This viral bisexual meme is painfully true
A meme which highlighted the erasure bi people suffer from both straight and gay people (silkyskykitten/tumblr)
Being bi is excellent – but it also comes with a whole host of problems, none of them your fault.
You’re likely to feel less satisfied, worthwhile and happy than everyone else, as well as suffer from anxiety, and – as if that wasn’t enough – you’re also probably sleeping worse than other people.
And then there are the damaging, stigmatising myths about bi people.
(Getty)
A study in April found that straight people think you’re more promiscuous and neurotic than other members of the population, which is not ideal.
And that’s even before they open their mouths and say that you’re “greedy,” “confused” or even “just doing it for attention.”
Bi-erasure is a real issue, both on TV and in the real world.
(Fox, Netflix, The CW)
So it’s good to see that the most popular meme around has been put to good use – that is, by highlighting the fact that straight and gay people are both guilty of erasing bi identities.
We’ve already seen a trans-friendly version of the ‘Is This A Pigeon?’ meme used to highlight the difficulties faced by trans people who simply want equality.
And now it’s time to shine the spotlight on how bi people are treated.
Created by Taylor, a 25-year-old bisexual amateur electronic musician, the image has a second mirror-image of its main character, so that there are two figures, representing straight people and gay people.
Both of them gesture towards a butterfly labelled “bisexuality,” with the straight person asking: “Is this gay?” and their counterpart saying: “Is this straight?”
(silkyskykitten/tumblr)
If your head is in your hands at the thought of this happening to you, Taylor’s meme – which has been upvoted more than 13,000 times – has achieved its goal.
International pop sensation Halsey also went viral explaining the same concept to her followers last year.
(Frederick M. Brown/Getty)
The American singer-songwriter, 23, has repeatedly released explicitly bisexual love songs, such as Strangers, which she sang with Fifth Harmony star Lauren Jauregui, who is also bisexual.
On Twitter, she wrote: “So if I’m dating a guy I’m straight, and if I date a woman, I’m a lesbian.
“The only way to be a #True bisexual is to date 2 people at once.”
It’s an impossible catch-22 of a situation that can only fuel bi-erasure.
(Twitter/halsey)
Another struggle was on show in Halsey’s comments, as many people who don’t understand irony condemned polygamy – a natural consequence of being polyamorous.
Westworld star Evan Rachel Wood agreed with Halsey, writing in response: “To [everyone] except your partners. Then you are too gay or too straight.
(Twitter/evanrachelwood)
“And when you have 2 partners people think you’re a sex addict. “
