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There is a "B" in LGBTQ, and it's the part of the acronym that often gets overlooked. Even though more young people identify as LGBTQ than ever before and there are more allies than ever standing alongside us, there is still stigma and erasure around bisexuality.
To start, not everyone who is attracted to more than one gender prefers to identify as "bisexual." They may prefer "pansexual" or "queer." While there is overlap, these terms have distinct differences. And some people use multiple labels — for instance, I identify as both bisexual and queer. But no matter which specific label or combination of labels people use, the idea that someone could be attracted to more than one gender still seems to trip people up.
"I've been out as bisexual since I was 17, and seeing bi-erasure happen so frequently makes me feel like this label is still needed to help give voice to those who are currently marginalized," says Liz Powell, PsyD, an LGBTQ-friendly sex educator and coach, and licensed psychologist.
To help educate people about the "B" in LGBTQ, I've rounded up some common misconceptions about bisexuality that need to die.
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