{"id":5807,"date":"2013-07-31T17:01:50","date_gmt":"2013-07-31T16:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skibbley.dreamwidth.org\/402966.html"},"modified":"2013-07-31T17:01:50","modified_gmt":"2013-07-31T16:01:50","slug":"the-lgbt-casebook-and-bisexuality-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bimedia.org\/blogs\/2013\/07\/the-lgbt-casebook-and-bisexuality-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The LGBT casebook and bisexuality"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve just taken a look at the ebook version of The LGBT casebook<\/cite> edited by by Petros Levounis, Jack Drescher and Mary Barber (American Psychiatric Publishing, 2012). Contributors are medical doctors and this book looks to be aimed at psychiatrists rather than say counsellors though I think much of it would be relevant.<\/p>\n

I tend to be wary of “LGBT” publications ignoring the “B”. In this book there are a couple of case studies mentioning bisexuality and inclusive language seems to be used throughout. I also tend to be wary of how mental health professionals treat bisexuality. This book seems reasonable on that though perhaps I want more reassurance than they give.<\/p>\n

One of the case studies is a woman having difficulty adjusting to having a baby. She identified as bisexual in high school then as lesbian when in a relationship with a female partner in college. She started to think of herself as someone attracted to both men and women. This was quite difficult for her, as she did not know anyone else who was bisexual and wondered whether she was a “freak” or “abnormal.”<\/cite> The discussion continues: [Crespi L: Some thoughts on the role of mourning in the development of a positive lesbian identity, in Psychoanalytic Reappraisals of Sexual Identities. Edited by Domenici T, Lesser RC. London, Routledge, 1995, pp 19\u201332] aptly describes numerous issues that lesbians need to “mourn” while developing a positive lesbian identity, including heterosexual relationships, as many women in same-sex relationships have had heterosexual sexual experiences and relationships. Even if they come to identify themselves as lesbian, as Jamie has, they often have gone through a period of identifying as bisexual and imagining being in a stable relationship with a man. Jamie had not fully let go of this fantasy, and having a baby with Michelle clearly made the fantasy that much less of a real possibility. In therapy, she was able to recognize that some of the sadness she had been feeling represented emotions related to letting go of the fantasy of being with a man and having a baby with a male partner.<\/cite>
I’d be against imposing this interpretation on someone but recognise it could be true for some and not for others.<\/p>\n

Another patient having problems relating to a partner:<\/p>\n

“I dislike labels”<\/cite> he says and his presentation as a whole gets read as In seeking out a psychiatric consultation, Antonio had begun his coming out process; but his presentation was as someone frightened, ashamed, and insecure. Saying, “I would not say I am gay…let’s say I am bisexual,” can be considered, in his case, a defense mechanism to cope with anxiety, shame, and self contempt connected with “being gay” [Isay R: Being Homosexual: Gay Men and Their Development. New York, Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 1989]<\/cite><\/p>\n

A short description of a woman: Because she felt her greatest emotional connection was with Marc, a man, yet her sexual yearnings were more towards woman, she did not know how to define herself. Was she “gay, straight, or bisexual?”<\/cite> leads to a conclusion The labels gay, lesbian, and bisexual are oversimplifications and may feel constraining. These same labels are, however, useful for finding community.<\/cite> which seems a correct response to a common problem to me.<\/p>\n

Although women\u2019s documented sexual fluidity may explain their greater participation and assumed interest in heterosexual encounters, they may also be exposed more than gay men to sexual invitations when dating.<\/cite>
This paragraph quotes: Baumeister RF: Gender differences in erotic plasticity: the female sex drive as socially flexible and responsive. Psychol Bull 126:247\u2013 374, 2000<\/cite>; Diamond LM: Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women\u2019s Love and Desire. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 2008<\/cite> and Diamond LM: Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women\u2019s Love and Desire. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 2008<\/cite><\/p>\n

