Bisexual: The potential to be attracted - sexually and/or romantically - to people of more than one sex/gender, not necessarily at the same time, not necessarily in the same way, and not necessarily to the same degree.
-Robyn Ochs
Fluid: An inclusive term for attraction to people of more than one gender that allows for and puts emphasis on its fluctuating nature over time (e.g., more intensified attraction toward one gender vs another gender). This term doesn’t use the prefix “bi” which avoids the assumption of “50/50” attractions and binary notion of gender. The term also doesn’t use the suffix “sexual” which makes it more inclusive of different types of attractions.
Heteroflexible: People who are usually attracted to people of genders different from their own, but might occasionally be attracted to people of genders similar to their own.
Homoflexible: People who are usually attracted to people of genders similar to their own, but might occasionally be attracted to people of genders different from their own.
Pansexual: Attraction to people of all sexes and genders, or attraction regardless of sex or gender.
Polysexual: Attraction to people of many sexes or genders but not all; gender does play a factor in attraction.
Omnisexual: Attraction to people of all sexes or genders but gender does play a factor in attraction.
Queer: This term has multiple definitions: 1) a vague term for a non-heterosexual sexual orientation that could include same-sex attraction only or non-monosexual attraction, or attraction that is person-specific; 2) having a nonbinary gender (i.e., genderqueer); 3) once a pejorative term for a gay person, since the 1980s has been reclaimed as a political or academic umbrella term for all sexual and gender minorities and is shorthand for “LGBTQIA.”
Bi+: A recent shortened umbrella term devised for the non-monosexual community
Bi-curious/Questioning: A person who is contemplating crossing the boundaries of their typical sexual orientation (heterosexual or gay/lesbian). The terms “heteroflexible” and “homoflexible” are also applied to bi-curiosity, though some distinguish heteroflexibility as lacking the "wish to experiment” implied by the bi-curious label.
Bi-cycle: Refers to the common experience of fluid or fluctuating gender preferences in many bisexual or biromantic individuals.
Biphobia: Dislike or prejudice against bisexuality and/or bisexual individuals. Many times the existence of the orientation or the legitimacy of bisexuality is questioned or denied outright. A common occurrence is to be asked to provide a Queer resume through relationships and body counts by gender as proof of queerness.
Monosexism: Institutionalized discrimination against bisexuality, including the assumption that monosexuality is the norm.
Examples:
Bisexual Umbrella: Older term for the non-monosexual community.
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