Bisexual Representation in LGBTQ Literature : Half of LGBTQ people are bisexual. Due to prejudice, they are less visible than other LGBTQ persons. Despite the rise of LGBTQ books, gay characters have struggled to follow suit. They are generally described as promiscuous, self-centered, and unreliable. Bisexual readers and writers are changing that.
Jakobson thinks that requires creating a bisexual character with a “expansive worldview” like the bisexual community. In “Old Enough,” bisexual college sophomore Sav is having problems locating an LGBTQ group. She’s also struggling with trauma, shifting relationships, and growing up.
“I always say that being bisexual is very big part of who I am,” adds Jakobson. Bisexual woman. “So, yes, it does have something to do with who I’m attracted to and who I might be interested in on an intimate level,” she said. “But what it really comes down to for me is a worldview.” I walk through the world and observe things in a wide, non-categorical fashion that varies with time.
“Bisexual” explains everything. The book’s dust jacket’s inside flap states that, and the first chapter and pages discuss it. Bisexual readers desire a book that declares itself a “big bisexual book.”
Readers comment I can’t express enough about how essential it is to represent people in the world now.
Sapph-Lit founder Nina Haines is an avid reader. “Old Enough” on McNally Jackson’s front table in New York City amazed her.
“Bi women continue to be made invisible in the queer community,” Haines says. “Strange, but mainstream.”
Bren Frederick didn’t know what “bisexual” meant before reading “Far From You” by Tess Sharpe. Bren Frederick thought she was homosexual and straight because the novel includes a bisexual character. Because of this, she founded the Bi Pan Library, which has over 800 books by and about bisexual and pansexual persons. Frederick started this collection in 2015.
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“I had no words for what I was feeling,” Frederick recalls. “I couldn’t say anything.” She remarked, “I wanted more of this right away, and I started looking for more books because it’s really safe to explore identity.” “I was so hungry for more of this right away.”
But finding these papers proved difficult. Frederick claims that publishers and authors avoid the term “bisexual” to avoid alienating some readers. Fictional bisexual characters usually admit or hint at their sexuality. Bisexual people may have had relationships with men and women, however their bisexuality could be a phase or a result of promiscuity.
Some readers believe that a bisexual character doesn’t improve LGBT literature’s visibility or canon. Even if many don’t want to admit their multi-gender attraction.
“Sometimes you don’t find out that a character is bisexual until after the fact, because naming it would take away from the book or feel too obvious or make you cringe,” adds Jakobson. “It’s not about who you’re sleeping with at night; it’s about who you are,” the speaker stated
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Our Reader’s Queries
Was Dorian Gray bisexual?
Dorian Gray focuses on heterosexual relationships, but there’s an underlying homoerotic vibe throughout. The connection with Sybil is more about appearance than genuine emotion. The story’s atmosphere is dripping with homoeroticism, even though there’s no explicit homosexuality. This subtle tension adds depth to the plot and characters.
What is the oldest queer literature?
Edward Prime-Stevenson’s Imre: A Memorandum (1906) marked a turning point as the initial American gay novel, Joseph and His Friend (1870) by Bayard Taylor, had emerged earlier. Unlike its predecessors, Imre presented a groundbreaking portrayal of a content and unified homosexual couple by the conclusion of the story.
What is a bisexual character?
A person who is “bisexual” is someone who feels emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attraction to, or has romantic or sexual relationships with, more than one gender or sex.
What makes a book LGBT?
A book must feature a main character who is LGBTQ or tackles LGBTQ topics front and center in the storyline. These issues should be prominent and integral to the overall plot.