Why bi visibility is important
Bisexual people make up the majority of the LGBTQ+ community, but they experience some of the worst health outcomes. Recent data from a Census Bureau national survey showed that 45% of bisexual adults experience depression or anxiety, compared to 32% of gay/lesbian adults and 18% of straight adults. Bisexual adults also reported less social support compared to gay/lesbian and straight adults.
Isolation and lack of community are some of the biggest consequences of bi invisibility. If there are so many bisexual people, why are there not more efforts to improve bi+ mental health? Why is it so hard for us as bi+ people to connect with each other and have social support? The short answer: bi erasure and bi invisibility.
What is bi visibility?
Bi visibility is the anecdote to bi erasure. Bi visibility means that bi+ people are acknowledged, validated, and not misrepresented as being straight or gay. The more bi+ people and bi+ identities are treated as valid, the greater chance you have as a bi+ person to find affirming community and have better mental health.
September 23rd is now known as Bi Visibility Day or Celebrate Bisexuality Day. This is a day when you might find various online and in-person celebrations. It’s an opportunity to find local or national bi+ community.
The mental health benefits of bi+ visibility
There can be differences in how much you are out as queer (aka not straight) versus how much you’re out as bi. Research shows that the more you are visible in your bi identity, the more authenticity you experience, and the greater mental health outcomes you experience (Brownfield & Brown, 2022).
Some specific benefits to being out and visible as bi include:
-Greater authenticity
-Feeling less stressed and sad
-Openness to exploring other identities
-Improved mental health
-Greater engagement in advocacy
-Improved relationships
-Greater awareness of privilege and oppression
Where to find bi+ community?
Online:
In-person:
Bisexual Organizing Project in Minneapolis-St Paul, MN
BECAUSE Conference in Minneapolis-St Paul, MN
This blog is informed by the following psychological research:
Brownfield, J. M., & Brown, C. (2022). The relations among outness, authenticity, and well-being for bisexual adults. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 9(1), 71–80. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000390
Brownfield, J. M., Brown, C., Jeevanba, S. B., & VanMattson, S. B. (2018). More than simply getting bi: An examination of coming out growth for bisexual individuals. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 5(2), 220–232. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000282
If you would like a PDF of this research article, please feel free to contact me via email (jenna@drjennabrownfield.com) and I will gladly share it with you.
