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Bisexuality in human sexual behavior refers to the Aesthetic , Romantic , and/or Sexual desire for people of either Gender and/or for people of either Sex . For some writers, the term is parallel to Homosexuality and Heterosexuality , while for others the term expresses a blend of the two. Although observed in a variety of forms in most societies throughout recorded history, bisexuality has only been the subject of serious study since the second half of the 20th Century , and some disagreement remains about its prevalence and nature. DESCRIPTION Bisexual orientation can fall Anywhere between the two extremes of Homosexuality and Heterosexuality ; a bisexual person is not necessarily attracted equally to both genders, and many tend to prefer one or the other. Moreover, a bisexual person may be attracted to either gender but not both sexes, or vice versa. Another view of bisexuality is that homosexuality and heterosexuality are two Monosexual orientations, whereas bisexuality encompasses them both. However, some argue that bisexuality is a legitimate Sexual Orientation in its own right. {Link without Title} Individuals attracted to both males and females, like people of any other orientation, may live a variety of sexual lifestyles. These include: lifelong Monogamy , Serial Monogamy , Polyamory , Polyfidelity , Casual Sexual Activity with individual partners, casual Group Sex , and Celibacy . For those with more than one sexual partner, these may or may not all be of the same gender. Some people who might be classified by others as bisexual on the basis of their sexual behavior self-identify as Gay , Lesbian , or Straight -- for example, a bisexual woman who considers herself a lesbian may do so on the basis that a lesbian might be defined as any woman who is attracted to women (even one who is also attracted to men), or a woman who is primarily attracted to other women. Likewise some men may identify as heterosexual because the only activities they engage in with other men do not involve Anal Sex . This kind of ambiguity is problematic because some people maintain that exclusivity is part of the definitions for monosexual orientations, others feel that only your current situation is what matters (if one is in a heterosexual marriage, they are straight), and still other groups prefer to say that bisexuality is non-existent and a bisexual person's heterosexual feelings are merely the result of internalized Homophobia . Other bisexuals consider themselves distinct from homosexuals but part of the larger LGBT or Queer community. Some people who engage in bisexual behavior may be supportive of lesbian and gay people, but still self-identify as straight, and still others consider any labels irrelevant to their situations. BISEXUALITY IN HISTORY Historical and literary records from most literate societies indicate that male bisexuality was common and indeed expected. These relationships were generally age-structured (as in the practice of Pederasty in the Mediterranean Basin of Antiquity , or the practice of Shudo in pre-modern Japan) or gender-structured (as in the Two-Spirit North American tradition or the Central Asia n Bacchá practices). Male heterosexuality and homosexuality, while also documented, appear mostly as exceptions, unless we are examining cultures influenced by the Abrahamic Religion s, where heterosexuality was privileged, and bisexuality and homosexuality forcefully suppressed. In fact, most of the commonly cited examples of male "homosexuality" in previous cultures would more properly be categorized as bisexuality. Determining the history of female bisexuality is more problematic, in that women in most of the studied societies were under the domination of the males, and on one hand had less self-determination and freedom of movement and expression, and on the other were not the ones writing or keeping the literary record. In Ancient Greece it is believed that males generally went through a homosexual stage in adolescence, followed by a bisexual stage characterized by Pederastic Relationships in young adulthood, followed by a (mostly) heterosexual stage later in life, when they married and had children. Ancient Rome , Arab countries up to and including the present, China , and Japan , all exhibit patterns of analogous bisexual behavior. In Japan in particular, due to its practice of Shudo and the extensive art and literature associated with it, the record of a primarily bisexual lifestyle is both detailed and quite recent, dating back as recently as the 19th Century . Perhaps the most famous example is Alexander The Great who had many wives, but also at least two male lovers, Hephaestion being his life-long friend. The same could be said of most Roman emperors, the shoguns of Japan, many Chinese emperors, and others. However, it should be noted that the terms ''heterosexual'', ''bisexual'', ''homosexual'', and the concept of "sexual orientation" itself are all modern sociological constructs, and may not be appropriate in historical contexts, in which ''behavior'' might be considered homosexual, but ''people'' were not labeled using such terms. Ancient Greece