Did you know about Bisexual Awareness Week? It is also known as BiWeek. Celebrated in September, it is the week that is dedicated to celebrating Bisexual Day which falls on the 23rd of the month. Additionally, it was GLAAD that co-founded this week to educate the society about the bisexual (bi+) community. This year, Bisexual Awareness Week is from the 16th to the 23rd of September.
Since it’s BiWeek, is it not the best time to catch up on some good Bisexual based reading? And so, here are some really good literary pieces for Bisexual Awareness Week.
‘Why Bisexuals Stay in the Closet’ by Emily Alpert – 2014
In 2014, this literary piece was nominated for GLAAD’s Media Awards (2014). It was for the category, ‘Outstanding Newspaper Article’. Written in the Los Angeles Times, as the name suggests, the article explores the reasons why there are many bisexuals who still remain closeted. Furthermore, Emily Alpert writes about how oppressive experiences makes it difficult for individuals to come out to others, whether it is our LGBTQ+ or straight friends and family.
‘Leah on the Offbeat’ (Creekwood #2) by Becky Albertalli – 2018
Image Courtesy – The Good Reads
Written by Becky Albertalli, this Young Adult book is the sequel to bestseller book ‘Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda’. The book revolves around Leah, who is the best friend of Simon, the star character of the first book. Leah is the drummer of an all-girls rock band, who is open about her sexuality to her mother. However, she is petrified to come out to her friends as Bi, even to Simon, who is openly gay.
‘Historicizing Contemporary Bisexuality’ by Lachlan MacDowall – 2009
Reading a Journal Article is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, if you are curious to explore the history, and understand the evolution of modern bisexuality, this is a good piece to read. Traced back to the 19th Century, MacDowall explores Bisexuality as developed, “….through a matrix of three interconnected definitions, as combinations of biological, psychical, and sexual categories: male/female, masculine/feminine, and heterosexual/homosexual.” – As written in the summary of the journal article. The brief of the article explains,
“Due in part to bisexuality’s marginality in theories of sexuality, recent theorisations of bisexuality have often been reluctant to historicise the category of bisexuality itself. However, bisexuality’s origins in the 19th century, particularly its relation to Darwinism and theories of evolution, continue to shape how it is articulated in the early 21st century”
-As reported by Pride
‘Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution’ by Shiri Eisner – 2013
Image Courtesy – The Good Reads
For anyone who is bisexual or wants to understand the bisexual people in their lives, this is a great read. Similarly, this book is for those looking to read a Non-Fiction book on bisexuality. In the book, Eisner writes about bisexual politics. It takes a comprehensive look at issues surrounding monosexism, bisexuality, feminism and even trans issues. Eisner is a feminist bisexual and genderqueer activist. And so, the book tackles topics such as bisexual stereotypes. Casey from Auto Straddle wrote that the book discusses,
“…the fact that bi men are deemed gay and bi women are deemed straight, the issue of bi people being accused of having heterosexual privilege and more!”
‘Lena’ by Cassie Pruyn – 2017
Image Courtesy – Rosemary and Reading Glasses
The book is a collection of Poems, and is all about “furtive first love and first loss”. It is about a young queer woman who passed away before her time. Through these poems, Prurn blurs time. Furthermore, she shares her memories of making love at Lena’s family beach house undiscovered. And, looking for Lena’s grave without the help of her close-minded family. Good Read describes the book,
“Pruyn lets us feel what lovers feel-the magnetism, the physicality, the tenderness, the rage, the wondering-with language both musical and visceral. In these poems, the landscape is a character in itself; the past is as tangible as the present”
-As written by Good Reads
Finally, this book has won the Walt McDonald First-Book Prize in Poetry. So, if you are looking for something different or love reading poems, this is definitely a beautiful yet unique book to read.
‘Why I Don’t Like Being Asked Which Gender I Prefer’ by Zachary Zane – 2016
Zachary Zane has written a number of articles about the LGBTQ+ community and Bisexuality. One of his articles explores the question ‘Why I Don’t Like Being Asked Which Gender I Prefer’. Written on Bustle, Zane talks about the problem with such a ’50/50′ question. Furthermore, he explores the idea of what it means to be truly Bisexual. And, that being bisexual does not mean to like men as well as women “equally all the time”. He introduces his article writing,
“Are you 50/50? Do you like sleeping with men or women more? Do you like dating men or women more? Which way do you lean? All of these questions rise from the misconception that “true” bisexuals are 50/50”