and elsewhere in the book we have:<\/p>\n

sexual fluidity, once thought to be the province of young women, is now reported among young men as well [Savin-Williams RC, Joyner K, Rieger G: Prevalence and stability of self-reported sexual orientation identity during young adulthood. Arch Sex Behav 41, 2012]<\/cite> and Rejecting narrow definitions of sexuality based on unidimensional, fixed precepts, a growing constituency of youth refuse labels, embrace notions of sexual fluidity, and characterize their sexuality as an interaction between their erotic preferences and their gender identity (e.g., a male-identified woman attracted to males who identifies as “gay male”). Self-definitions may be dynamic and unspecified (omnisexual, pansexual, heteroflexible), a conduit for amalgamating multiple identities (bi-lesbian, half-dyke, transboi), or rejection of sexual taxonomy altogether (unlabeled, undeclared, or simply “I love Rachael”).<\/cite> as well as negative reasons to avoid sexuality labels.<\/p>\n

Shorter bi related quotes:
In some but not all cases, adopting a bisexual identity may serve as a transitional identity that precedes fully accepting a gay or lesbian identity.<\/cite> though they don’t mention the converse.<\/p>\n

more than 6% of men and nearly 20% of women claimed that they were not exclusively heterosexual. The implication is clear: Not all patients with same-sex sexuality necessarily identify as such, act on this, or disclose it to others, perhaps especially not to clinicians perceived to have narrowly defined values.<\/cite>
Do they mean same-sex sexuality<\/cite> to include bisexuality?<\/p>\n

Bisexual individuals may take longer to reach this developmental milestone, perhaps because their sexual identity is somewhat more fluid over time. Often, their preference for sexual and romantic involvement with one sex solidifies with age [Rust PC: Bisexuality: the state of the union. Annu Rev Sex Res 13:180\u2013 240, 2002]<\/cite><\/p>\n

Others consider their sexual fantasies\u2014 but not themselves\u2014 to be gay, or if they are willing to assume more personal responsibility, they may concede that they are “slightly” gay (read: bisexual).<\/cite> Amusingly arch perhaps but at what point do we get to agree or disagree with self-identity?<\/p>\n

Bisexual men and women experience additional stressors that increase risk for depression, such as encountering bi-phobia from lesbians and gay men, and may have difficulty finding supportive bisexual communities.<\/cite> – How many times have I read that?<\/p>\n

I’ve only skim read the book and being able to search for “bisexual” and “fluidity” does help spot what they have on bisexuality. It looks pretty good.<\/p>\n

\"comment comments<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’ve just taken a look at the ebook version of The LGBT casebook<\/cite> edited by by Petros Levounis, Jack Drescher and Mary Barber (American Psychiatric Publishing, 2012). Contributors are medical doctors and this book looks to be aimed at psychiatrists rather than say counsellors though I think much of it would be relevant.<\/p>\n

I tend to be wary of “LGBT” publications ignoring the “B”. In this book there are a couple of case studies mentioning bisexuality and inclusive language seems to be used throughout. I also tend to be wary of how mental health professionals treat bisexuality. This book seems reasonable on that though perhaps I want more reassurance than they give.<\/p>\n

One of the case studies is a woman having difficulty adjusting to having a baby. She identified as bisexual in high school then as lesbian when in a relationship with a female partner in college. She started to think of herself as someone attracted to both men and women. This was quite difficult for her, as she did not know anyone else who was bisexual and wondered whether she was a “freak” or “abnormal.”<\/cite> The discussion continues: [Crespi L: Some thoughts on the role of mourning in the development of a positive lesbian identity, in Psychoanalytic Reappraisals of Sexual Identities. Edited by Domenici T, Lesser RC. London, Routledge, 1995, pp 19–32] aptly describes numerous issues that lesbians need to “mourn” while developing a positive lesbian identity, including heterosexual relationships, as many women in same-sex relationships have had heterosexual sexual experiences and relationships. Even if they come to identify themselves as lesbian, as Jamie has, they often have gone through a period of identifying as bisexual and imagining being in a stable relationship with a man. Jamie had not fully let go of this fantasy, and having a baby with Michelle clearly made the fantasy that much less of a real possibility. In therapy, she was able to recognize that some of the sadness she had been feeling represented emotions related to letting go of the fantasy of being with a man and having a baby with a male partner.<\/cite>
I’d be against imposing this interpretation on someone but recognise it could be true for some and not for others.<\/p>\n

