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Should the 'B' Be Removed from 'LGBTQ'?

Is being bisexual easier than being gay?

By Thomas JonPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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I recently saw an online post stating that the B should be removed from LGBTQ. As a bisexual myself, this really made me think. The argument was that bisexual individuals have it "easier" than gay people—the reason being that it's easier to hide your sexuality as a bisexual person. Which is mostly true, a gay person may enter a heterosexual relationship in order to hide their true sexual preferences, thus entirely denying who they are—whilst a bisexual would be able to quite happily live in a relationship with someone of the opposite sex. I agreed with this until someone said to me, "But what if you're a bisexual who's in love with someone of the same gender. You'd still be unhappy with your heterosexual relationship, even if you are still attracted to members of the opposite sex." Again, this is true. A gay person would be unhappy hiding who they really are, but being bisexual doesn't automatically mean you're not unhappy about hiding your feelings.

Whilst the notion that being bisexual means you have it easy made me think, it also hurt me. Bisexuals still face prejudice. If you're bi and you've never been told "you're just greedy," or "you can't make your mind up," or "it's just a phase" then you've been very lucky. In our modern world, most (if not all) people accept that gays exist—they may not like it, but they know they exist. Yet there are still a lot of people that believe that you simply cannot be attracted to both genders, and hearing someone say that hurts. It invalidates you and your feelings. The aforementioned notions that bisexuals are simply greedy or can't make their minds up are huge problems as they create lots of other stigmas. Such as the idea that if you date a bisexual person, they are more likely to leave you, as they will ditch you for someone of the other gender. Bisexuals are attracted to both males and females; this doesn't mean they are any less committed to their relationships than heterosexuals are.

Unfortunately, the prejudice and disbelief surrounding bisexuals means that a great deal of bisexuals who decide to come out, actually come out as gay or lesbian. They effectively exit one closet to enter another. Scientists are frequently studying what makes a person homosexual, proving that it isn't simply a "choice," but rather something hereditary, or something in their genetic makeup. Once science validates a concept, it becomes more acceptable to a lot of people. Take evolution, for example. I'm sure a lot of people rejected the idea when it was first broached, saying that it wasn't possible. In time, scientific fact and proof meant that it became a more accepted idea. Studies into bisexuality aren't as common, and as of yet there appears to be no scientific explanation for what may cause that sexual orientation. As such, it is sometimes easier for one to identify as gay than face the confusion and lack of information that surrounds bisexuality.

The LGBTQ community is generally an inclusive and accepting one, and being a part of it makes dealing with the prejudice easier. Feeling understood, and being a part of a group like that is like having an invisible army at your back supporting you. To tell bisexuals that they're not allowed to be a part of that community is discriminative in itself, and it's cruel. Maybe we do have it a little easier in some respects, but we didn't choose who we are. So no, I don't think the B should be removed, and I hope other people don't, either.

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About the Creator

Thomas Jon

Thomas, 21, Greater Manchester, Journalism student

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