#bipan discourse
Listen, I usually do not get involved in discourse, but as a tired and frustrated bi man I want to say something. I’m sure it’s been pointed out time and again but I have to throw in my two cents. (I’ve tagged the post with “discourse” for those followers here who wish to block the tag because I know this is going to lead to a major debate.)
Bi/pan discourse solves nothing, is useless, and makes the entire non-monosexual community look bad.
There are MANY other issues to fight against. Eternally shit-slinging over other (VALID, MAY I ADD) multisexual identities is not one of these issues. Pansexuality and omnisexuality are valid multisexual identities, fluid is a valid multisexual identity, polysexual is a valid multisexual identity. Bi+ organisations have recognised these identities for decades, and consider them valid identities. Hell even some of the most prominent bi+ activists consider themselves one of these identities (including queer) in addition to bisexual.
So here’s my suggestion to fellow bisexuals on Tumblr.
Instead of constantly debating over what identities are/aren’t valid, having a “holier than thou” mindset over people who use pansexual/fluid/queer/etc., and demonising and policing those who use an alternate term to describe their multi-gender attraction, why not try putting all your attention in fighting against and/or helping to solve these issues:
Bi+ people having higher suicide rates, higher addiction rates, and poorer mental and physical health than gay/lesbian and heterosexual people
Bi+ women facing higher rates of abuse and domestic violence when compared to lesbians and straight women
Bi+ people having little to no representation in popular culture, and even if it is representation it’s a very inaccurate depiction (such as upholding biphobic stereotypes)
Bi+ people having our histories and identities erased and rewritten to fit a monosexual (and usually heteronormative) perspective
Biphobia in everyday life, which can often turn into violence and in turn lead to the death of a bi+ individual (whether suicide or not)
