What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bi-ble #1
The Bible
Bisexuals inhabit a liminal space between cultures, often misunderstood or dismissed by the straight and LGBTQ+ communities alike. We are the sexual identity most likely to be closeted, most at risk of mental illness, domestic abuse, and even heart disease -- but also the least visible. Now, a selection of intersectional bi voices has come together to share stories, helping our voices be heard and our identities seen. It's time to stand up and spread the word.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
18 people are currently reading
1372 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
January 17, 2020
The number of times I cried on public transport reading this and thinking ‘if only I had this when I was 15’.
As a bisexual woman in a long term relationship with a man, reading this felt like returning home to a part of myself I hadn’t seen, touched, or checked in on in quite a while.
It was a comfort and a joy to see that part of myself reflected in the narratives of so many others. It was also fascinating to see the thoughts I’ve had over the past 6 years intertwined almost word for word amidst other peoples journeys.
Whilst I wish this anthology had some more essays from Male identifying folx, it does an amazing job at showcasing a wide variety of experiences and feelings, and I am so very glad that it exists for the 15 year olds of the future.
As a bisexual woman in a long term relationship with a man, reading this felt like returning home to a part of myself I hadn’t seen, touched, or checked in on in quite a while.
It was a comfort and a joy to see that part of myself reflected in the narratives of so many others. It was also fascinating to see the thoughts I’ve had over the past 6 years intertwined almost word for word amidst other peoples journeys.
Whilst I wish this anthology had some more essays from Male identifying folx, it does an amazing job at showcasing a wide variety of experiences and feelings, and I am so very glad that it exists for the 15 year olds of the future.
January 29, 2018
I'm fully biased, of course, but this is a brilliant collection of essays: smart, heartfelt, eloquent and diverse. I love all the beautiful, very visible bisexual stories contained within.
February 28, 2018
Such an amazing collection of personal essays. So moving and educative. It also features essays from a wide-range of bi people, including POC, trans people and non-binary people, and discusses many important issues, including sexual assault, chronic illness, privilege, representation, gender, self-harm and suicidal ideation. There's trigger warnings in the introduction.
My favourite essays are:
- Five Times I Felt Invisible as a Bisexual Fan (And One Time I Didn't)
- A Place to 'B'
- Girlfriend Wanted: Bisexuals Need Not Apply
- On Bisexual Representation in LGBTQ+ History
- Revelations: On Sex, Sexuality and Religion
Definitely a must read if you're bi!
My favourite essays are:
- Five Times I Felt Invisible as a Bisexual Fan (And One Time I Didn't)
- A Place to 'B'
- Girlfriend Wanted: Bisexuals Need Not Apply
- On Bisexual Representation in LGBTQ+ History
- Revelations: On Sex, Sexuality and Religion
Definitely a must read if you're bi!
January 12, 2018
Powerful, poignant, moving, nuanced, diverse, educational, fascinating, familiar! I could go on! This collection is a homecoming, in a way, for any bisexual person who has read LGBTQ+ literature and despaired at the invisibility and erasure of bisexual narratives. the diversity of experiences and voices collected here is excellent. This book is an education in the validity of bisexuality and in how essential it is that we continue to work towards visibility and acceptance. The balance between personal narratives, factual evidence and cultural criticism makes this a very accessible read. As an academic I can imagine both recommending this to students and gifting it to family and friends. A must read!
March 14, 2021
TW: sexual assault and rape (Sexual Assault and Gender chapter), self-harm and suicide (Photographs and FML: Fix My Life chapters), HP and JKR (Five Times I Felt Invisible as a Bisexual Fan And One Time I Didn't chapter)
Reading this helped me to feel more validated in my bisexuality (especially my heteroromantic bisexuality which I'm still learning more about). It was interesting reading experiences from gender identities besides mine (cis-woman) like non-binary, trans etc. I would love to see more personal essays from bisexual men, non-binary bisexuals, bisexuals BIPOC, and other heteroromantic bisexuals.
