the study lacked credibility by the researchers' peers. This given rationale is not scientifically credible and used to promote the poster's personal beliefs (again).

[Long Duck Dong]

"so they use broad spectrum data and adjust it to match the findings they want to present to people that are gullible enough to believe that the data is true"

So, it comes back to the 50/50 argument. LOL.

"Gonna rain?" "50% chance, might or might not."

This keeps reminding me of the quote from the movie Spartan. "When you go home, some people toss their hats, others don't ... it's all the same." I heard a similar phrasing from my uncle and grandfather who had both went through wars. And I've grown to see most of it as 'all the same', too.

It is kind of a bleak view but it is what it is out there. I might accept it. That doesn't imply I need to like it. Any wonder then, I rather just not be here at times? Vacuums are real fun. :-|

lol.....

I am bisexual, I am mentally ill and I am a smoker..... so am I one of the people that is deemed to be a mentally ill, smoking bisexual..... or am I one of the people that started smoking before I know about bisexuality and being sexually active, born with a mental illness and got PTSD from military service

if we remove the circumstances as to why I have a mental illness, and why and when I started smoking, we can protray me as a person that suffers a mental illness and smokes cos of my bisexuality......

they are all seperate issues.... but its easy to combine them into one and in the report and give the impression that bisexuals are more likely to be mentally ill smokers

but you do a survey in this site and I can quarantee that the results would be very different..... as you would be surveying bisexuals......

[void()]

Roger that.

Shoot I think being born causes cancer, now. Oh well.

[Long Duck Dong]

lol.... I was under the impression that the leading cause of death was actually your heart stopping and your brain dying..... but according to a lot of the studies, that doesn't kill you, its how you live that kills you...lol

[void()]

Not sure if you've read Carlos Castanada or not. At any given one the characters in his books say he knows when he'll die. The other character calls bs on him, the guy explains he'll dance when death comes. You're saying it's in how we live. Hopefully I can die wild and free (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jh7mLfmPkI&feature=related). :)