Coming out Through an Intersectional Perspective: Narratives of Bisexuality and Polyamory in Italy

Abstract

Through an intersectional perspective, the author analyzes what it means to perform a bisexual and polyamorous identity in the Italian familistic welfare regime. Considering the intersections of polyamory and bisexuality, the author employs the Greimas semiotic square to read the process of coming out experienced by people who shared their experiences on polyamory: two interviewees define themselves as bisexual ciswomen, and one self-defines as a transsexual gay man in a primary relationship with a self-defined bisexual cisman. Afterwards, the author explores how they live their intimate lives through compulsory invisibility, coming out, and staying invisible. Finally, the author focuses on how the existence of non-normative communities opens up the possibility of meeting other bisexual people in a context where there are no bisexual communitie, and argues that this process allows people to self-identify as bisexual and polyamorous in the public sphere.

One at a Time: LGBTQ Polyamory and Relational Citizenship in the 21st Century

“…5. These findings are in accordance with the argument made by Gusmano regarding bisexuality (Gusmano, 2018). 6.…”

The Kintsugi Art of Care: Unraveling Consent in Ethical Non-Monogamies

“…In order to contextualize how partnering was experienced in each country, in 2015 we carried out 27 semi-structured interviews with gatekeepers, and we referred to secondary source data to complete country-specific legal and social policy analysis. Literature on polyamory in Italy has started to grow from general contributions drawing on international literature (Ballabio, 1997;Consiglio, 2006;Deriu et al, 2016) to more in-depth and contextualized analysis (Acquistapace, 2011(Acquistapace, , 2014Gusmano, 2018aGusmano, , 2018bPes, 2018;Zambelli, 2017). According to its standard and widespread definition given by Franklin Veaux in his blog, 1 polyamory is defined as "the state or practice of maintaining multiple sexual and/or romantic relationships simultaneously, with the full knowledge and consent of all the people involved."…”

Stories Told Together: Male Narratives of Non-Monogamous Bi+ and Heterosexual Men

“…Concerning CNM, a growing number of studies provided useful insights and reflections for the Italian context (Braida, 2020;Grande & Pes, 2018;Gusmano, 2019aGusmano, , 2019b; although there is currently no option available in Italy for multiple relationship recognition (Palazzo, 2018), CNM communities in Italy have diverse online spaces for discussing issues and sharing strategies and, finally, until 2019 a national meeting called OpenCon. Gusmano (2019b) identified two types of activist approaches to consensual nonmonogamies in Italy: an experiential approach that focuses on sharing experiences and community building and a radical approach focused on addressing "compulsory coupledom" and the intersections of emotional/sexual lives with working conditions through gender and sexualities (Gusmano, 2019a(Gusmano, , 2019b. Whereas the first approach creates a safer space for the community they do not push for political demands (e.g., partnering recognition, positive visibility, welfare protection and avoiding loosing children while divorcing due to their relationships) although they would support it, the radical approach carries more demands while at the same time creating non-normative networks of care "beyond kinship and love" (Gusmano, 2019b).…”

“…Gusmano (2019b) identified two types of activist approaches to consensual nonmonogamies in Italy: an experiential approach that focuses on sharing experiences and community building and a radical approach focused on addressing "compulsory coupledom" and the intersections of emotional/sexual lives with working conditions through gender and sexualities (Gusmano, 2019a(Gusmano, , 2019b. Whereas the first approach creates a safer space for the community they do not push for political demands (e.g., partnering recognition, positive visibility, welfare protection and avoiding loosing children while divorcing due to their relationships) although they would support it, the radical approach carries more demands while at the same time creating non-normative networks of care "beyond kinship and love" (Gusmano, 2019b).…”