Biphobic describes attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors that express prejudice, discrimination, or hostility toward bisexual individuals or bisexuality. This can manifest as denial of bisexuality's existence, the assumption that bisexuality is a phase, a rejection of bisexual individuals' relationships, or the belief that bisexual people are promiscuous, confused, or untrustworthy. It can involve stereotypes, microaggressions, and systemic biases within social institutions. Biphobia stems from societal heteronormativity and monosexism, which privilege heterosexual and homosexual identities, respectively.
Biphobic meaning with examples
- Sarah's family displayed biphobic views by refusing to acknowledge her bisexuality, constantly suggesting she was just 'confused' and would eventually choose a 'side.' They dismissed her relationships with both men and women, making her feel invalidated and ashamed of her identity, causing significant emotional distress and isolation within her own family, due to their closed mindedness and narrow-minded views.
- The company's HR department exhibited biphobic practices by failing to include bisexuality in their diversity and inclusion training, overlooking the specific needs and experiences of bisexual employees. The lack of inclusive language and representation created a hostile work environment, where bi workers felt marginalized and unsupported, contributing to feelings of alienation and fear of discrimination based on their identity and sexual orientation.
- Online forums frequently contained biphobic comments, with users dismissing bisexual individuals as 'greedy' or 'attention-seeking.' These negative stereotypes and hateful rhetoric targeted bisexual users, creating a toxic environment of harassment and discrimination, which led to the development of online social groups to protect them and reduce the hateful comments.
- During political debates, some candidates made biphobic statements by implying that supporting bisexual rights would 'undermine traditional family values,' using rhetoric to divide the population. This prejudiced approach fueled existing social divisions and led to the exclusion of bisexuality from political discourse and policy, denying bi rights.
- A medical professional’s biphobic bias resulted in inadequate healthcare for a bisexual patient; the doctor discounted the patient’s descriptions of their same-sex relationships, making assumptions about their lifestyle, leading to misdiagnosis and a denial of necessary medical care. These negative assumptions regarding bisexuality in healthcare creates a barrier to health services.