Although it may seem validating, the claim that everyone is at least a little bit bi is often used to minimize or even silence bi people when we talk about our needs or experiences. In 2019, the ONS found that 1.1% of the UK’s population identify as bisexual, that about 733150 people! Surely we can’t all be wrong? Everyone is bisexualĪlthough it might not seem like it, this misconception actually stems from the same assumption as above that everyone is bisexual but just settles into or chooses a ‘real’ sexuality. Bisexuality is just as much of a real, complete and permanent (for many) identity as being gay or straight. Thanks to Freud, many people still believe bisexuality is a phase that people go through during sexual immaturity, before settling into a single-gender attraction as they mature.īut this is far from the truth. Ten of the most common misunderstandings and the questions that arise from them make up the premise of my new book, Bi the Way.Īs Pride month draws to a close, here are five of the most persistent misconceptions about bisexuality, busted: No one is really bisexualĭespite the fact the word ‘bisexual’ has been in popular usage since the mid 20th century, and a bisexual movement has been bubbling since the 70s, plenty of people still believe that bisexuality isn’t actually a real or permanent identity. While bisexuality and the bi+ community has gained a lot of visibility over the past few decades, there is still lots of misinformation about what it means to be bi in public discourse. Here, Lois smashes these myths and explains why they’re untrue! We asked Lois Shearing, author of Bi the Way: The Bisexual Guide to Life, what the most commonly held misconceptions about bisexuality are.

Bi The Way by Lois Shearing