The Invisi_les: Biphobia, Bisexual Erasure and Their Impact on Mental Health
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19245/25.05.pij.4.1.4Keywords:
biphobia, bisexuality, erasure, invisbility, LGBT, heathcare, mental healthAbstract
In the last few years, research on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health increased, but little scientific literature has been focused on bisexual health. This critical review aims at understanding the relationship between discrimination towards bisexual people and their mental and physical health. The first part of the article reviews different forms of bisexual discrimination, such as biphobia, bisexual invisibility, and bi-erasure, showing how biphobia is different from homophobia, especially considering how heavily it is perpetrated inside and outside the community. The second part of the paper focuses on gathering data about bisexual people’s health, showing the differences with the gay and lesbian community, as well as the diverse effects that discrimination can have on physical and mental outcomes. Finally, the last part focuses on the healthcare experiences of bisexual people and what can be done to improve their health.
References
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Barker, M.J. (2015), “Depression and/or Oppression? Bisexuality and Mental Health”, Journal of Bisexuality, 15 (3): 369–384.
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Meyer, I.H. (2003), “Prejudice, Social Stress, and Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Populations: Conceptual Issues and Research Evidence”, Psychological Bulletin, 129 (5): 674–697.
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Rankin, S., Morton, J., and Bell, M. (2015), “Complicated? Bisexual People’s Experiences of and Ideas for Improving Services”, Equality Network. Available online at http://www.equality-network.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Complicated-Bisexual-Report.pdf (last accessed: November 9, 2019).
Ross, L.E., Salway, T., Tarasoff, L.A., MacKay, J.M., Hawkins, B.W., and Fehr, C.P. (2018), “Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety among Bisexual People Compared to Gay, Lesbian, and Heterosexual Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”, The Journal of Sex Research, 55 (4/5): 435–456.
San Francisco Human Right Commission (2011), Bisexual Invisibility: Impacts and Recommendations. Available online at https://sf-hrc.org/sites/default/files/Documents/HRC_Publications/Articles/Bisexual_Invisiblity_Impacts_and_Recommendations_March_2011.pdf (last accessed: November 9, 2019).
Steele, L.S., Ross, L.E., Dobinson, C., Veldhuizen, S., and Tinmouth, J.M. (2009), “Women’s Sexual Orientation and Health: Results from a Canadian Population-Based Survey”, Women & Health, 49 (5): 353–367.
Taliaferro, L.A., Gloppen, K.M., Muehlenkamp, J.J., and Eisenberg, M.E. (2018), “Depression and Suicidality among Bisexual Youth: A Nationally Representative Sample”, Journal of LGBT Youth, 15 (1): 16–31.
Yoshino, K. (2000), “The Epistemic Contract of Bisexual Erasure”, Stanford Law Review, 52 (2): 353–461.
Barker, M.J. (2015), “Depression and/or Oppression? Bisexuality and Mental Health”, Journal of Bisexuality, 15 (3): 369–384.
Brennan, D.J., Ross, L.E., Dobinson, C., Veldhuizen, S., and Steele, L.S. (2010), “Men’s Sexual Orientation and Health in Canada”, Canadian Journal of Public Health, 101 (3): 255–258.
Durso, L., and Meyer I. (2013), “Patterns and Predictors of Disclosure of Sexual Orientation to Healthcare Providers among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals”, Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 10 (1): 35–42.
Freud, S. (1905), Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, Oxford: Imago Publ. Co.
Friedman, M.R., Dodge, B., Schick, V., Herbenick, D., Hubach, R., Bowling, J., Goncalves, G., Krier, S., and Reece, M. (2014), “From Bias to Bisexual Health Disparities: Attitudes toward Bisexual Men and Women in the United States”, LGBT Health, 1 (4): 309–318.
GLAAD (2018), Where We Are on TV Report 2018. Available online at http://glaad.org/files/WWAT/WWAT_GLAAD_2018-2019.pdf (last accessed: November 9, 2019).
Herbenick, D., Reece, M., Schick, V., Sanders, S., Dodge, B., and Fortenberry, D. (2010), “Sexual Behavior in the United States: Results from a National Probability Sample of Men and Women Ages 14–94”, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7 (5): 255–265.
Institute of Medicine (2011), The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding, Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Johnson, H. (2016), “Bisexuality, Mental Health, and Media Representation”, Journal of Bisexuality, 16 (3): 378–396.
Kinsey, A. (1948), Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Krafft-Ebing, R.F.V. (1966), Psychopathia Sexualis, Milan: Carlo Manfredi Editore. Original work published in 1892.
Laumann, E.O., Gagnon, J.H., Michael, R.T., and Michaels, S. (1994), The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States, Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
Meyer, I.H. (2003), “Prejudice, Social Stress, and Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Populations: Conceptual Issues and Research Evidence”, Psychological Bulletin, 129 (5): 674–697.
Ochs, R. (2009), “What Is Bisexuality?”, in R. Ochs and S.E. Rowley (eds), Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals around the World, pp. 7–9, Boston, MA: Bisexual Resource Center.
Rankin, S., Morton, J., and Bell, M. (2015), “Complicated? Bisexual People’s Experiences of and Ideas for Improving Services”, Equality Network. Available online at http://www.equality-network.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Complicated-Bisexual-Report.pdf (last accessed: November 9, 2019).
Ross, L.E., Salway, T., Tarasoff, L.A., MacKay, J.M., Hawkins, B.W., and Fehr, C.P. (2018), “Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety among Bisexual People Compared to Gay, Lesbian, and Heterosexual Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”, The Journal of Sex Research, 55 (4/5): 435–456.
San Francisco Human Right Commission (2011), Bisexual Invisibility: Impacts and Recommendations. Available online at https://sf-hrc.org/sites/default/files/Documents/HRC_Publications/Articles/Bisexual_Invisiblity_Impacts_and_Recommendations_March_2011.pdf (last accessed: November 9, 2019).
Steele, L.S., Ross, L.E., Dobinson, C., Veldhuizen, S., and Tinmouth, J.M. (2009), “Women’s Sexual Orientation and Health: Results from a Canadian Population-Based Survey”, Women & Health, 49 (5): 353–367.
Taliaferro, L.A., Gloppen, K.M., Muehlenkamp, J.J., and Eisenberg, M.E. (2018), “Depression and Suicidality among Bisexual Youth: A Nationally Representative Sample”, Journal of LGBT Youth, 15 (1): 16–31.
Yoshino, K. (2000), “The Epistemic Contract of Bisexual Erasure”, Stanford Law Review, 52 (2): 353–461.
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Published
2019-11-26
How to Cite
Pennasilico, A., & Amodeo, A. L. (2019). The Invisi_les: Biphobia, Bisexual Erasure and Their Impact on Mental Health. PuntOorg International Journal, 4(1), 21–28. https://doi.org/10.19245/25.05.pij.4.1.4
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