Bisexuality: Issues of Identity, Inequality, and Citizenship

Bisexuality has been largely ignored by sociologists in recent years. The sociological elision of bisexuality is problematic, as it contributes to the social erasure of bisexuals. A sociological reclamation of bisexual ontologies supports a broader movement within the discipline towards critical and nuanced analysis of multifaceted, fragmented, hybridised, and changing sexed and gendered identities. This reclamation is aligned with broader movements aiming to shift sociological thought beyond a Eurocentric and USA-centric sexuality/gender studies that relies on unitary and binary notions of 'male/female', and 'lesbian, gay, heterosexual' (LGH). This paper showcases innovative analysis of bisexuality along the key trajectories of identities, commodification, inequalities, activism, and citizenship. It provides a snapshot of some of the arguments developed in Monros' monograph Bisexuality: Identities, Politics, and Theories (Palgrave MacMillan 2015). The book takes an international approach, using the UK, India, Colombia, and the USA as case study countries, and it utilises original empirical research with bisexual people and others who do not identify as LGH (based in Colombia and the UK). The book draws on, and contributes to, critical intersectional and materialist sexuality/gender studies, and queer studies. The paper will include material provided by research contributors regarding their experiences of identities, sexualities and relationships, and biphobia. It will outline their citizenship claims, and some of the divergences amongst bisexual people regarding these. Bisexual people, and others who do not identify as LGH, are highly diverse in terms ofidentities, and experiences of equalities/inequalities.