Summary
In the sixth article of ILGA’s #TurnItOff campaign, Luz Elena Aranda Arroyo explains how biphobiathe fear, unreasonable anger, intolerance or/and hatred toward people attracted to more than one gender. More manifests itself differently than homophobiafear, unreasonable anger, intolerance or/and hatred directed towards people attracted to others of the same gender. More or lesbophobiafear, unreasonable anger, intolerance or/and hatred directed towards women attracted to other women. More
A woman raised her hand and said: “Could you describe an ordinary day in your life?”.
Alarm clock-coffee-bathroom-breakfast-take the child to the kindergarten-run to the office-mails-workshop-projects with the intention of changing the world which not necessarily achieve the goal-rehearsal, because artivism is rehearsed-run back to the kindergarten-I did not have time to eat-clay-songs for children-dinner-a beer-I hope to catch the new episode on Netflix without falling asleep.
What came next was a mixture of surprise and ‘disappointment’ from the audience.
“Well, what about the orgies?”, they seemed to ask themselves. “And the hundreds of partners? Do you have a child?”.
Biphobia manifests itself differently from homophobia and lesbophobia.
Bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders. More people suffer from discriminationunequal or unfair treatment which can be based on a range of grounds - such as age, ethnic background, disability, and diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions or sex characteristics, amongst others. More and prejudice both among heterosexuals and by many lesbians and gays.
Accepting yourself as a bisexual woman is not easy. Social prejudices that one has internalized do their own part, too. On more than one occasion I felt the need to justify myself for having chosen a partner rather than another one, for having a son in a mixed-orientation relationship, for not being lesbianadjective/noun to describe a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves. More enough but not heterosexual enough either.
But no, being bisexual has neither atrophied nor nullified my ability to choose, nor my willingness to choose whom I relate to and whom I do not. It has not made me any less reliable or more undecided. And no, I’m not confused.
And there is a saying among bisexual people that seems not to be clear to those who are not: a bisexual person feels sexual and emotional attraction towards people of more than one genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. More/sex, BUT not necessarily at the same time, in the same way , or with the same intensity … Like anyone among you (and that’s the secret).
Luz Elena Aranda Arroyo,
Las Reinas Chulas Cabaret y Derechos Humanos AC (Mexico),
ILGA Board member
This article is part of ILGA’s #TurnItOff campaign, where human rights defenders share their experiences and advice on how to speak up to silence the noise of LGBTI-phobia
Disclaimer: These articles are meant to offer a place for views, ideas and debate. The views expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the policy of ILGA, or the views of its board members or staff.
