Diversity Spotlight – Bisexuality Awareness Week
by Nicole Holmberg, PhD
Bisexuality Awareness Week is occurring this year September 17-24. This is the 24th year of Bi Visibility Day which has been celebrated on the 23rd of September since its inception in 1999. Bisexuality refers to sexual attraction to those who are of the same/similar gender and to those who are of a different gender. The bisexual community faces an ongoing invisibility issue even within the LGBTQAI+ community. This invisibility is referred to as bisexual erasure and reflects the dismissal, minimization, omission, overlooking of bisexual experiences. Bisexual people face greater health disparities in some areas compared to their lesbian and gay counterparts. There are several reasons for this. One is that bisexual folks may not feel they belong in LGBTQ spaces (because they aren’t “gay enough”) and don’t feel they fit in heterosexual spaces (because they are “straight enough”), which negatively impacts mental health. Another reason relates to healthcare providers forgoing important health screenings and tests based on the gender of their bisexual patients’ partners. For example, a physician may not think it is important to screen a bisexual woman for sexually transmitted infections if they know the patient is partnered with a woman. Helpful tip: When someone shares their sexuality with you, believe them. https://youtu.be/p19CZXHdwWE
More information and videos! https://www.glaad.org/biweek2021
Get involved: https://stillbi.org/
Guide for clinicians: https://stillbi.org/a-guide-for-mental-health-clinicians/
Twitters: @BiVisibilityDay @StillBisexual
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Flowstate Health is a behavioral health services company operating in Iowa and Nebraska. We are a collaborative team of mental health professionals providing medication evaluation and management, psychotherapy, crisis evaluation, and other services for adults and seniors. Full- and part-time positions available for onsite and telehealth work for licensed providers.
