Bisexuality is a hotly-debated term and sexual preference. People often call it a "stop" on the way to being gay, as though one transitions themselves from sexual preference, incrementally.
And this attitude also reveals two other interesting perceptions and judgments about LGBTQ sexuality: one, that you can choose homosexuality or your sexual preference, as though it is a switch that can be turned on or off, Mexican or Thai, Johnny Depp or Charlize Theron?
The second perception is this: that, somehow, bisexuality is "less extreme" of a sexual preference or less radical than being homosexual. It's somehow more understandable or tolerable.
And this is only the start of the panacea that constitutes the meaning of bisexuality for so many.
People who claim to love both sexes are often accused as being unable to just "make a decision", as though sexuality -- both, the act and identity -- is static and not fluid.
Some individuals - even those who are part of the LGBTQ population -- perceive this sexual preference to be one of those excuses people make to be promiscuous, sleep around and have it be normalized.
But these "explanations" are too simplistic and reek of pop-psychology. Yes, individuals who don't discriminate between the sexes may still be exploring their sexuality and may, in time, realize that they seem to have an affinity for one gender over the other.
But this is more a case of self-awareness and self-development than any "decision" being made. The truth is that heterosexual couples and heterosexual, well, sex, is still very much the norm and anything that veers away, even slightly, is either taboo or "alternative".
Which means that individuals who feel this way are often usually under pressure to conceal their preference or go their lives without articulating and exploring their desires.
Which leads us to a new point: why does a preference for both genders seem to be more prevalent now than ever?
Many heterosexual people feel that this is a choice and the higher incidence of LGBTQ individuals coming out has something to do with "environmental influence" or "social pressure" or even that it's "trendy".
This is, again, an oversimplification that misses the point: if there seems to be more individuals than ever before willing to explore their sexuality it just means that, now, it's highly visible, rather than occurring in gay-only bars or underground.
In a menage-a-trois or a threesome, the woman who is someone who displays this sexual preference is often seen as a lone wanderer, with no roots, and is often a seductress and temptress. But those who don't discriminate between genders often crave the same things as any other human being:
Their sexual preference has no implications for how likely they are to "cheat" and it's not as though everything turns them on. If you wanted to understand it in such simple terms then it would be easier to say that bisexuals can appreciate, enjoy and can be attracted to both masculine and feminine aspects.