Reading this helped me to feel more validated in my bisexuality (especially my heteroromantic bisexuality which I'm still learning more about). It was interesting reading experiences from gender identities besides mine (cis-woman) like non-binary, trans etc. I would love to see more personal essays from bisexual men, non-binary bisexuals, bisexuals BIPOC, and other heteroromantic bisexuals.
August 1, 2019
I first heard of Edinburgh-based feminist micropress Monstrous Regiment Publishing last autumn, when I listened to a podcast interview with the founders, Lauren Nickodemus and Ellen Desmond. They mentioned The Bi-ble, an anthology of essays about bisexuality they'd published, and as I was going through one of my frequent not-queer-enough how-can-I-be-bi-and-ace episodes of soul-searching I felt seen and comforted by the broad definition of bisexuality they used (no, you don't have to have slept with people of more than one gender, or any gender at all; even if you never have sex you can still be bi). When I saw on Twitter a few months ago that they had launched a Kickstarter to reprint the book and publish a second volume, I signed up to back them and received my copies of both books a few weeks ago.
There are 19 short essays in The Bi-ble, covering a diverse range of bisexual experience. There are male, female and non-binary authors; cis and trans authors; black, white and Asian authors; abled and disabled authors; authors who identify as bisexual, pansexual, or simply queer. I really liked the broad perspective this gave me; it makes it very hard to cling to the idea that there is One True Way to be bi. I particularly enjoyed reading Lisa-Marie Ferla's essay about the process that led her to choose to be open about her sexuality despite being in a straight-passing opposite-sex relationship; Sarah Barnard's account of being bi in fanworks fandom; and Mel Reeve's exploration of bisexual representation in LGBTQ+ history, but all of the essays were interesting. If I have one criticism, it's that the diversity of voices in the book doesn't seem to extend to age; as essay after essay referred to the authors using MySpace and MSN messenger to communicate with schoolfriends, and coming out at 15 in the mid-noughties, I began to feel very old from my vantage point of having left school when the internet was barely a gleam in Tim Berners-Lee's eye, at a time and in a place where being known to be anything other than straight might well have been literal suicide, not just social suicide. It would have been really nice to hear the voices of some people over the age of 40, and I really hope that the second volume, which I have yet to read, rectifies this.
There are 19 short essays in The Bi-ble, covering a diverse range of bisexual experience. There are male, female and non-binary authors; cis and trans authors; black, white and Asian authors; abled and disabled authors; authors who identify as bisexual, pansexual, or simply queer. I really liked the broad perspective this gave me; it makes it very hard to cling to the idea that there is One True Way to be bi. I particularly enjoyed reading Lisa-Marie Ferla's essay about the process that led her to choose to be open about her sexuality despite being in a straight-passing opposite-sex relationship; Sarah Barnard's account of being bi in fanworks fandom; and Mel Reeve's exploration of bisexual representation in LGBTQ+ history, but all of the essays were interesting. If I have one criticism, it's that the diversity of voices in the book doesn't seem to extend to age; as essay after essay referred to the authors using MySpace and MSN messenger to communicate with schoolfriends, and coming out at 15 in the mid-noughties, I began to feel very old from my vantage point of having left school when the internet was barely a gleam in Tim Berners-Lee's eye, at a time and in a place where being known to be anything other than straight might well have been literal suicide, not just social suicide. It would have been really nice to hear the voices of some people over the age of 40, and I really hope that the second volume, which I have yet to read, rectifies this.
