Bisexuality (eBook)

D. Joye Swan, PhD Dr. Swan has been studying sexual behavior for over twenty years. The common feature in all of her research is using social psychological theory to understand and change stigma and prejudice in relation to sexual minorities beginning with her research on aversive discrimination against homosexual males to her most recent research on defining, labeling, and understanding the origins and impact of biphobia. Along with Dr. Habibi, she has recently completed two large scale studies which follow up on and expand their research on how heterosexuals define bisexuality and under what conditions they will apply that definition to either males or females. Shani Habibi, PhD Dr. Habibi is an assistant professor of psychology at Mount Saint Mary’s University and a licensed clinical psychologist. Her main research interests are in the areas of sexuality with a focus on bisexuality.  She is trained as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist as well as a Systemic Therapist and has treated clients in a variety of clinical settings, including bisexuals. Currently, she educates marriage and family therapists on how to treat bisexuals in a clinical setting and is on the board of the Lesbian and Gay Psychotherapy Association (soon to be the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Psychotherapy Association).

Acknowledgments 6
Introduction 7
Contents 13
Contributors 15
1: Mapping Bisexual Studies: Past and Present, and Implications for the Future 17
Introduction 18
Ninteenth and Twentieth Centuries: Conceptions and Research about Bisexuality 18
Bisexuality and Research 21
Studies of Bisexual Identity Development/Management 21
Health/Disparities Research: Bisexual as Risk? 23
Bisexuality within Academia 26
Mapping the Future of Bisexuality Studies 28
References 31
2: Models and Measures of Sexual Orientation 35
Introduction 35
The Kinsey Homosexual–Heterosexual Rating Scale 36
Klein Sexual Orientation Grid (KSOG) 38
Storms Erotic Response and Orientation Scale 43
Sexual Identity Model 45
The Multidimensional Scale of Sexuality 46
Savin-Williams Assessment of Sexual Orientation 48
Sexual Configurations Theory 48
Conclusion 49
General Critiques of the Models and Measures 49
References 51
3: Defining Bisexuality: Challenges and Importance of and Toward a Unifying Definition 53
Why we need a definition of bisexuality 55
Who should define bisexuality? Society, the self, and science 56
Society as the definer. At the macro level, particularly in the USA, categorizing people based on their sexual orientation is widespread and triggers ingroup/outgroup social striations. For example, when heterosexual (Swan & Habibi, 2015) and e
The self as definer. The social belief that bisexuality is not a true orientation for either men or women exacerbates the problem of bisexual invisibility as well as the problem of defining a bisexual orientation. One way to negate social definit 57
Science as the definer. As I noted previously, the lack of a standardized definition of bisexuality has important consequences for researchers and their research. Without such a definition, not only are cross-study comparisons difficult, but w 59
What constructs should be included in a definition of bisexuality? 60
Summary, conclusions, and, at long last, a definition 69
References 72
4: Plurisexual Identity Labels and the Marking of Bisexual Desire 77
Conceptualizing Sexual Orientation 78
Sexual Identity and Sexual Marking 82
Marking Bisexuality across Time and Context 86
References 87
5: Bisexuality in Society 92
Introduction 92
Dominant Views of Sexuality 93
The Invisibility of Bisexuality: Absence, Appropriation, and Assimilation 96
Invisible Lives: Implications for Bisexual People 103
New Movements Towards bi-Visibility 104
Conclusion 104
References 105
6: Binegativity: Attitudes Toward and Stereotypes About Bisexual Individuals 109
Introduction 110
Content of Binegativity 110
Attitudes toward Bisexual Individuals—Gender and Sexual Orientation Differences 112
Factors Associated with Binegativity 116
Experimental Studies Examining Binegativity 117
Reducing Binegativity—Interventions and Promising Directions 120
General Conclusion 122
References 122
7: Female Bisexuality: Identity, Fluidity, and Cultural Expectations 126
Introduction 126
Self-Identity 128
Sexual Fluidity 130
Performative Bisexuality 132
Cultural Framings of Female Bisexuality 133
Conclusion: The Future of Female Bisexuality 135
References 136
8: The Male Bisexual Experience 140
The Number of Bisexual Men in the USA 141
Stigma toward Bisexual Men 141
Identity Development and Disclosure 147
Bisexual Men and Relationships 149
Bisexual Men’s Health 150
Bisexual Men and Resilience 150
Conclusion 151
Future Directions 152
References 152
9: Romantic and Sexual Relationship Experiences Among Bisexual Individuals 157
Introduction 158
Stigma Related to Dating Bisexual Individuals 158
Relationship Involvement, Mental Health, and Stigma Experiences 160
Maintaining a Bisexual Identity in the Context of a Relationship 162
Relationship Challenges Experienced by Behaviorally Bisexual Individuals Who Do Not Self-Identify as Bisexual 164
Intimate Partner Violence 166
Sexual Health 167
Conclusion 168
References 170
10: Well-Being: Bisexuality and Mental and Physical Health 176
Introduction 177
Mental and Physical Health 178
Mental Health 178
Physical Health 181
Considerations for Mental Health Practitioners 184
Assessment 184
Coming out 189
Education and Training 191
Case Management 192
Advocacy 192
Conclusion 193
References 194
Concluding Remarks: A Perspective on Envisioning Bisexuality as Inclusive, Celebratory, and Liberatory 200
Introduction 200
Inclusive Bisexuality 201
Celebratory Bisexuality 203
Liberatory Bisexuality 203
References 204
Correction to: Bisexuality: Theories, Research, and Recommendations for the Invisible Sexuality 205
Correction to: D. J. Swan and S. Habibi (eds), Bisexuality, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71535-3 205
Index 206