Even with the growing awareness of the LGBTQ community, bisexuals are still seen as "confused," "experimenting," or even not real at all. Many even view their sexuality as a threat to their own sexuality and identity. Unfortunately, this is a problem within the community as well as outside. This unfortunately causes what we call “double discrimination” for this group of already discriminated minorities. As mentioned, bisexuals face the same discrimination from their own community: the LGTBQ community. One of the problems that arises because of biphobia in the community is that bisexual people are forced to be labeled as "straight" or "gay", and if they do not accept these labels, then they might be qualified as “deceiving the other party”. or “attention seeking.” This was especially forced when they were in a relationship with someone. If a bisexual man is with a man, he is gay. If he's with a woman, then he's straight. It almost negates their true sexuality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Many people do not accept bisexuality as real. It's unfortunate, but it's true. They also see it as a threat: it could “make” them become gay. A study carried out developed a grid to determine people's attitudes towards bisexual men and women. Data were based on an assessment of agreement or disagreement statements. The results showed that in all cases, being bisexual as a woman was found to be more acceptable than being bisexual as a man (Dodge), as bisexual women are often hypersexualized and seen more as crossing simply a phase (Allen). It also showed that men were less accepting of bisexuality than women because it was seen as a threat to their masculinity. Many of these men believed that bisexual men were trying to “make them gay,” or that bisexual women might not be as attracted to them as they were to other women. Often bisexuals aren't even considered valid. They must “choose sides”. A study of men who identify as bisexual found that many men were described as 'confused', 'insecure', 'on the fence' and 'gay not ready to come out' . This is unfortunately a common reaction to these men's revelations. Many of these men feel frustrated by these statements because they have been told that all women are "a little bi", but men are either straight or gay and that's it. There can be no intermediary for a man. Cultural studies doctor Dr. H. Sharif “Herukhuti” Williams suggested that this prejudice against bisexuality came from the gay liberation movement. When the movement occurred, gays and lesbians appealed to the heterosexual community saying that they were like them, but that they were only attracted to the different gender. As liberation gained momentum, many heterosexuals, gays, and lesbians began to believe that this was the only difference. However, this leads to leaving bisexuals in the middle and labeling them as "confused." Dr. H. Sharif "Herukhuti" Williams believes that bisexual men are considered homosexual in the same way that the "one drop rule" applies to African Americans being black. The “one drop rule” ensured that anyone with a drop of African blood in their body wasconsidered black for legal purposes. Many bisexual men think this is the same way their sexuality is perceived; if they are attracted to men, then they are automatically gay (Allen). The stereotypical idea of ​​a bisexual man is often that of a "gay man in denial", but the stereotypical perception of a bisexual woman is that of a "heterosexual in disguise". Another problem they face is that bisexuals are often seen as "sluttier" because they have "more dating options." As mentioned at the beginning, bisexuals are often discriminated against in their own community and consequently excluded. One study used a “biphobia scale” to show this in more depth. They used the scale to assess the negative connotations of bisexuality. This scale showed that biphobia was prevalent in both heterosexual and homosexual communities. In another study, 60 bisexual men and women were surveyed about their perceptions of their sexuality within the LGBTQ community and how it affected their participation in the community. Those who were active in the community said they often kept their sexuality hidden for fear of being rejected, tormented, or isolated. Other study participants said they did not want to be active in the community for fear of being unwelcome (McLean). Another study looked at two groups of lesbians and gay men. In one group, they asked participants about their attitudes toward bisexuals. They described bisexuals as being more unstable, irresponsible in their sexual endeavors, and having more interpersonal hostility. In the other group, they asked what participants thought about bisexuals' attraction to others. They found that they thought they were more attracted to men than women, and this may be why lesbians have more negative attitudes toward bisexuals. One study found that lesbians had more negative views of bisexuals than gay men because they believe bisexuality is centered around sleeping with men. There is a term "androcentric desire hypothesis": the hypothesis that bisexuals are perceived to be more attracted to men than women. Unfortunately, bisexual women have a much harder time than bisexual men in this sense, as many lesbians view them as liars, untrustworthy, and sleeping with the other party. Many researchers hypothesize that this is why bisexuality is less perceived within the community. They think bisexuality is not “gay enough.” One could assume that part of the biphobia within the community comes from the desire to be accepted by the heterosexual community and in doing so, they will avoid people from their own community to gain stature. . One study showed that bisexuals actually make up 52% ​​of the LGBTQ population, but they are still considered one of the minorities within the community. This may be because they don't feel able, allowed, or comfortable coming out. Or that the prevalence of "it's just a phase" or "you're just gay" culture means many don't have the opportunity to explore or question their sexuality first location - making them think they are just attracted. to the “opposite” sex. Biphobia plays a role in our own relationships. As mentioned earlier, if a bisexual man is in a relationship with a man, he “must be” gay. However, if he is with a woman, then he “must be” heterosexual or in denial. This pushes these labels even further..