January 18, 2022
3.5/4 ⭐️
despite only being published in 2017, several of the essays felt rather dated to me. i had to skip through the whole essay on “fandoms” and “shipping” - this form of element is important when it comes to representation and creativity but it felt immature in comparison to some of the others.
i also wasn’t particularly fond of a whole essay that focused on lesbianism in a book about bisexuality when this essay was just a repetitive few pages of how excluded we bisexuals are from our own community.
that being said, there were some excellent essays. my favourites included:
- ‘not like that, like this’: bisexuality, sex and chronic illness
- on being black and bi-furious
- jigsaw: on bisexual representation in lgbtq+ history
- revelations: on sex, sexuality, and religion
these essays stuck with me the most as they featured important discussion points that are not nearly spoken about as much as they should be in our community. rather than being reminded of what we already know as bisexual people (films/tv erase us, some lesbians wont date us), these essays highlight further issues than just “bisexual problems”.
despite only being published in 2017, several of the essays felt rather dated to me. i had to skip through the whole essay on “fandoms” and “shipping” - this form of element is important when it comes to representation and creativity but it felt immature in comparison to some of the others.
i also wasn’t particularly fond of a whole essay that focused on lesbianism in a book about bisexuality when this essay was just a repetitive few pages of how excluded we bisexuals are from our own community.
that being said, there were some excellent essays. my favourites included:
- ‘not like that, like this’: bisexuality, sex and chronic illness
- on being black and bi-furious
- jigsaw: on bisexual representation in lgbtq+ history
- revelations: on sex, sexuality, and religion
these essays stuck with me the most as they featured important discussion points that are not nearly spoken about as much as they should be in our community. rather than being reminded of what we already know as bisexual people (films/tv erase us, some lesbians wont date us), these essays highlight further issues than just “bisexual problems”.
January 25, 2021
Oh this is beautiful and sorrowful too! I loved every story. Can’t wait to read the next instalment, new-testimonials. This feels like an important read if you’re bi, or not, or just interested. It addresses lots of misconceptions that face bisexual/pan/queer people and the unique difficulties and biphobia they face within the LGBTQ+ community as well as the rest of society. They are seen as too straight/not gay enough and viewed with suspicion by some gay circles. And also viewed as confused, gay but just haven’t realised it yet, greedy and promiscuous in certain straight circles. What a minefield. They face their own unique stigmas, and have alarmingly high poor mental health because of this. The statistics on this have really shocked me. Hug your bi friends/send them a message and remind them they’re valid as they are. Each story was very validating for someone who’s still figuring this stuff out!
January 23, 2018
Great contribution to bivisibility
This collection of 20 autobiographical essays about bisexuality provides precisely the narrative that many of the authors were missing as they struggled to define their sexuality: you were either straight or gay; you were a man in a relationship with a woman, so you were straight; “bi” was for people who hadn’t plucked up the courage to come out as gay, right? Is there any wonder that bisexuals have the most mental health problems among LGBTQ+ people? The sense of “finding a home” for many of the authors when they worked out they were bi(sexual) and that this was a perfectly valid identity in its own right is the main take-away from the bible. That bi people are discriminated within the LGBTQ+ community may come as a surprise to those who’ve not experienced it, it’s not just mainstream media that contribute to bierasure. I particularly liked the chapter on LGBTQ+ history and how bisexuality gets erased in interpretation of literature: how often is Virginia Woolf described as a lesbian (392k Google search results, I just tested it) rather than as bi (179k)? When bisexuals are also People of Color, immigrants or non-binary, role models are even scarcer, and this is another good take-away. This is a book for everyone: from people thinking about coming out as bi (“When you’re ready dudes. When you’re ready, you’ll take that first step”) to friends, allies, colleagues and parents of people who are (or perhaps are) bi as well as bi people wanting to feel part of their community.
