The videos above highlight conversations around the identity of bisexuality and discuss some of the stereotypes that exist.

The University of Illinois at Chicago also published a webpage of Common Myths of Bisexuality, which addresses and debunks myths that surround the identity. The myths covered are:

• There is no such thing as bisexual. You’re either gay/lesbian or straight, no in between
• Bisexuals are confused about their sexuality. They can’t have it both ways… they have to make a choice
• Everybody is bisexual
• To be bisexual, you have to love both genders equally
• You can’t be bisexual and be faithful to one person
• Bisexuals are much more likely to carry sexually transmitted diseases/infections
• Bisexuals are more accepted by straight society

Microaggression: common verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile or negative slights to marginalized groups. Perpetrators of microaggressions are often unaware that they engage in such interactions when they interact with minorities. (Fordham University)

Microaggressions are an incredibly important aspect of privilege and oppression that need to be addressed. Microaggressions focus more on the impact of the words or actions than the intent behind them, meaning that you could be very well intended but still be microaggressive.

The Microagressions Project is a website dedicated to collecting stories on this issue. I highly recommend reading it because the stories bring to light the different ways in which one might perpetuate oppression and privilege. There are plenty of ways in the US that are microaggressive that if you’re in a position of power/privilege or not a social critic might not seem like they perpetuate issues.

If someone from a marginalized community points out a microaggression that you say or do, the important thing is to not get defensive but instead focus on how to change your words and actions. The focus isn’t on you but instead on how others around you feel. The easy way out is to throw the issue back at the person bringing light to the issue.

Barbara Diamond, a lawyer in Portland, OR, created a film called Reveal Moments, which deals with racial microaggressions that have occurred to individuals. The trailer is the video above but her website will direct you to the ways in which to access the entire film. It’s not a particularly long film and is incredibly powerful in showing how what is said and done to others really matters.

With this all in mind, it’s very important to consider the way in which you speak and interact with others. While you might not see how something is offensive, it’s important to keep in mind that you are probably shielded by your privilege and position in the world. There are plenty of ways to carry out microaggressions (being “colorblind” is a big one) and instead of getting defensive when people point out your own privilege and microaggressions, learn from what you’re doing wrong.

“My favorite definition for bisexuality so far is the one popularized by (the wonderful) bisexual activist Robyn Ochs. Ochs says,

“I call myself bisexual because I acknowledge that I have in myself the potential to be attracted—romantically and/or sexually—to people of more than one sex, and/or gender, not necessarily at the same time, not necessarily in the same way, and not necessarily to the same degree.”

This is by far the broadest and most enabling definition of bisexuality that I’ve found to date. Its strength is in the way it enables anyone who wants to identify as bisexual to do so. (In other words, it reassures people.) In a world in which bisexuality is usually very narrowly defined, many people who experience bisexual desire, and want to identify as bi, often feel afraid to start (or keep) identifying as such, as they feel as though they “don’t qualify.” The role that an enabling definition for bisexuality can fulfill to counter these feelings of internalized biphobia is invaluable—and I feel that Ochs’s definition does just that. It reassures people that they are “allowed” to identify as bisexual if they wish to do so.”

Shiri Eisner, from her 2013 Book “Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution” (p. 21-22)

“Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”

G.D Anderson

The video above highlights the muxe population in the city of Juchitan, Oaxaca in Mexico and also highlights an annual celebration in November called the Vigil of the Authentic Intrepid Searchers of Danger, which is a grand ball and where a queen is selected and crowned by the mayor.

The New York Times published an article called “A Lifestyle Distinct: the Muxe of Mexico”in 2008 that highlights the muxe culture, starting off with the fact that Mexico as a whole is not known for being open about homosexuality.

In the city of Juchitan, there are men, women, and muxes. Muxes are male assigned at birth, raised a women, and live as women all their lives. Muxes are the third gender in the city and the acceptance in the area can be traced back to pre-Colombian Mexico. There are accounts of Aztec priest crossdressing and Mayan gods who were male and female at the same time. However, this was relatively squashed out when the Spanish came in the 1500s and forced conversion to Catholicism. The traditions of muxes remained, as the area around Juchitan remains fairly traditional still.

Each muxe can identify and express differently. Some will dress as women and take hormones, while others will still wear male clothes. However, most will take on traditional female roles and will sell in the market, embroider, and cook at home. There are some that will become sex workers.

“The feminist movement likes to think of itself as being anti-oppression, anti-racism, anti-homophobia and anti-transphobia. And I do think that most feminists believe in these ideas in theory; unfortunately, many of them have a harder time putting these concepts into practice. There’s a tendency to ignore or even silence queer women, trans* women and women of colour, and while I don’t think that this silencing is intentional, exactly, I do think that many people, even those working within the feminist movement, don’t want to address this problem or even acknowledge that it happens.
Here’s the thing: when someone from an oppressed group speaks up, you listen. You shut your mouth and you listen. You don’t tell them that we’re all women, here, and the issues that we’re working to resolve are issues that affect all women. You don’t discount their lived experiences by countering with your own examples of being oppressed as a white woman. And finally, you most fucking do not pretend that sexism experienced by women of colour or queer women or trans women is exactly the same as what you’ve experienced. Because it’s not; it’s worse. Get off your high horse, acknowledge your privilege, and let someone else have the microphone for a while. Feminism isn’t an egalitarian movement if it’s only promoting the rights of white, educated, middle-class women.”

From: 10 Signs that Feminism May Not Be For You | The Outlier Collective