TY - JOUR
T1 - Bi+ Visibility
T2 - Characteristics of Those Who Attempt to Make Their Bisexual+ Identity Visible and the Strategies They Use
AU - Davila, Joanne
AU - Jabbour, Jeremy
AU - Dyar, Christina
AU - Feinstein, Brian A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - There are numerous forms of stigma that contribute to the de-legitimization and erasure of bisexual and other non-monosexual identities (collectively referred to as bisexual+ or bi+ identities). To reduce such stigma, efforts are needed to increase bi+ visibility. Little is known, however, about whether bisexual+ individuals attempt to attain greater bi+ visibility (i.e., make their bisexual+ identity visible to others) and, if so, how they do this. Using data from a mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) internet survey study of 397 individuals reporting attractions to more than one gender, we examined the proportion who attempted to attain greater bi+ visibility, the strategies they used to do so, and factors that distinguished those who made bi+ visibility attempts from those who did not. Results indicated that 58% made bi+ visibility attempts, with the most common being direct verbal communication (e.g., telling others) and visual displays (e.g., wearing bi/pride clothing, jewelry, tattoos). Less common attempts included indirect forms of communication, engagement in LGBT-related activities, and public behavioral displays. Those who made bi+ visibility attempts differed from those who did not on variables related to identity (e.g., centrality, self-affirmation, community connection) and internalized binegativity. Implications for understanding the reasons for and for not making bi+ visibility attempts, as well as the potential consequences of doing so, are discussed.
AB - There are numerous forms of stigma that contribute to the de-legitimization and erasure of bisexual and other non-monosexual identities (collectively referred to as bisexual+ or bi+ identities). To reduce such stigma, efforts are needed to increase bi+ visibility. Little is known, however, about whether bisexual+ individuals attempt to attain greater bi+ visibility (i.e., make their bisexual+ identity visible to others) and, if so, how they do this. Using data from a mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) internet survey study of 397 individuals reporting attractions to more than one gender, we examined the proportion who attempted to attain greater bi+ visibility, the strategies they used to do so, and factors that distinguished those who made bi+ visibility attempts from those who did not. Results indicated that 58% made bi+ visibility attempts, with the most common being direct verbal communication (e.g., telling others) and visual displays (e.g., wearing bi/pride clothing, jewelry, tattoos). Less common attempts included indirect forms of communication, engagement in LGBT-related activities, and public behavioral displays. Those who made bi+ visibility attempts differed from those who did not on variables related to identity (e.g., centrality, self-affirmation, community connection) and internalized binegativity. Implications for understanding the reasons for and for not making bi+ visibility attempts, as well as the potential consequences of doing so, are discussed.
KW - Bisexual
KW - Identity
KW - Internalized binegativity
KW - Minority stress
KW - Non-monosexual
KW - Sexual orientation
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85056334085&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10508-018-1284-6
DO - 10.1007/s10508-018-1284-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 30413988
AN - SCOPUS:85056334085
SN - 0004-0002
VL - 48
SP - 199
EP - 211
JO - Archives of Sexual Behavior
JF - Archives of Sexual Behavior
IS - 1
ER -