This collection of 20 autobiographical essays about bisexuality provides precisely the narrative that many of the authors were missing as they struggled to define their sexuality: you were either straight or gay; you were a man in a relationship with a woman, so you were straight; “bi” was for people who hadn’t plucked up the courage to come out as gay, right? Is there any wonder that bisexuals have the most mental health problems among LGBTQ+ people? The sense of “finding a home” for many of the authors when they worked out they were bi(sexual) and that this was a perfectly valid identity in its own right is the main take-away from the bible. That bi people are discriminated within the LGBTQ+ community may come as a surprise to those who’ve not experienced it, it’s not just mainstream media that contribute to bierasure. I particularly liked the chapter on LGBTQ+ history and how bisexuality gets erased in interpretation of literature: how often is Virginia Woolf described as a lesbian (392k Google search results, I just tested it) rather than as bi (179k)? When bisexuals are also People of Color, immigrants or non-binary, role models are even scarcer, and this is another good take-away. This is a book for everyone: from people thinking about coming out as bi (“When you’re ready dudes. When you’re ready, you’ll take that first step”) to friends, allies, colleagues and parents of people who are (or perhaps are) bi as well as bi people wanting to feel part of their community.
July 7, 2020
Really thoughtful collection. I appreciated that all the blank pages between essays might have been about ensuring each piece had its own space and that they didn't impinge upon one another, but that left the whole book feeling a bit shorter than its chunkiness suggested it would be. It had a broad range of voices, but more femmes than otherwise and a femme illustration inside the front cover. I would've liked even more diversity but the writing was wonderful and it was still a rich, meaningful and poignant collection. I'll be getting Vol. 2.
November 19, 2020
“I treasure my friendships with other LGBTQ+ people deeply, but my friendships with other bi people are particularly precious, because they understand this dichotomy of never being quite enough of either culture.”
Reading this book feels like finding 20 new precious pearls: 20 stories of the life experiences of other bisexuals, to whom, despite all living heterogenous lives, I feel a fundamental connection.
Reading this book feels like finding 20 new precious pearls: 20 stories of the life experiences of other bisexuals, to whom, despite all living heterogenous lives, I feel a fundamental connection.
April 15, 2021
I’m so glad a book like this exists. I spent so long avoiding and struggling with my sexuality, so this book made me feel some type of way.
September 10, 2021
4.5 Extremely important. Docked half a star simply because some essays felt a tiny bit repetitive, but that's just me boing picky (in a world where bisexual voices are muffled, maybe a bit of repetition isn't so bad...)
November 8, 2019
Loved this! A must read for anyone who identifies as bisexual or future allies.
December 26, 2020
Have you ever read a book and just screamed YES YES in your head the entire time??
January 16, 2022
While not a deep dive into nuance, the collection covers a range of experiences that show the heterogeneity of bisexual experience. I am honestly curious to read book two to see how authors may or may not discuss the awkward tensions between the popular uptake of bi and pan as terms.
March 10, 2020
Everyone should read this book. These stories question our assumptions about ourselves and each other and reveal how much our thoughts are structured in binary categorizations (cis-trans, gay-straight, etc). Bisexuality is just one example that shows that people’s lived realities do not fit into the narrow boxes modern socializations have created for us. The stories are relevant for all sexualities. They address intersectionality, families and friends, work, and so much more. This really is a Bible; it will blow your mind and expand your horizons. I felt represented, challenged in my ways of thinking through each of the stories, and I loved every bit of it. Thank you for this collection.
May 19, 2018
A crowdfunded collection of essays about what it means to be bisexual from new Scottish indie publisher Monstrous Regiment – and, full disclosure, one of them is mine. Through essays that explore history, fandom, identity, relationships and mental health, 20-odd writers share what arguably the most misunderstood letter in the LGBTQ* spectrum means to them in ways both hilarious and heartbreaking. I’m very proud to have been a part of this project.
February 17, 2018
this is amazing !! i'm applauding !!
the essays in this collection are smart and informative, deeply personal, sometimes sad. the whole collection is ultimately celebratory and you put it down feeling free to be whoever you want to be, however you identify.
the essays in this collection are smart and informative, deeply personal, sometimes sad. the whole collection is ultimately celebratory and you put it down feeling free to be whoever you want to be, however you identify.
