BiBloggers

Few studies exist that look at the parenting experiences of bi people, so this is worth a look. It’s downloadable for a hefty fee, but I’ll share the précis here:

  “I Don't Want to Turn Totally Invisible”: Mental Health, Stressors, and Supports among Bisexual Women during the Perinatal Period” | Journal of GLBT Family Studies | Volume 8, Issue 2, 2012

Almost no research has examined the parenting experiences of bisexual people. In this mixed-methods study, sexual minority women (N = 64) who were currently trying to conceive, pregnant, or parenting an infant completed standardized questionnaires to assess mental health, social support, and other variables. Fourteen participants identified as bisexual, and 14 reported sexual activity with men in the past 5 years (there was incomplete overlap between these groups). Twenty women (5 bisexual-identified) also completed a qualitative interview. Bisexual women reported poorer scores on assessments of mental health, substance use, social support, and experiences of perceived discrimination, relative to other women in the sample. Differences were particularly pronounced for women who reported sexual activity with men in the past 5 years compared to women who did not. Qualitative analyses highlighted experiences of invisibility and exclusion. It may be particularly challenging for bisexual women to negotiate the invisibility associated with a bisexual identity during the perinatal period, as a result of the implicit assumption that mothers are heterosexual. This invisibility may be linked with a multitude of poor outcomes that could have implications for the mother, baby, and family.

The headline of the NY Post reads: Anna Paquin defends bisexual label despite being married, pregnant.

Despite?

Even though Paquin spoke intelligently and openly to the reporter of Zooey magaine (which the Post is citing), it appears the Post writer either didn’t get what she was trying to say, or didn’t care and went with a headline that only reinforced the stereotype that a bi person cannot be happy with one person and, thereby, cannot be a good parent. And thrown in for spice is the stereotype that bisexuality is merely a faddish set of behaviours rather than a sexual orientation.

Anyway, from the article:

Paquin tells Zooey magazine in a new interview. "For me, it’s not really an issue because I’m someone who believes being bisexual is actually a thing. It’s not made up. It’s not a lack of decision. It’s not being greedy or numerous other ignorant things I’ve heard at this point. For a bisexual, it’s not about gender. That’s not the deciding factor for who they’re attracted to."

 

The headline of the NY Post reads: Anna Paquin defends bisexual label despite being married, pregnant.

Despite?

Even though Paquin spoke intelligently and openly to the reporter of Zooey magaine (which the Post is citing), it appears the Post writer either didn’t get what she was trying to say, or didn’t care and went with a headline that only reinforced the stereotype that a bi person cannot be happy with one person and, thereby, cannot be a good parent. And thrown in for spice is the stereotype that bisexuality is merely a faddish set of behaviours rather than a sexual orientation.

Anyway, from the article:

Paquin tells Zooey magazine in a new interview. "For me, it’s not really an issue because I’m someone who believes being bisexual is actually a thing. It’s not made up. It’s not a lack of decision. It’s not being greedy or numerous other ignorant things I’ve heard at this point. For a bisexual, it’s not about gender. That’s not the deciding factor for who they’re attracted to."

 

From the Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health Survey:

"In the last year, 27 per cent of gay men thought about taking their own life even if they would not do it. This increases to 38 per cent for bisexual men (p. 9)

"One in five (21 per cent) gay and bisexual men aged 16 to 19 have deliberately harmed themselves in the last year. One in six (15 per cent) gay and bisexual men aged 16 to 24 have deliberately harmed themselves in the last year. Seven per cent of men in general aged 16 to 24 have ever deliberately harmed themselves.

“Rates of self-harm are also higher among bisexual men; eleven per cent of bisexual men have self-harmed in the last year." (p. 11)