According to current estimates, bisexual+ (bi, pan, fluid, queer, m-spec, and non-monosexual) individuals represent over half of the LGBTQ+ community in the United States, but experience significantly worse physical, mental, and social health than their gay, lesbian, and heterosexual peers. Nonetheless, bisexual+ populations are often understudied in health research and bi-specific community services are critically underfunded.
In 2011, the Institute of Medicine’s report on LGBT health recommended more research focus on bisexual+ people to better understand bi+ population needs. Despite these recommendations, bi+ people are often still grouped with lesbian and gay people in research studies. When research does focus on bisexual+ communities specifically, they regularly find that bisexual+ people experience higher rates of depression, suicidality, interpersonal violence, and other physical and mental health disparities compared to their homosexual and heterosexual peers. The bisexual+ community receives little funding, services, and resources to address these disparities. According to the Funders for LGBT Issues 2018 report, out of nearly $200 million of funding for LGBT organizations, less than 1% went to bisexual+ interests, the majority of which was from one funder that devoted it to academic research, not to bisexual+ organizations serving the community.
In response to these ongoing disparities, Bisexual+ Health Awareness Month works to raise awareness about bisexual+ community health and pushes for more action and resources to support bisexual+ wellbeing.
Learn More About Bisexuality+:
- What Is Bisexuality – BRC
- Pan & Bi: A Handy Guide – BRC
- LGBT Identification in U.S. Ticks Up to 7.1% – Gallup
- Overlapping Flags: Loving Beyond the Gay/Straight Binary – Ellyn Ruthstrom
- The 2014 Bisexual/Pansexual/Fluid Community Needs Assessment of Greater Los Angeles – Mimi Hoang, Ph. D., LA Bi Task Force
Learn More About Bisexual+ Health Disparities
- Video: Putting the ‘Bi’ in the Biden Administration Priorities with Dr. Tania Israel – UC Santa Barbara
- Bisexual Invisibility: Impacts and Recommendations – San Francisco Human Rights Commission
- Domestic Violence and the LGBTQ Community – National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- Health Disparities Among Bisexual People – HRC
- Invisible Majority: The Disparities Facing Bisexual People and How To Remedy Them – Movement Advancement Project
- Introduction to the Special Section on Bisexual Health: Can You See Us Now? – Wendy B. Bostwick, Brian Dodge
- Meta-Perceptions of Others’ Attitudes Toward Bisexual Men and Women Among a Nationally Representative Probability Sample – Lauren Beach, Elizabeth Bartlet, Brian Dodge, Wendy Bostwick, Vanessa Schick, Tsung-Chieh (Jane) Fu, M. Reuel Friendman, Debby Herbenick
- Microaggressions in Medical Contexts – Heather Stewart, MA
- Pansexual Health Statistics
- POV: What About the “B” in LGBT+? – Danielle McPeak, BU Today
- Research Brief: Bisexual Youth Experience – The Trevor Project
- Why bi people are more vulnerable to partner violence – Anna Iovine, Mashable
Resources for Journalists: