Faces of biphobia inside (and outside) the LGBTQIAP+ community: reflections from bisexual people's narratives

Abstract

The aim of this article is to investigate the different manifestations of biphobia, especially within the LGBTQIAP+ community. For this purpose, a survey was carried out with six bisexual people, whose reports were submitted to content analysis. The results show that biphobia manifests itself in aspects such as the hypersexualization of bisexuals and the pressure to choose a “definitive” sexual orientation. We argue that bisexual people face difficulties to be embraced by the LGBTQIAP+ community, as their affective/sexual practices are considered illegitimate and their experiences tend to be invalidated. This context of exclusion aggravates feelings such as loneliness and identity confusion. Thus, the bisexual people face a particular dynamic of violence that produces relevant effects on their mental health.