Bisexual studies: Where have we been and where are we going?

Bisexual studies has a rich history, with contributions from activists, activist-scholars, and some mainstream social and cultural theorists. In particular, there was a blossoming of the field between the late 1940s and 2000. However, there is a lack of integration between bisexual-centred scholarship and broader sexualities social sciences. This means that we, as bisexual scholars, do not always benefit from the intellectual resources available to us – and it means that bisexuality stays mostly hidden within the academy, contributing to our wider invisibility.

This talk looks at the development of bisexual studies, key areas of sociological and political thought that are useful for understanding bisexuality, and ways in which the field might move forwards. It highlights some key areas of difficulty for us as bisexuals, both politically and in our academic work, and asks us to think broadly and deeply about the ways in which we might be able to effect positive change for bisexual people and for other people who face discrimination due to their sexuality and gender.