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Fri 24 Aug, 2012 11:10 pm
So some friends and I recently had an interesting discussion on bisexuality, and I wanted to get other people's opinions.
Would you say that a bisexual is BOTH straight AND gay, or that they are NEITHER straight NOR gay? Like if you were to use a ven diagram, would you have a straight circle and a gay circle and bi would be where they intersect, or would each have their own seperate circles?
I guess what it really comes down to, is your definition of gay and straight. Is a strictly gay person someone who is attracted to the same gender, or is a gay person someone who is ONLY attracted to the same gender? Same question for straight people, only with the opposite gender.
I can sort of see both ways, so I'm not sure. Like, if you ask a bisexual, not knowing their orientation, if they're straight, it seems like the more correct answer would be "No, I'm not straight, I'm bi." Same if you were to ask them if they were gay. "No, I'm not gay, I'm bi." which leads me to think that bi is neither straight nor gay.
But on the other hand, you can say you're in a homosexual relationship, or a heterosexual relationship, but it doesn't quite make sense if someone were to say they were in a bisexual relationship, which leads me to think that bi is a subsexuality of gay and straight.
There are many other arguments to be given for both sides, which we've touched on in our discussion. Like I said, just wanted to hear some other opinions.
@laboi45,
I don't try to categorize them. I just see them as people with the same sparkles and flaws as you and me.
@laboi45,
As soon as you learn how to spell Venn and separate you can begin to contemplate your sexuality.
@laboi45,
The Kinsey scale makes sense to me.
Quote:Scale Definitions (per Kinsey):
0 - Exclusively heterosexual experiences with no homosexual experiences
1 - Predominantly heterosexual experiences, only incidentally homosexual
experiences
2 - Predominantly heterosexual experiences, but more than incidentally
homosexual experiences
3 - Equally heterosexual and homosexual experiences
4 - Predominantly homosexual experiences, but more than incidentally
heterosexual experiences
5 - Predominantly homosexual experiences, only incidentally heterosexual
experiences
6 - Exclusively homosexual experiences
If you were making a Venn diagram, I don't think the circles would be labeled "heterosexual" and "homosexual" -- I think it would be more accurate if the circles were labeled "attracted to the opposite sex" and "attracted to the same sex" (and then the overlap would be "attracted to either sex").
@laboi45,
Maybe a bi doesn't care what gets him or her off. It's a manipulation exercise. That can be, has been, seen as proper libertinism. Practitioners tend to have a certain contempt for those who they see as hung up on one or the other of the sexes. Being choosy.
A dog might suit if it could be trained to get the manipulation learned. And had its teeth removed.
My problem is that I find other men ghastly. Often very useful. Sometimes less so. Their trousers don't help for a start. Watching a pair getting out of a car for example. Compared to a lady in a fairly tight skirt. Underpants just don't ring any bells for me like knickers do. Or bloomers. Kecks. Trollies. I hate "panties" because the word reminds me of trousers. My attitude to "unmentionables" is obvious from the foregoing.
I think, in general, bi is a young man's game. A period when the manipulation is sufficient without any mental inputs and a few of the chaps still look vaguely passable to those who don't believe in any unnecessary risks.
It seems the ultimate in narcissism. And cynicism.
@laboi45,
These are the Venn diagrams I had in mind:
Where the second situation shows the sets as being mutually exclusive. (aka disjoint sets)
Anyway, I’ve heard of the Kinsley scale, but it seems to assume the first idea, that bi is both, by the use of its terms heterosexuality and homosexuality. The question presented here would ask whether the Kinsley scale should use those terms, or, like you said sozobe, should it use "attracted to the opposite sex" and "attracted to the same sex"?
Or does it not even really matter, as Butrflynet would probably say.
And Spendius, I’m afraid I didn’t quite understand what you were trying to say with that post. Are you saying that bisexuality is narcissistic and cynical? Which may go deeper than intended with the initial questions, haha.
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