The 'Queer Apologetic': Why Bisexuality is Often Erased by Both Sides

Health · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Bisexuality is frequently treated as a 'phase' or a 'cop-out' rather than a stable identity. From historical book burnings to modern legal invisibility, this erasure creates a unique double-bind: bisexual people often face exclusion from both heterosexual society and the very LGBTQ+ communities seeking to protect them.

Bisexual erasure—the tendency to ignore or falsify evidence of bisexuality—operates through several distinct mechanisms. Scholar Kenji Yoshino identifies three primary drivers: sexual orientation stabilization (relieving the anxiety of having one's identity questioned), the maintenance of gender as an erotic essential, and the preservation of monogamy. Because bisexuality can challenge the binary nature of gender and the assumption of 'intrinsic' non-monogamy, it is often resisted by both dominant and queer cultures. This results in a 'double-bind' where bisexual individuals may be dismissed as 'confused' by the public or 'not radical enough' by lesbian feminist circles. The erasure is also deeply structural. In legal contexts, bisexuality is often 'legally irrelevant' because plaintiffs are typically presumed to be either heterosexual or homosexual unless outed. When it does become relevant, it can complicate legal arguments that rely on a gender binary. This invisibility extends to history and literature; for example, the publishing firm John Murray burned Lord Byron's memoirs in 1824 to conceal his bisexuality, a denial that persisted into the 1950s. Even in modern awards, bisexual works were often forced into gay or lesbian categories until specific categories were established in 2006. The psychological toll of this invisibility is documented in research. Research involving 1,261 Australian cisgender adults revealed that Bi+ females who were either solo or with opposite-sex partners experienced poorer mental health than those identifying as gay or lesbian. This is often linked to the distress of identity erasure. Furthermore, some individuals engage in a 'queer apologetic,' where they may initially identify as bisexual but later adopt a gay or lesbian label to reconcile their attractions with social norms or to secure a sense of community membership.

theme perspective

mood reflective

difficulty 3 topics [

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• The 'Double Discrimination' of Bisexuality: Why Being 'Both' Can Mean Being 'Neither'
• The word bisexual began in a Victorian medical catalogue of sexuality
• Why your sexual identity is a psychological construct rather than a biological certainty
• Are modern labels for sexual orientation accurately capturing the complexity of human history?
• Why September 23rd Became the Global Day for Bisexual Pride and Visibility
• Blurred vision is more than just a need for glasses; it is a vital signal.
• Can wearable tech monitor sleep in the chaos of an ER?
• Why your brain may struggle to accurately perceive the shape of your own body
• Why your sense of balance is more than just an inner ear issue
• Are bone tumors always cancer, or is there more to the story?
• Why 'baby talk' is a sophisticated tool for cognitive development
• Could a temporary lack of blood flow trigger Alzheimer's disease?

More in Morbidity · More in Health · Latest · A–Z · All topics