Scientists began to observe homosexual relationships within the animal kingdom in the 19th century. Same-sex and mixed-sex relations are widespread in the animal world. As many as 1,500 species engage in homosexual behavior in the wild. Ranging from insects to mammals, homosexual tendencies are ingrained and accepted among members of the same species as simply sex. At times, homosexual behaviors were considered an abomination, and animals were castrated or given lobotomies — mirroring modern-day conversion therapy camp practices. The observations of same-sex patterns in nature demonstrate that sexual orientation boundaries in human society are socially constructed definitions. The socially constructed labels debunk the argument that bisexuality is a new fad among young people.
Social constructionism takes the characteristics of the current time or place and institutes hierarchies that we live in during our everyday lives. The idea that bisexuality is an invented identity and that heterosexuality is neutral or normal is pushed in society. As seen through natural tendencies, heteronormative relationships should not be the standard by which we judge all other types of relationships. Therefore, we should not treat queer relationships as a phase but as a natural and innate love.
True allyship toward the LGBTQ+ community is not thinking of queerness as something merely cool or trendy but as someone’s soul yearning for love.
The Atlantic published an article in January calling upon the United States to apologize to gay people for attempts to erase their identity. After reading this, I am reminded that still, 200 years after scientists began to observe homosexual relationships, society continues to shame and erase bisexuality. In the past, people believed that one person was simply gay or straight with no room for fluidity. Now, we understand sexuality to be more fluid than these two simple categories.
Historically, queer people have feared coming out because of the societal and physical abuse that those who had the courage to embrace their true identities faced; currently, bisexual individuals fear society will invalidate their identity. In some situations, bisexuality is something people fetishize as new or hip. Even on Instagram, memes mock and sexualize bisexual people to an egregious effect. Bisexuality is neither a meme nor a sham, and while I am grateful that as a society we are not shaming people for their queerness, it is also inhumane to fetishize someone for their identity. Furthermore, homophobic individuals spread misinformation, degrading and claiming that everyone in younger generations is bisexual. This is a statement that does not explore all necessary nuances.
Some individuals also claim that there is an increasing number of queer people now than in previous decades. This statement is false, and it creates the image that queerness is something manufactured and not intrinsic. The implication of such a statement is that queerness is something that may be popular and cool now but will eventually subside. While research has shown that there are increasing numbers of people who identify as bisexual over gay or lesbian, sexuality is hard to measure because of the fluidity that is inherent in sexual orientation. There are also increasing numbers of people who have the confidence to identify themselves outside of the heterosexual-homosexual binary. Of course, homosexuality is still stigmatized. However, researchers attribute that access to another, less rigid sexuality category has led to there being a higher reported number of bisexual individuals in recent years. Younger people are more likely to identify as bisexual partially because they are more accepting of queer people as a whole. Young people also seem to be falling in love with others regardless of their gender. People are not adventuring with their sexuality simply for show but because of their innate interest in exploring themselves.
When talking with friends on campus, students should be wary of comparing people’s queerness. No version of queerness is better or more socially acceptable than another. It is essential to view people’s identities through an intersectional lens rather than a comparative one. Thus, emphasizing the interconnectivity between those in the LGBTQ+ community rather than the competition between different identity groups is essential. True allyship is being present for friends through all expressions of their queerness. This is done by practicing empathic curiosity and keeping up with the gender expression or sexuality preferences of your LGBTQ+ friends. It is essential to recognize that sexual boundaries are a construct to deem one group of people as undesirable. People should acknowledge that sexuality is fluid and embrace the flexibility that comes with looking for and finding partners.
Bisexuality is not new or a fad. It has existed and can be used to empower individuals to express themselves to the fullest extent. Bisexuality is not an experiment — it is legitimate.
Lola McGuire (26C) is from Nashville, Tenn.