Ancestral law in ancient Sparta mandated same-sex relationships with youths who were coming of age for all adult men, so long as the men eventually took wives and produced children. The Spartans thought that love and erotic relationships between experienced and novice soldiers would solidify combat loyalty and encourage heroic tactics as men vied to impress their lovers. Once the younger soldiers reached maturity, the relationship was supposed to become non-sexual, but it is not clear how strictly this was followed. There was some stigma attached to young men who continued their relationships with their mentors into adulthood. However through out most of the ancient Greek world, in Athens for example, the progression of a relationship between an older man and one of a significant younger age into a sexual relationship was severely looked down upon in society. The relationship was seen as the older man taking advantage of the younger man, and the Athenians being somewhat democratic this was not encouraged. Greek religious texts, reflecting cultural practices, incorporated bisexual themes. The subtexts varied, from the mystical to the didactic. See '' Mythology Of Same-sex Love ''. Middle East and Central Asia Islamic countries developed a culture in which love ''( Ishq )'' was held to be an absolute good, regardless of the gender of the object of affection, though irreligious behavior was condemned. Men's attraction to beautiful youths was widely understood to be normal and universal in Islamic culturesEl-Rouayheb, 2005, pp. 14-24 For example, the Hanbalite jurist Ibn al-Jawzi (d. 1200) is reputed to have said that "He who claims that he experiences no desire when looking at beautiful boys or youths is a liar, and if we could believe him he would be an animal, and not a human being." Monroe, 1997, p. 117 Some religious texts warn men to avoid falling for this temptation, held to be stronger than attraction to women. Other Religious Texts , not uncontroversially, teach that gazing upon the beauty of boys is a path to communing with god. Poets and artists routinely depicted the love of boys, consummated or not, from the Medieval times until the early twentieth century. Among these were the poets Abu Nuwas , Hafez , and Omar Khayyam , and painters such as the Persian Reza Abbasi . The Qur'an ic prohibition against ''liwat'' ( Anal Intercourse with either males or females, held to be a major sin) was flouted by some and circumvented by others who indulged in such relationships but stopped short of intercourse. Men convicted of ''liwat'', as well as their partners, could be and were upon occasion executed. The Qur'an however requires that the transgression be witnessed by four men or eight women in order to convict the participants. Therefore, men are not given much trouble about these behaviors as it cannot be easily proved, so as long as they marry and raise families and fulfill other societal duties, they can easily "blend" in society. Such practices are claimed to be less common than in the past and have become covert, as a result of exposure to Western Victorian morality starting in the eighteen hundreds. An open declaration of homosexual preference in the Western egalitarian style would be unacceptable. MODERN WESTERN PREVALENCE OF BISEXUALITY ''Main articles: Demographics Of Sexual Orientation and Kinsey Reports '' Some modern surveys report about 2%-6% of modern western populations as bisexual, but there are still many methodological difficulties with regard to randomness and size of the sample population, and the accuracy of self-reports of such personal information. (The accuracy of these numbers is disputed.) Different studies also use different standards for bisexuality. Some studies ignore bisexual phenomena entirely, or separate it into same-sex and opposite-sex components. Reported results disagree over whether homosexuality is more common than bisexuality (with various definitions for each). Anecdotal reports from areas outside the west suggest much higher rates of bisexual expression. Some studies, notably Alfred Kinsey's ''Sexual Behavior in the Human Male'' (1948) and ''Sexual Behavior in the Human Female'' (1953), have indicated that the majority of people appear to be at least somewhat bisexual. The studies report that most people have some attraction to either sex, although usually one sex is preferred. According to some (falsely attributed to Kinsey), only about 5-10% of the population can be considered to be fully heterosexual or homosexual. On the other hand, an even smaller minority has no distinct preference for one gender or the other. SOCIAL STATUS OF BISEXUALITY Historically, bisexuality has largely been free of the social stigma associated with homosexuality, prevalent even where bisexuality was the norm. In Ancient Greece Pederasty was not problematic as long as the men eventually married and had children. All over the world among upper-class men of good social standing (i.e., properly married) homosexual affairs were quietly accepted, and heterosexual marriage was often successfully used as a defense against accusations of homosexuality. On the other hand, there are bisexuals who marry or live with a