Rebecca Bodenheimer, PhD
Previous new york Council Speaker Christine Quinn delivered the world wide web in to a tailspin earlier in the day this w eek whenever she labeled actress and newly established gubernatorial prospect Cynthia Nixon a lesbian” that is“unqualified. The uproar to date has primarily centered on the salaciousness of governmental infighting between two women that are queer. Nonetheless, what’s lacking is a review of Quinn for mislabeling Nixon as a lesbian. Nixon has known by by herself as bisexual, and glossing over this huge difference is an obvious exemplory case of bi erasure, or the presumption that bisexuality just isn’t an identity that is real but quite simply an intermediate end in the intimate orientation train which includes just two feasible locations: gay/lesbian and right. The apology did not relate to mislabeling Nixon’s stated sexual identity although Quinn later apologized for her comment.
While bisexuality is becoming even more noticeable in popular tradition within the previous several years with an increase that is important bisexual figures on television in particular there are numerous stereotypes connected to the label. “On the fence,” “wishy washy,” “going through a phase”: they are all typical misconceptions about bi individuals. Unfortunately, a few of the stigma and bi erasure originates from the queer community, from self identified homosexual guys and lesbians who don’t believe bisexuality is an identity that is authentic.