A new survey by HER, a dating app for lesbian, bi, and queer individuals, has revealed that 40% of bisexual people feel invisible in LGBTQ+ spaces.
Collating the responses of 2,000 users, the survey, which is published to coincide with Bi Awareness Week, highlights challenges in the bi community, including erasure and the experience often referred to as “bi panic”.
One of the key findings is that 48.3% of bisexual respondents have been assumed to be either straight or gay based on the gender of their partner at the time. This ongoing misconception creates added pressure for bisexual individuals to continuously come out and explain their identity in order to maintain a sense of visibility.
The study also found that bisexual people are more likely to question their own sexual identity compared to lesbians. While only 3% of lesbians reported questioning their sexuality, this figure doubles for bisexual respondents, with 10.82% regularly questioning their orientation.
These feelings of discomfort are especially heightened when others question or doubt their bisexuality. The study also revealed that 32% of bisexual participants adapt their dating style depending on the gender of their partner, demonstrating a flexible approach to how they navigate relationships.
Robyn Exton, founder of HER, said: “All of us here at HER stand committed to creating spaces where bisexual women, alongside other LGBTQ+ folks, can feel not just seen and heard, but celebrated! Not to brag, but we have over 15 million users in 114 countries- and over 30% of our incredible user base identifies as bisexual. Unearthing the experiences that bisexual folks face whilst also providing support and a safe space to connect is a huge priority for us.”
See the results of the survey HERE