Rebecca Bodenheimer, PhD
Former new york Council Speaker Christine Quinn delivered the world wide web into a tailspin early in the day this w eek whenever she labeled actress and newly established gubernatorial prospect Cynthia Nixon a lesbian” that is“unqualified. The uproar so far has primarily dedicated to the salaciousness of governmental infighting between two queer females. However, what’s lacking is a review of Quinn for mislabeling Nixon as being a lesbian. Nixon has known by herself as bisexual, and glossing over this distinction is a definite illustration of bi erasure, or the presumption that bisexuality just isn’t a genuine identification, but simply an intermediate end regarding the intimate orientation train which has just two possible locations: gay/lesbian and right. The apology did not relate to mislabeling Nixon’s stated sexual identity although Quinn later apologized for her comment.
While bisexuality is now a whole lot more noticeable in popular tradition within the previous several years by having a crucial escalation in bisexual figures on television in specific there are numerous stereotypes attached to the label. “On the fence,” “wishy washy,” “going through a phase”: they are all typical misconceptions about bi people. Unfortunately, a few of the stigma and bi erasure arises from the queer community, from self identified homosexual males and lesbians whom don’t believe bisexuality can be an authentic identity.
They continue to reinforce the heteronormative idea that sexuality is binary, that one must either be gay or straight while they are marginalized for their sexual orientation.
It’s interesting to compare the narrative about Nixon to that particular of Oregon Governor Kate Brown: whenever she ended up being elected the media identified her as bisexual, that I assume had been as a result of duplicated efforts on her behalf component which will make her identity that is sexual understood. Nixon hasn’t been as clear about her chosen labels; yet, she’s got been clear about her intimate and romantic history and the fact she’s enjoyed both women and men. One difference that is major both of these females is the fact that Brown is married to a person while Nixon is hitched to a lady. While this may well not look like a difference that is relevant with regards to queer identification politics, it really is.
Bi ladies hitched to guys are thought to be straight, and if they’re thinking about claiming their queerness publicly, must repeatedly turn out to those who don’t understand how they identify as it’s maybe not obvious from their range of partner. As the presumption of heterosexuality just isn’t astonishing, it should not be used for provided that a stand set for their sexual orientation. Bi individuals don’t have actually to be participating in romantic or intimate relationships with both genders in addition in purchase to recognize as bi; in reality, shaved pssy i might reckon that most bi individuals are in monogamous relationships at any moment. (Incidentally, the concept that most bi people are polyamorous is another misconception that is major non monogamy is practiced by folks of all sexual orientations.) Hence, i could just assume Brown publicly identifies as bisexual since it’s the best way for her to claim her queerness.
Nixon, having said that, is hitched to a lady and it is consequently thought by many people to be always a lesbian. As bi ladies have actually very long stated, there is certainly usually a specific stigma to determining as bi inside the lesbian community: “she’ll make you for the man” the most common stereotypes about bi females among lesbians, and grounds why numerous won’t consider dating bi females. In the LGBT community, then, Nixon has less explanation to wish to loudly claim her bisexuality, as she’d most likely be (and I’m yes she happens to be) derided by some lesbians as attempting to retain some component of heterosexual privilege by maybe not “fully committing” to your label of lesbian.
In the long run, it is not necessarily in regards to the specific terms Nixon utilizes to determine by herself. In the end, numerous bi people prefer the word “queer” with their self identification since it emphasizes the larger LGBT community to their connections; other people utilize various identification labels within various contexts. But, clearly mislabeling Nixon as a lesbian, as Quinn did, is a type of erasure which also reinforces binary notions about sex. It’s high time we stopped considering sex being an either/or occurrence and started using bi individuals at their term, even as we constitute definitely the group that is largest inside the LGBT community.