March 19, 2019
Easy read, with some interesting points made throughout the book. The strength of this book does not lie in the writing, which is often rambly and incoherent, but in showing the versatility of bisexual experiences.
September 9, 2019
Easy to read and relatable.
July 20, 2019
At long last, I've gotten around reading this little gem. An excellent, intersectional collection of personal essays about bisexuality in the UK.
I am very glad that this book exists (along with volume 2 - would love a third volume!) and that bisexual literature is finally building up its collection at the LGBTQ+ bookstore I go to. Bisexual erasure is a problem we must tackle as a community, especially considering that we are the majority (around 52% of all LGB people are bisexual!), and I hope that everyone, regardless of their sexual identity, reads this and realises the unique issues bisexuals must face in a monosexual society.
(I also ADORE how I the bookstore I got to - Gay's the Word - is thanked at the back for donating to support the creation of the book! They are also the first quoted review of praise at the front and it makes me so happy to see the local support.)
Here are some quotes I especially liked:
'We have always been there - lost in either side of history, almost always hidden away as straight or gay - but we were there and we are here now, even if you don't see us.'
'The idea that bisexuals can exist in two worlds so easily and enjoy the privileges of appearing heterosexual has led to the assumption that bisexuals are somehow excluded from the sort of discrimination that lesbians have to face.'
'The B in LGBTQ+ isn't silent, and neither am I.'
'I remeber getting changed for PE, terrifed to look up from the floor in case the other girls could see in myeyes that I was diffferent, genuinely believing that there was something deviant about me; that I was perveted for just existing.' (Okay this one kinda hurts but it's a rare quote that articulates a personal experience)
'Despite compromising the largest population within the LGBT community, bisexual people are among the most invisible...The failure to account for bisexual lives and experiences compounds a lack of social support and keeps bisexual people in the closet.'
Yes, you should read it.
I am very glad that this book exists (along with volume 2 - would love a third volume!) and that bisexual literature is finally building up its collection at the LGBTQ+ bookstore I go to. Bisexual erasure is a problem we must tackle as a community, especially considering that we are the majority (around 52% of all LGB people are bisexual!), and I hope that everyone, regardless of their sexual identity, reads this and realises the unique issues bisexuals must face in a monosexual society.
(I also ADORE how I the bookstore I got to - Gay's the Word - is thanked at the back for donating to support the creation of the book! They are also the first quoted review of praise at the front and it makes me so happy to see the local support.)
Here are some quotes I especially liked:
'We have always been there - lost in either side of history, almost always hidden away as straight or gay - but we were there and we are here now, even if you don't see us.'
'The idea that bisexuals can exist in two worlds so easily and enjoy the privileges of appearing heterosexual has led to the assumption that bisexuals are somehow excluded from the sort of discrimination that lesbians have to face.'
'The B in LGBTQ+ isn't silent, and neither am I.'
'I remeber getting changed for PE, terrifed to look up from the floor in case the other girls could see in myeyes that I was diffferent, genuinely believing that there was something deviant about me; that I was perveted for just existing.' (Okay this one kinda hurts but it's a rare quote that articulates a personal experience)
'Despite compromising the largest population within the LGBT community, bisexual people are among the most invisible...The failure to account for bisexual lives and experiences compounds a lack of social support and keeps bisexual people in the closet.'
Yes, you should read it.