heterosexual partner because they prefer the complementarity of different genders in cohabiting and co-parenting, but have felt greatly enriched by homosexual relationships alongside the marriage. See, for instance, a book which can be freely downloaded from the author's website - ''Coming Clean about Bisexuality'' by Garrett Jones, 2000. Some in the gay and lesbian communities accuse those who self-identify as bisexual of duplicity, believing they are really homosexuals who are attempting to hold onto the social approval through their heterosexual activity. They may be accused of "not doing their part" in gaining acceptance of "true" homosexuality. Some gay and lesbian people may also suspect that a self-described bisexual is merely a homosexual in the initial stage of questioning their presumed heterosexuality, and will eventually accept that they are lesbian or gay; this is expressed by a glib saying in gay culture: "Bi now, gay later." These situations can and do take place, but do not appear to be true of the majority of self-described bisexuals. Nonetheless, bisexuals do sometimes experience lesser acceptance from gay and lesbian people, because of their declared orientation. {Link without Title} {Link without Title} Bisexuals are often associated with men who engage in Same-sex Activity while Closeted and heterosexually Married . The majority of such men - said to be ''living on the Down-low '' - do not self-identify as bisexual. {Link without Title} {Link without Title} Because some bisexual people do not feel that they fit into either the Gay And Lesbian or the heterosexual world, and because they have a tendency to be "invisible" in public (fitting in rather seamlessly into both homosexual and heterosexual society), some bisexual persons are committed to forming their own Communities , culture, and political movements. However, since "Bisexual orientation can fall anywhere between the two extremes of Homosexuality and Heterosexuality ," some who identify as bisexual may merge themselves into either homosexual or heterosexual society. A common symbol of bisexual identity is a pair of overlapping pink and blue triangles (the pink triangle being a well-known symbol for the gay community), forming purple where they intersect. Another symbol is the Bisexual Pride Flag , which has a deep pink stripe at the top for homosexuality, a blue one on the bottom for heterosexuality, and a purple one (blended from the pink and blue) in the middle to represent bisexuality. [http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/qq-bi.html TERMINOLOGY The term ''bisexual'' was coined by botanists c. 1809. It originally applied to plants that had both male and female sex organs. It was not known when the term was first applied to the context of sexual orientation. Some bisexuals and sex researchers are dissatisfied with the term, and have developed a variety of alternative or supplementary terms to describe aspects and forms of bisexuality. Many are Neologism s not widely recognized by the larger society.
BISEXUALITY IN MODERN WESTERN ENTERTAINMENT Comparatively positive and notable portrayals of bisexuality can be found in mainstream movies such as: '''s ''Sexual Personae'' (1990) and Louis Crompton's ''Byron and Greek Love'' (1985), has uncovered previously hidden histories of bisexuality. On the TV show Will & Grace , the character of Karen is described as "omnisexual" and although is married to a man, often kisses Grace and appears to have had many female lovers throughout her life. The blatantly ambisexual character Jack Harkness of '' Doctor Who '' and '' Torchwood '' is often described as "omnisexual" by his fans. Rebecca Romijn-Stamos portrayed a bisexual con artist in the film Femme Fatale . On the HBO drama Oz, Christopher Meloni played Chris Keller , a bisexual sociopath who tortured, raped, and had numerous sexual encounters with various men and women whom he met. There are also negative media portrayals, reflecting prejudices and stereotypes. For instance, the television show '' Friends '' sported a short song about the topic that expresses a common prejudice on the subject: Sometimes men love women, Sometimes men love men, Then there are bisexuals Though some people say they're kidding themselves And a '' Saturday Night Live '' joke ran thus: "A bisexual is a person who reaches down the front of somebody's pants and is satisfied with whatever they find." Prejudice is also expressed in the storylines of movies in which the bisexual characters conceal murderous neuroses ('' Basic Instinct '', ''Black Widow'', '' Blue Velvet ,'' ''Cruising,'' ''Girl Interrupted''). BISEXUALITY IN ANIMALS Many non-human animal species also exhibit bisexual behavior. This is, of course, common in Hermaphroditic animals, but is also known in many other species such as the Bonobo Chimpanzee, Orca , and Bottlenose Dolphin . Bisexuality has been observed in over 500 species, primarily ones that, like humans, engage in sexual activities for pleasure in addition to procreation. SEE ALSO
REFERENCES ;General
;Ancient Greece
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;Modern Western
;Film
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