Celebrating Pride as a Bisexual

So, speaking on behalf of all bisexuals everywhere… there’s no such thing as a universal bisexual experience! Whoops, gotcha!

Welcome to Pride Month, except we have already warned you that we are taking 2 months and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

This year’s pride celebrations are particularly significant to me, because it’s the first year that I’ll be participating.

I never really considered myself “in the closet”, but I was never really Out either. When I was younger, I only really dated boys because that’s who was asking.

It was only a few years ago that I really started leaning into my sexuality and embracing it as a part of myself.

But that hasn’t been easy all the time. It’s easy to think of bisexuality as the Best of Both Worlds (is it too early for a Hannah Montana reference? Just kidding, it never is), but a lot of the time it feels like neither side really accepts you.

Are you a straight person trying to be more interesting or co-opt the LGBTQ+ movement? Are you a gay person trying to be more societally acceptable or too afraid to be out?

Will people ever stop assuming that you’re either of those things, or just lying in general? Shocking news: nope.

Even now I am uncomfortable writing this article, because part of me stills feels like a fraud in my own sexuality. How dare I date so many boys? How dare I not share my experiences with women to prove myself?

So Pride can be a bit of a minefield. I have nothing against everything being rainbow themed (I’ve suggested it as the new decor for the office but, weirdly, they haven’t got round to it yet) and I love the sense of community that comes with this season.

But a lot of experiences I’ve had in queer spaces, even in the short time I’ve been really visiting them, have been tinged with biphobia and borderline hostility.

When people don’t take your sexuality seriously, how are you supposed to feel comfortable inserting yourself into a celebration of that sexuality?

No, really, I’m seriously asking.

So this Pride, hug a bisexual. I’m joking. Don’t hug me, strangers.

But honestly, maybe you should make your Pride mission one of discovery. Talk a little bit more to people with sexualities different to yours, and find out their experiences. Find out if they’re concerned they don’t have a real place in Pride, and change their mind.

Then we can all parade together, towards the beautiful horizon of overthrowing heteronormativity.