Bisexuals in Relationships: Uncoupling Intimacy from Gender Ontology

Abstract

A dominant notion that homosexuality and heterosexuality give meaning to bisexuality already exists. But no one has explored the meaning that bisexuality might accrue with regard to monosexuality. Because bisexuals were never fully recognized within queer theory, the homosexual-heterosexual binary opposition continues to be the primary understanding of difference. Further, within queer theory, the idea of intimacy seems to be attributed to a gendered ontology, that is, the regulation of gender representation as the point of departure for understanding sexual identities. This circular understanding of gender as a reflection of intimacy is predicated on monosexual desires. Drawing on Clare Hemming's critical location of the bisexual middle ground, this article shifts the focus away from gender ontology, to argue for a theory of relationships that problemizes monogamy as a heterosexual norm (and indeed the idea of gay marriage as a way of normalizing bi-and homosexual desire in heterosexual terms). However, the idea that bisexuals are often seen as nonmonogamous is also questioned, as if there were any organizations of desire connected to a specific set of pleasures. This article is based on indepth interviews with bisexual women in Sweden between 2000 and 2004 and also highlights the "partnership law" from 1995 and gender neutral marriage in 2009.

Similar and equal relationships? Negotiating bisexuality in an enduring relationship

“…However, it did not become a definer of the couples' relationships, and no such thing as a clear cut bicouple discourse was identified. Bisexuality did thus not appear as central as in other interview studies on bisexuality (Gustavson, 2009;Hayfield et al, 2014;Kangasvuo, 2011). Instead, the bisexual women and their partners made their relationships intelligible by taking up positions in the discourse of the enduring couple relationship.…”

“…Not without tension: bisexuals often wish to challenge the notion of bisexuality as nonmonogamous by necessity, but many also explore relational constellations other than normative exclusive relationships (Gustavson, 2009;Kangasvuo, 2011;McLean, 2004;Rust, 1996). Equating this with an assumption that bisexuals will always cheat on their partners, or that they are not capable of long-term commitment, is problematic (Kangasvuo, 2014;McLean, 2004).…”

Misrecognition and managing marginalisation: Bisexual people’s experiences of bisexuality and relationships

“…A small body of literature, mainly outside the United Kingdom (U.K.), has specifically focused on bisexual relationships (e.g., Bradford, 2012;Feinstein, Latack, Bhatia, Davila & Eaton, 2016;Gustavson, 2009;Lahti, 2015;Li et al, 2013). Bisexual participants are seemingly aware of notions that they must simultaneously be in relationships with men and women and some have challenged this idea (Bradford, 2004a;Gustavson, 2009;Li et al, 2013). While monogamous relationships may be understood as an easy option due to their social acceptability, monogamous bisexual people have reported feeling that they have had to forego an aspect of their identity (McLean, 2007), and that their bisexuality is invisible (Robinson, 2013).…”

“…This can include bisexual people having difficulty in finding partners willing to be (or stay) with them (Li et al, 2013). Bisexual people's partners have been critical of their partner's bisexuality in ways which directly link to negative conceptualisations of bisexual identities (Gustavson, 2009;Li et al, 2013). Additionally, some bisexual women have felt objectified by their male partners (Li et al, 2013).…”

Introduction to the Special Issue: EuroBiReCon: (Inter)National Research Frontiers

“…The number of studies has shown a sharp increase since the 2000s and deal with a plethora of topics such as identification, stereotyping, negotiating compulsory coupledom, and more. The Journal of Bisexuality in particular has been an important outlet for studies on bisexuality and relationships (e.g., Anderson, Scoats, & McCormack 2015;Armstrong & Reissing, 2014;Gustavson, 2009;Kangasvuo, 2011;Klesse, 2011;McLean, 2004;Pennington, 2009), but several studies were published in other journals such as Christian Klesse's twin publications on polyamory and nonmonogamies in bisexual people (Klesse, 2005(Klesse, , 2006, Annukka Lahti's (2015) article on Finnish bisexual women's negotiations of discourses on romantic love and sameness to heterosexual couples, and Renate Baumgartner's (2017) recent article on Austrian bisexual women's internalized binegativity regarding relationship options and stereotypes.…”