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The Historical Prevalence Of Bisexuality Essay

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The historical prevalence of bisexuality is hard to determine because same-sex sexual activity has traditionally been very stigmatized; furthermore bisexuality is often ignored in historical discussions of sexual orientation. Nonetheless, over the past few decades, the status quo with regard to same-sex sexual activity has changed drastically. The repeal of anti-gay laws and the 2003 supreme court decision Lawrence v. Texas which eliminated all remaining sodomy laws in the United States, the removal of homosexuality from its designation as a sexual disorder in the DSM, the existence of high-profile LGBTQ figures, and the push for, and legalization of gay marriage in the United States and other western countries have all been significant contributing factors toward the normalization of same-sex sexual activity. The general public has experienced increased exposure to the LGBTQ community, and as a result, acceptance of sexual minorities, including bisexual individuals, has grown.
In spite of the progress toward acceptance of bisexual individuals, many people still view sexual orientation as dichotomous, which contributes to the erasure and/or invisibility of the bisexual community (Alarie & Gaudet 2013). Some also perceive bisexuality as a “transitional identity” between heterosexuality and homosexuality, or believe that people who identify as bisexual are just too afraid to come out as homosexual (Israel and Mohr 2003; Alarie & Gaudet 2013). Some studies have

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