Yay for bisexuality!

Apparently it’s celebrate bisexuality day. In the spirit of this holiday, allow me to examine some hilarious stereotypes in fiction:

1. The bi character is always a cheater!
I’m not sure why “bisexual” must equal “commitment-phobic”–or just “asshole with no understanding of honesty and/or loyalty”. Maybe it’s that whole “playing for both teams” euphemism, makes it sound very underhanded, on the level of people who fix World Series games?

I mean, I’m not saying bi characters can’t be cheaters–I have one who ends up cheating, myself. I’m just saying that if they do cheat, it’s not because they’re bi. It’s because they’re assholes. And yeah, there is a difference, and it’s not that hard to make it clear, thanks.

2. The bi character is actually gay, but too repressed to admit it!
We’ve all seen it and rolled our eyes. Yeah, okay, human sexuality is in a constant state of development and flux for each individual. Believe me, I am all about it, or I’d never have anything to write about.

But guess what? You can be attracted to both. In fact, Kinsey proved that a decent percentage of people are. Also, that we’re in a state of flux, as mentioned above.

And yeah, sometimes the whole same sex attraction does get repressed until the person is mature enough to deal with it–or just forced to because they, god forbid, fall in love. Which, by the way, makes for good fiction. But they’re still attracted to both. It’s a real thing. Not self-delusion, and for the love of sweet little kittens and butterflies and all things lovable, please don’t call it indecision. Ever.

3. Bi characters always end up with the opposite sex in the end.
Okay, I’ve not really run into this one in fiction that much, but apparently it’s a big deal. (All my bi characters, and as you might imagine I have quite a few, actually end up going same sex if and when they commit. Hm, hadn’t thought of that before…)

I have seen this fear in real life, though–as in don’t date the bi girl, because she’s just gonna leave you for a cock in the end. Maybe I’m no one to complain about that, as I’m married to a dude. But if I’m taking a sample of people I know, it seems about evenly split. Which, you know, might be expected.

4. Bi characters are total sluts!
Yeah, sometimes. Sometimes they like threesomes. Sometimes they’re insanely committed to one individual–in a codependent and unhealthy way. Sometimes they’re into kinky shit. Sometimes they save it for marriage. Sometimes they fairly earn the nickname “firecrotch”.

But hey, so do straight characters. And gay characters. (Okay, this stereotype might be even worse for gay men. But wait, it’s not their day!)

Also, real people.

I could go on forever, but I’ll leave it at that. Wasn’t that fun?

And in closing, please enjoy these upcoming tales from me featuring bisexual protagonists. You can see “The Runner” in Beauty Has Her Way this fall (check the cool Heavy Metal inspired cover at editor Jennifer Brozek’s LJ), and, please let us not forget, Scripped, my very first novel, coming up from Belfire Press next year. Jonah has some issues, but guess what? Not because he likes both girls and boys.

Poor guy, that’s the least of his concerns.

Woo, see how I started out with a mock-PSA then made it all about me? Yeah, I’m starting to get the hang of this shameless author thing. Please don’t hate me, even if I deserve it. <3

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