In my lifetime, I've watched society, or at least parts of it, swing from the assumption that if you're #questioning your sexual orientation, you must be #queer, because straight people would never need to question, to the assumption that if you're questioning, you must be straight, because #LGBTQ people "just know" that that's who they are and only silly, straight girls who want to steal attention from the so-called real queer people would make a big deal out of questioning their sexual orientation 🙄
And I'm finally in a place where I can say that both of these views are #biphobic, because when you're #bisexual, your feelings and experiences often don't fit into the straight or homosexual depictions of the world that you're given, so you very well may need more time to figure things out and go through a process of questioning. And I wish we had more honest representation of what that's like.
And I think it's sad that growing up, the only example I had of someone #questioning whether they were #queer was #Seinfeld, a show that, while I'm defending it with some #UnpopularOpinions is still deeply problematic. It's a show that, like every other show of that era, was #biphobic and participated in #BiErasure. And yet, I'm also weirdly grateful to it, because at least it was something when I had nothing, and now I can look back on that era of my life and rewatch it and realize how far I've come in my own journey.
And I also think it's sad that there really isn't more representation of characters questioning their sexual orientation, even today. I think today questioning is assumed to be something people don't do because we're all supposedly so accepting of the #LGBTQ community now, but for pretty much all of my life, I could have used some questioning representation.
Horrifically bierasing and biphobic statements by Leigh Sales & Lisa Millar on The ABC TV show-linked The Newsreader Podcast Episode 1 regarding Helen & Dale's relationship. Shame on the ABC for boosting stigma about the B in LGBTQIA+, causing real harm to bisexual people.
Update: the wonderful, diverse, creative team behind the show have responded to flagging of this, and the offensive section of Sales & Millar's podcast is GONE 😊
10 #Comebacks For When Someone Says Something #Biphobic.
We’ve detailed repeatedly (because #fools need to hear it) biphobic comments #ignorant #people of all #orientations #sling at #bi folks.
Also @Gargron did you know the most common type of #BiPhobia is #BiSexual Erasure?
It has many forms but one of them is:
'Leaving out the bisexual community in LGBTQ+ advocacy'.
https://www.health.com/mind-body/lgbtq-health/bi-erasure
By not including #BiPhobia in the template, it is an act of #BiSexualErasure, which means the template is unfortunately #BiPhobic.
#BiSexuals & #GenX are frequently 'forgotten' about, being both is certainly an experience.
****PSA****
Dudes: when a woman tells you that <thing> is #sexist. Believe them.
White people: when a POC tells you that <thing> is #racist. Believe them.
Straights: When someone who is LGBTQIA+ tells you that <thing> is #homophobic / #biphobic /etc. Believe them.
Cis people: when someone who is trans tells you that <thing> is #transphobic. Believe them.
PEOPLE! IN! POWER! DON’T! GET! TO! DICTATE! WHAT! IS! AND! ISN’T! BIGOTRY!
ffs. This isn’t hard.