Answer to Question 1
Questioning one's sexual orientation and/or gender can happen at any time in life. Often, some amount of question is normal in adolescents, when identity is forming. One can begin questioning for many reasons; usually it stems from some unexpected reaction to someone else, a fantasy, and/or as a response to new information. Often the questioning may arouse a sense of anxiety because it might mean something different about an individual that she or he did not know about herself or himself. Questioning presents a wonderful opportunity for personal growth; the experience is far less threatening when one is open to what is learned. Another anxiety associated with questioning is the possibility of taking on a stigmatized position in society. An ongoing theme in this chapter is the negative effects of stigma in the lives of LGBT people, and it is normal to want to avoid this stigma. Acceptance by others, especially close family and friends, is a major concern. Often people who are questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity may come into contact with a social worker, or this may arise from a social worker's work with a client. Social workers can assist questioning clients by not deciding for the client what their sexual orientation or gender identity is, even if it seems very obvious to the worker. Helping the client to explore feelings without labeling the feelings as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender is very important. Only when a client chooses to use the label should it be used. Normalizing this experience as much as possible helps to reduce isolation for the client. Giving the client as much information as possible can also help to further the process as some clients lack information about or have misperceptions about sexual orientation and gender identity. There are online resources for questioning persons; often they take the form of a questionnaire. Social workers should be cautious about suggesting these questionnaires before the client is ready to accept the results. A good deal of support demonstrated through empathy and acceptance can be extremely beneficial for these clients.
Answer to Question 2
Biphobia is the fear or hatred of bisexuals, sometimes manifesting in discrimination, isolation, harassment, or violence. Often biphobia is based on inaccurate stereotypes, including associations with infidelity, promiscuity, and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. Biphobia can take the form of the following:
Assuming that everyone you meet is either heterosexual or homosexual.
Automatically assuming romantic couplings of two women are lesbian, or two men are gay, or a man and a woman are heterosexual.
Expecting a bisexual to identify as gay or lesbian when coupled with the same sex/gender.
Expecting a bisexual to identify as heterosexual when coupled with the opposite sex/gender.
Believing that bisexual men spread HIV/AIDS to heterosexuals.
Believing that bisexual women spread HIV/AIDS to lesbians.
Thinking bisexual people haven't made up their minds.
Refusing to accept someone's self-identification as bisexual if the person hasn't had sex with both men and women.
Feeling bisexuals just want to have their cake and eat it too.
Thinking bisexuals only have committed relationships with opposite sex/gender partners.
Assuming bisexuals would be willing to pass as anything other than bisexual.
Believing bisexuals are confused about their sexuality.
Feeling that you can't trust bisexuals because they aren't really gay or lesbian, or aren't really heterosexual.
Using the terms phase or stage or confused or fence-sitter or bisexual or AC/DC or switchhitter as slurs or in an accusatory way.
Assuming bisexuals are incapable of monogamy.
Not confronting a biphobic remark or joke for fear of being identified as bisexual.
Thinking that bisexual people will have their rights when lesbian and gay people win theirs.
The impact on the invisibility of bisexuals has negative impacts on their physical and mental health.
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