Coming Out in Society as Bisexual
Bisexual people are often invisible in mainstream American society. Many of the few portrayals of bisexual people in the media have depicted them as the targets of jokes or stereotypes.
As a result, when coming out to friends, acquaintances and others, you may find yourself facing prejudice based on your sexual orientation. This can be true even among gay and lesbian peers. But by coming out to your friends and acquaintances, straight and gay alike, you can help educate them about the realities of your life.
Bisexual people who are in relationships also face their own set of issues. Among the general public, most people still assume that people in same-sex couples are gay or lesbian and that people in opposite-sex couples are straight. People in relationships who identify as bisexual are put in the position of having to either ignore these assumptions — implicitly allowing them to continue — or confront the people who made them. If someone mistakenly labels you as gay or straight, and you choose to tell them that you actually identify as bisexual, you could help to further educate them about the realities of bisexual lives.