9/29/05

The Unapparent Bisexual

By Adrienne Hill

An increased amount of women are having same-sex encounters and admitting to being bisexual, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study found that 11.5 percent of women (18 to 44) said they’ve had at least one sexual experience with another woman. The percentage rose 7.5 percent from a survey conducted just one decade earlier. At the current rate of growth, by 2045 over half of the female population will be bisexual.

For women in their late teens and 20’s, the percentage rose 14 percent.

According to famed sex researcher Alfred Kinsey’s sexual continuum scale, these results are not so surprising. The scale is from, zero to six, describing sexual orientation as one fluid continuum. Placed at zero on the scale are heterosexuals, gay/lesbians are at the opposite end of the scale, and all those in between, from one to five, are bisexuals.

While the report indicates a rise in bisexuality among women, reasons for the increase have yet to studied, although growing acceptance appears to be directly linked to the media and entertainment industries.

“Popular mediums are popularizing homosexuality and bisexuality. Acceptance starts in the media and slowly trickles down,” said Ivy Chen, human sexuality lecturer at SF State.

The coming out of Ellen, Will & Grace, numerous movies, The Real World (a show known to display “heterosexual” women making out), and the Madonna and Brittany Spears infamous kiss have all contributed to the growing acceptance of bisexuality in our culture.

“In the mind of men, two women together hints to the potential of a three-some, that is one reason there is a growing acceptance of lesbianism and bisexuality among women. So much of it has to do with gender stereotypes, said Chen

“Whole social perception of sexuality goes in cycles – were on an up-swing,” said Nina Mariswami, computer science major at SF State.

Lani Kaa’humanu, 62, alumni at SF State believes that bisexuality is not in an up swing; it’s just that people are defined by the sex or gender of the partner they are with.

“If two women are holding hands down the street, they are seen as two lesbians, not two bisexuals. Bisexuals disappear in a heterosexual world,” said Kaa’humanu.

According to Kaa’humanu, bisexuality among women may not be on a rise; it’s just that the only bisexuals visible are the single ones. She does agree, however, that more persons come out as bisexual because it is more visible in American culture.

While attending the newly formed women’s studies courses at SF State, Kaa’humanu came out as a lesbian. “Back then there were no such thing as a bisexual.” She was forced to choose either or so she chose lesbian despite feeling an attraction to both sexes.

Women may choose to have same-sex encounters for many reasons including having decreased anxiety about disease transmission, experimentation, and also to help transition to becoming a lesbian.

“Sex identity is more complex and may contain many components of attraction,” said Chen.

Albeit Chen believes in the existence of true bisexuality she also believes that more float in between for the fear of being labeled as gay.

According to Kaa’humanu, bisexuality among women may not be on a rise; it’s just that the only bisexuals visible are the single ones.

While the existence of bisexuality among women is undeniable, many debate and research about whether bisexuality among men actually exists.

The results of a study published in a recent issue of Psychological Science showed no indication of bisexual genital arousal.

Also, there has been no study that shows bisexuality only exists within the chemistry make-up of women. “It’s not about the plumbing, it’s about the electricity,” said Kaa’humanu.