Another patient having problems relating to a partner:<\/p>\n

“I dislike labels”<\/cite> he says and his presentation as a whole gets read as In seeking out a psychiatric consultation, Antonio had begun his coming out process; but his presentation was as someone frightened, ashamed, and insecure. Saying, “I would not say I am gay…let’s say I am bisexual,” can be considered, in his case, a defense mechanism to cope with anxiety, shame, and self contempt connected with “being gay” [Isay R: Being Homosexual: Gay Men and Their Development. New York, Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 1989]<\/cite><\/p>\n

A short description of a woman: Because she felt her greatest emotional connection was with Marc, a man, yet her sexual yearnings were more towards woman, she did not know how to define herself. Was she “gay, straight, or bisexual?”<\/cite> leads to a conclusion The labels gay, lesbian, and bisexual are oversimplifications and may feel constraining. These same labels are, however, useful for finding community.<\/cite> which seems a correct response to a common problem to me.<\/p>\n

Although women’s documented sexual fluidity may explain their greater participation and assumed interest in heterosexual encounters, they may also be exposed more than gay men to sexual invitations when dating.<\/cite>
This paragraph quotes: Baumeister RF: Gender differences in erotic plasticity: the female sex drive as socially flexible and responsive. Psychol Bull 126:247– 374, 2000<\/cite>; Diamond LM: Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 2008<\/cite> and Diamond LM: Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women’s Love and Desire. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 2008<\/cite><\/p>\n

and elsewhere in the book we have:<\/p>\n

sexual fluidity, once thought to be the province of young women, is now reported among young men as well [Savin-Williams RC, Joyner K, Rieger G: Prevalence and stability of self-reported sexual orientation identity during young adulthood. Arch Sex Behav 41, 2012]<\/cite> and Rejecting narrow definitions of sexuality based on unidimensional, fixed precepts, a growing constituency of youth refuse labels, embrace notions of sexual fluidity, and characterize their sexuality as an interaction between their erotic preferences and their gender identity (e.g., a male-identified woman attracted to males who identifies as “gay male”). Self-definitions may be dynamic and unspecified (omnisexual, pansexual, heteroflexible), a conduit for amalgamating multiple identities (bi-lesbian, half-dyke, transboi), or rejection of sexual taxonomy altogether (unlabeled, undeclared, or simply “I love Rachael”).<\/cite> as well as negative reasons to avoid sexuality labels.<\/p>\n

Shorter bi related quotes:
In some but not all cases, adopting a bisexual identity may serve as a transitional identity that precedes fully accepting a gay or lesbian identity.<\/cite> though they don’t mention the converse.<\/p>\n

more than 6% of men and nearly 20% of women claimed that they were not exclusively heterosexual. The implication is clear: Not all patients with same-sex sexuality necessarily identify as such, act on this, or disclose it to others, perhaps especially not to clinicians perceived to have narrowly defined values.<\/cite>
Do they mean same-sex sexuality<\/cite> to include bisexuality?<\/p>\n

Bisexual individuals may take longer to reach this developmental milestone, perhaps because their sexual identity is somewhat more fluid over time. Often, their preference for sexual and romantic involvement with one sex solidifies with age [Rust PC: Bisexuality: the state of the union. Annu Rev Sex Res 13:180– 240, 2002]<\/cite><\/p>\n

Others consider their sexual fantasies— but not themselves— to be gay, or if they are willing to assume more personal responsibility, they may concede that they are “slightly” gay (read: bisexual).<\/cite> Amusingly arch perhaps but at what point do we get to agree or disagree with self-identity?<\/p>\n

Bisexual men and women experience additional stressors that increase risk for depression, such as encountering bi-phobia from lesbians and gay men, and may have difficulty finding supportive bisexual communities.<\/cite> – How many times have I read that?<\/p>\n

I’ve only skim read the book and being able to search for “bisexual” and “fluidity” does help spot what they have on bisexuality. It looks pretty good.<\/p>\n

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