May 4, 2021
i’ve been waiting for this one...turn it up!!!
can barely put into words how validating this is, how nuanced and specific and well written these essays are, how addictive this is to read with bite-sized yet monumental pieces, or superficially, how cute this looks on my shelf. easy to pop in and out of your bag to read on the go, since each essay is 3-5 pages. narratives from a diverse group of bi/pan/queer writers (in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, ability) are included. every essay hits on interesting, sometimes hilarious and joyful, sometimes infuriating, particular and universal struggles. the formats are just as diverse, ranging from traditional essays to a one-page comic to my absolute favorite: a breakdown of different situations at every point of falling in love with your friend with different outcomes depending on gender of your partner (ie what your initial crush feelings might look like when your crush is a woman, man, or nb, with the symbol for each preceding a few sentences of different reactions to the same phase).
topics here include the obvious (uneven bi representation in the media, the bi vs pan debates, bi erasure by both straight and gay people, feeling not always included yet empowered by the lgbt label/history) and things i literally didn’t know other people thought about on the regular. i may or may not have gotten almost-emotional on line in an ice cream shop reading this. kinda angry that the bi-ble is from an indie publisher and thus isn’t sold in american bookstores but that’s how the world works sometimes. if you can afford it, well worth the shipping.
on that note: this was 1/4 of the books from my Monstrous Regiment Publishing order shipped from Scotland 🏴 very excited to read the rest
can barely put into words how validating this is, how nuanced and specific and well written these essays are, how addictive this is to read with bite-sized yet monumental pieces, or superficially, how cute this looks on my shelf. easy to pop in and out of your bag to read on the go, since each essay is 3-5 pages. narratives from a diverse group of bi/pan/queer writers (in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, ability) are included. every essay hits on interesting, sometimes hilarious and joyful, sometimes infuriating, particular and universal struggles. the formats are just as diverse, ranging from traditional essays to a one-page comic to my absolute favorite: a breakdown of different situations at every point of falling in love with your friend with different outcomes depending on gender of your partner (ie what your initial crush feelings might look like when your crush is a woman, man, or nb, with the symbol for each preceding a few sentences of different reactions to the same phase).
topics here include the obvious (uneven bi representation in the media, the bi vs pan debates, bi erasure by both straight and gay people, feeling not always included yet empowered by the lgbt label/history) and things i literally didn’t know other people thought about on the regular. i may or may not have gotten almost-emotional on line in an ice cream shop reading this. kinda angry that the bi-ble is from an indie publisher and thus isn’t sold in american bookstores but that’s how the world works sometimes. if you can afford it, well worth the shipping.
on that note: this was 1/4 of the books from my Monstrous Regiment Publishing order shipped from Scotland 🏴 very excited to read the rest
July 30, 2021
I found this such an accessible and engaging read on personal experiences under the umbrella of bisexuality. I especially loved Robert O'Sullivan's essay on being bi and non-binary, but all the essays were so thought-provoking.
One issue for me was the reference to JKR in Sarah Barnard's essay on looking for bisexual representation in media, which was particularly uncomfortable since it was immediately after a comic panel on being bi and trans. Similarly, there was a reference to Johnny Depp's alleged abuse towards Amber Heard in Laura Clay's essay (in exploring arguments that Heard's bisexuality has been suggested by the media as being a justification of such alleged abuse), but seemed to be a somewhat throw-away line. However, I believe my edition was published in 2019, meaning a lot of the events and nuance related to both of these were yet to happen/become widely publicised. While this is therefore not the fault of the writers/editors, I'd hope that future editions would address this.
Aside from this, I do think the essays presented a range of experiences and would highly recommend it.
Content warnings include:
Discussions of homophobia, biphobia, and xenophobia, sexual assault and rape, and self-harm and suicide.
One issue for me was the reference to JKR in Sarah Barnard's essay on looking for bisexual representation in media, which was particularly uncomfortable since it was immediately after a comic panel on being bi and trans. Similarly, there was a reference to Johnny Depp's alleged abuse towards Amber Heard in Laura Clay's essay (in exploring arguments that Heard's bisexuality has been suggested by the media as being a justification of such alleged abuse), but seemed to be a somewhat throw-away line. However, I believe my edition was published in 2019, meaning a lot of the events and nuance related to both of these were yet to happen/become widely publicised. While this is therefore not the fault of the writers/editors, I'd hope that future editions would address this.
Aside from this, I do think the essays presented a range of experiences and would highly recommend it.
