Bi America: Myths, Truths, and Struggles of an Invisible Community

Description

There are at least five million bisexual people in America, generally invisible to straight society, the gay community, and even to each other. While the vast majority of these five million live within the straight or gay world, there are a few who have formed a community of their own. Bi America: Myths, Truths, and Struggles of an Invisible Community offers an inside look at the American bisexual community and gives an understanding of the special circumstances unique to being bisexual. The book takes the reader to bi community events from picnics, to conferences, to support groups, to performances in order to expose the everyday trials of the bisexual community. Bi America includes very personal stories that let the voice of everyday bisexuals be heard through interviews, the “Bisexual History Project,” in which ten bisexual people tell their life stories, and the “Online Support Group,” a group of about 75 people who meet in cyberspace to talk about their lives and challenges. The book also includes the findings of a 2002 survey of about 300 bisexual people conducted via the Internet, an appendix that offers a concise list of resources for further study and personal enrichment, and an unabridged transcript of the “Bisexual History Project.” Dedication About the Author Contents Foreword • Fritz Klein Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1. BECAUSE 2. Relating Bisexuality to the World 3. Bisexuality Defined 4. In Search of a Bisexual Community 5. Women’s and Men’s Experiences: Penthouse Bisexuals and Support Group Men 6. The Transgender Community 7. What Is the Relationship Between Nonmonogamy and Bisexuality? 8. Bisexuality in the Time of AIDS 9. The History of the Bisexual Community 10. The Future of the Bi Community: GLBT Identity versus Cyberspace 11. BECAUSE Reprise Appendix A. The Survey Appendix B. The Bisexual History Project Appendix C. Resources and Further Reading Notes Bibliography Index