Internalized Binegativity, LGBQ+ Community Involvement, and Definitions of Bisexuality

Bisexual people can internalize stigma from both heterosexual and gay/lesbian communities, which often occurs in the form of monosexism, the belief that people should only be attracted to one gender. Although community involvement is protective for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer+ (LGBQ+) people, bisexual people may benefit more from bisexual-specific communities than LGBQ+ communities because of monosexism. Further, how bisexual people define their identity may be related to internalized binegativity, especially given the historical invisibility of bisexuality in mainstream media and recent debates about the definition of bisexuality within LGBQ+ communities. We examined LGBQ+ and bisexual-specific community involvement, definitions of bisexuality, and internalized binegativity among an online sample of 816 bisexual adults. Multivariate regression analyses showed that those with spectrum definitions, which acknowledged the nuanced understanding of sex, gender, and sexuality, reported lower internalized binegativity than those with binary definitions, which described sexuality as consistent with mainstream norms. Involvement in LGBQ+ communities, but not bisexual communities, was associated with lower internalized binegativity. There was no interaction between the type of definition and type of community involvement. Our results suggest that broad community involvement may be protective for internalized binegativity, but findings should be considered in light of a lack of well-funded, local bisexual communities. The current study adds to a growing literature on sexual minority stressors among bisexual people, a population that continues to be understudied.

The views and experiences of bisexual people regarding their psychosocial support needs: a qualitative evidence synthesis

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Bisexual people experience significantly poorer mental health and higher rates of self-harm and suicidality than their gay, lesbian or heterosexual counterparts. Although little is understood about why these disparities exist, bisexual people have been found to have unique life experiences that separate them from other sexual minority groups. Despite these health disparities and unique experiences, in research and in clinical settings, bisexual people are often incorporated under the LGBTQI+ umbrella and their needs are not seen as being different to those of other sub-groups. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This paper brings together the findings of the small but growing body of literature reporting on the psychosocial support needs of bisexual people. The findings reported on herein provide novel insights, collated and synthesized that will prove valuable to policy makers, service providers and researchers. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: This paper clearly illustrates that bisexual people experience significant barriers to accessing the support services they need and that current competent service provision for this population is severely limited. The findings presented in this paper shed light on the unique psychosocial needs of bisexual people and highlight the need for practice change to reduce barriers to service access and ensure inclusive and culturally competent care for this community. ABSTRACT: Introduction Despite consistent evidence of poor mental health among what is a relatively large population group, research examining bisexual mental health remains sparse. Aim To identify the psychosocial needs of people who are bisexual and establish factors that may support or inhibit access to appropriate psychosocial interventions and supports. Method A qualitative evidence syntheses of the empirical evidence. Results A total of 15 papers were included in the review. The PRISMA process was used. Following data analysis, four main themes emerged that were (a) experiences of being bisexual, (b) mental health experiences and concerns, (c) service access and responses and (iv) communities and supports. Discussion Bisexual people have unique and specific psychosocial support needs that relate to, but are also different from, the needs of the broader LGBTIQ+ community. This study provides valuable insights into how future policy, practice, education and training and research can better address the needs of this highly vulnerable group. Implications for Practice This study highlights the psychosocial complexities associated with bisexuality and provides evidence for the need for improvement in current support services to ensure inclusivity and culturally competent care.