Content warnings include:
Discussions of homophobia, biphobia, and xenophobia, sexual assault and rape, and self-harm and suicide.
January 2, 2021
This is obviously a bit harder to rate, since those are all personal essays with sometimes intimate looks into the authors' lives. So let me just say this: If you want to read about various experiences relating to bisexuality, then this is certainly the right book for you - regardless of whether you yourself are bisexual or not. Heck, not even all the voices collected here are bisexual! (The majority is, though.) But they all have once ID'd as such or feel otherwise connected to the struggles and joys of being bisexual.
As for who gets to tell part of their story: Afaik most authors are women with two male and two nonbinary authors (of twenty in total), most of them being cis as well. Three essays explicitly dicuss their experiences in relation to being BIPoC (one being Indian British and two being Black authors).
The editors have provided the following CNs: sexual assault, rape, self-harm, discussion of suicide.
Personally, I want to add occasional cissexist language, though this if fortunately not the norm and only applies to the 2017 edition. I don't know whether it has been revised in the 2019 edition.
As for who gets to tell part of their story: Afaik most authors are women with two male and two nonbinary authors (of twenty in total), most of them being cis as well. Three essays explicitly dicuss their experiences in relation to being BIPoC (one being Indian British and two being Black authors).
The editors have provided the following CNs: sexual assault, rape, self-harm, discussion of suicide.
Personally, I want to add occasional cissexist language, though this if fortunately not the norm and only applies to the 2017 edition. I don't know whether it has been revised in the 2019 edition.
June 6, 2021
This is the book I needed growing up.
As a bi woman, reading it felt incredibly healing, validating and empowering. The essays covered a wide range of experiences, from the intersections of race with bi+ identity to queer sex, chronic illness, being bi and non-binary, and more. They were all frank, personal, beautiful, and inspiring in their own ways. So much of it resonated with me, and reading it made me feel so seen - knowing that the feelings of never being queer enough, of not quite fitting in in either camp, of feeling afraid of being treated like an imposter, of never being represented, of having your history and identity erased - are experiences shared by so many of my fellow bi+ people.
Coming out was a really tough process for me, and to this day I still struggle with the endless bi-cycle of feeling like I don't belong, so I'm really grateful to have this book - it made me feel a lot less alone. I'd highly, highly recommend it to anyone - bi people for the healing and solidarity, non-bi people for the allyship and learning about our (underrepresented, disproportionate) experiences.
I really can't put into words how much this book means to me - just read it.
As a bi woman, reading it felt incredibly healing, validating and empowering. The essays covered a wide range of experiences, from the intersections of race with bi+ identity to queer sex, chronic illness, being bi and non-binary, and more. They were all frank, personal, beautiful, and inspiring in their own ways. So much of it resonated with me, and reading it made me feel so seen - knowing that the feelings of never being queer enough, of not quite fitting in in either camp, of feeling afraid of being treated like an imposter, of never being represented, of having your history and identity erased - are experiences shared by so many of my fellow bi+ people.
Coming out was a really tough process for me, and to this day I still struggle with the endless bi-cycle of feeling like I don't belong, so I'm really grateful to have this book - it made me feel a lot less alone. I'd highly, highly recommend it to anyone - bi people for the healing and solidarity, non-bi people for the allyship and learning about our (underrepresented, disproportionate) experiences.
I really can't put into words how much this book means to me - just read it.
August 30, 2020
I actually finished this book yesterday, I only bought it on Friday.
This book made me feel heard. It gave words to things that had danced around the edge of my consciousness, ideas that I hadn't yet really dealt with because I was still questioning my feelings. Questioning my right to feel the way I do.
Something that particularly hit home is the prevalence of the idea that 'bisexual = half gay, half straight', when it couldn't be further from the truth. It is something else entirely. The feeling at odds with yourself, feeling not quite accepted, feeling that, one day, when you choose a long term partner it will define whether you are in fact 'gay' or 'straight' for good. That you have to hit some kind of quota of experiences and partners, to be considered real and that your own feelings aren't enough.
