What is Bisexuality?

Thus, a bisexual man will be attractive to men as well as women. A bisexual woman will be attracted to men as well as women.

Men and women who say they are bisexual love men and women at the same time or at different times in their lives. As opposed to a black and white vision that opposes two completely separate worlds (heterosexuality and homosexuality), bisexuality brings together a wide variety of situations between the two. The word “bisexuality” used in its present sense by doctors and psychologists at the end of the 19th century is quite new.

Conversely, what we now consider “bisexuality” was common in some ancient civilizations or cultures where there was limited contact with the Western world. For some scholars of sexuality (Sigmund Freud, Alfred Kinsey) people are bisexual and it is the society that determines the “norm” or possible. Identifying yourself as “bisexual” is more common during adolescence than at other ages. Some people quickly realize that this is a stage for gays who are not yet “compromised”. Others see this as a sign of snobbery among some heterosexuals. Fortunately, bisexuals are increasingly being accepted for who they are in their diversity. And you meet bisexuals of all ages.

Bisexual people are more reluctant than anyone else to label their experiences. This is also found in characters in novels that can be described as such “in spite of themselves”, such as Balthazar in Cédric Érard’s book, Jai no sleep, or Elio in Later or Never.