Bisexuality is often neglected within the LGBTQ (and maybe someday A for asexual) acronym. This post will present a few notable informational resources.

I. Fritz Klein’s The Bisexual Option and The American Institute of Bisexuality

My first exposure to quality writing on bisexuality was The Bisexual Option (1978) by the founder of The American Institute of Bisexuality, psychiatrist Fritz Klein (1932-2006). Since then, many of my clients have used his Klein Grid, a way to conceptualize one’s own sexual orientation by doing a self-assessment on seven different components of identity/orientation.

II. Shiri Eisner’s Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution

The newest book to try to put to rest some distorted notions about bisexuality is activist Shiri Eisner‘s Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution (2013).

Selected Reviews

Kyle Schickner, Bi Activist/Filmmaker: “Brilliant! I have been waiting twenty years for a book like this. It should be required reading for any person even considering entering the dialogue about where the ‘B’ fits in the LGBT world. Let the revolution begin.”

Meg-John Barker: “This is the most innovative and exciting book to be published on bisexuality in many years, and one which will move work in this area forward in many vital ways…Throughout the book Eisner challenges existing practices, such as biphobia and ‘mythbusting’ of bisexual stereotypes, and puts forward intriguing and valuable alternatives. The book will be helpful far beyond the bisexual movement itself and is a must-read for feminists, LBG&T workers, critical race and queer theorists and activists particularly.”

William E. Burleson, author of Bi America: Myths, Truths, and Struggles of an Invisible Community: “Shiri Eisner unpacks bisexuality and the bisexual experience, challenging ‘monosexism’ privilege in a refreshing, clear, unwavering voice. But, instead of the usual narratives of bi activism, Eisner brings us a global, “radical” vision, recognizing the seemingly endless battle for mere acknowledgement as whole people, while taking us further—toward a ‘bi revolution.’ Make no mistake: Shiri Eisner offers us more than a fresh voice for a new generation of bi activism; Eisner offers us all a call to action.”

Monosexism, by the way (and I had to look this up myself) refers to the (highly disputable) position/belief that sexual orientation is an either/or: i.e., either you’re heterosexual or you’re homosexual.

III. Therapy with Bisexual Clients: “The Bisexual Experience”

The trailer below introduces an educational video created by psychotherapy.net about therapy with bisexual clients. A main theme in this snippet is the difficulty of having one’s bisexual identity affirmed by others.