I'm going to keep this book, and read it again, and again, and again, to remind myself that gender and sexuality identities are far more complicated and nuanced than who you are in a relationship with at this present moment.
This book made me feel heard. It gave words to things that had danced around the edge of my consciousness, ideas that I hadn't yet really dealt with because I was still questioning my feelings. Questioning my right to feel the way I do.
Something that particularly hit home is the prevalence of the idea that 'bisexual = half gay, half straight', when it couldn't be further from the truth. It is something else entirely. The feeling at odds with yourself, feeling not quite accepted, feeling that, one day, when you choose a long term partner it will define whether you are in fact 'gay' or 'straight' for good. That you have to hit some kind of quota of experiences and partners, to be considered real and that your own feelings aren't enough.
I'm going to keep this book, and read it again, and again, and again, to remind myself that gender and sexuality identities are far more complicated and nuanced than who you are in a relationship with at this present moment.
September 20, 2022
This has been on my bookshelf for a long time, but when better to read it than bisexual awareness week or month or whatever we're currently having?!
It was a sad read in many ways. Yes some essays were repetitive, yes many were from cis white women, but those things aside every piece was moving and personal. (I did particularly enjoy those outside my own experience and am grateful for the authors who shared a sliver of their lives like this.) I wish there was a little more hope rather than just an acknowledgement that bisexuality is tricky and often misunderstood, but I can see how it's extremely important to have a book which solidifies and validates the variety of lived experiences of bi people. I'll be interested to read the New Testament following this.
It was a sad read in many ways. Yes some essays were repetitive, yes many were from cis white women, but those things aside every piece was moving and personal. (I did particularly enjoy those outside my own experience and am grateful for the authors who shared a sliver of their lives like this.) I wish there was a little more hope rather than just an acknowledgement that bisexuality is tricky and often misunderstood, but I can see how it's extremely important to have a book which solidifies and validates the variety of lived experiences of bi people. I'll be interested to read the New Testament following this.
October 5, 2020
It had been a while I had not cried that much reading a book, even though I am quite the emotional person.
Those tears were happy tears: nineteen humans have put words on some feelings I had been struggling to decipher. These essays are rather personal but beautifully universal.
Nineteen people have helped me organise those disperse thoughts of mine on intersectionnality, the phallic-centric view on virginity, biphobia and about labels and their necessity and nonnecessity.
I have so many more books on my list for this autumn, but tomorrow I am running to my local bookshop to buy Vol.2 and dive in it.
Those tears were happy tears: nineteen humans have put words on some feelings I had been struggling to decipher. These essays are rather personal but beautifully universal.
Nineteen people have helped me organise those disperse thoughts of mine on intersectionnality, the phallic-centric view on virginity, biphobia and about labels and their necessity and nonnecessity.
I have so many more books on my list for this autumn, but tomorrow I am running to my local bookshop to buy Vol.2 and dive in it.
April 28, 2021
Shows a variety of perspectives on bisexuality and how it can intersect with gender, race, trauma, and other facets of identity.
Isn't afraid to show the difficult parts of what it can mean to be an identity that is in the middle of two worlds and how that can make you feel displaced and alone.
I really appreciated this and found myself agreeing and comforted by seeing the same experiences I have gone through and how people have dealt with them.
Excellent for those who are curious and questioning and want to feel less alone or for those who wish to know more of the lived experiences of bisexuality.
Isn't afraid to show the difficult parts of what it can mean to be an identity that is in the middle of two worlds and how that can make you feel displaced and alone.
I really appreciated this and found myself agreeing and comforted by seeing the same experiences I have gone through and how people have dealt with them.
Excellent for those who are curious and questioning and want to feel less alone or for those who wish to know more of the lived experiences of bisexuality.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews