Two-thirds of straight women and one-third of straight men are unwilling to date a bisexual person of the opposite sex, according to a YouGov poll published today, during Bisexuality Visibility Week. The poll illustrates how lingering stereotypes negatively affect people’s impressions of bisexual individuals.

The poll — which surveyed 5,983 Britons during late March, including 2,031 straight women and 1,517 straight men — found that 48% of all respondents had positive views of bisexual people and only 8% had negative views. The remaining percentage had neither a positive nor a negative view of bisexuals.

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When the survey asked straight women and men why they were unwilling to date a bisexual person of the opposite sex, most (16% and 19%, respectively) said they “just don’t” or claimed, “It’s just a preference.”

A nearly similar portion, 17% of straight women and 16% of straight men, said they felt like bi people are more inclined to cheat, or that they themselves would feel insecure that they’d be unable to provide a bi partner whatever they get from a same-sex partner.

Interestingly, 9% of straight women said they feel disgust or discomfort towards men with same-sex experiences, 8% worried about possible sexual health risks, and 10% of straight men said they considered bisexuality to be either religiously or morally “wrong.” Approximately 12-13% of all straight respondents said they just wanted their dating partner to be heterosexual.

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[–] 38 points 4 days ago (10 children)

I never understood the bi hate. Even before I ever met a bi person, it seemed easy to understand - they're sexually attracted to either gender. Whether or not someone is a cheater type is completely separate and has nothing to do with it.

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  • [–] 22 points 4 days ago (3 children)

    For real. It's like saying people who like all hair colours are gonna cheat because their partner has only one hair colour. It's just not how that works.

    —A poly bi woman

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  • [–] 3 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

    (Joke comment.) If I count facial hair, I have several hair colours. I won't be cheated on by my partn... oh, I'm the bi poly one in the couple, and she only has one colour. (Or two, because of our age.) Shit I'm essetially condemned to cheat on her with a rainbow wig. (End of the joke.)


    Yeah, and strangely none among the cheaters and the cheating apologists I personnally know claimed to be anything other than mono cishet. Strange (sarcasm) how direspectful and harmful behaviour linked to an expression of power are most seem in the dominant group.

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  • [–] 9 points 3 days ago

    I think some people see cheating as not an attribute of the cheater, but rather an attribute of the person they cheat with. As in, they think that anyone would cheat if a sufficiently attractive person came along. And thus for bi people the chance is twice as high.

    On the other hand, if you managed to get in a relationship with a bi person, shouldn't you feel doubly confident, since you were chosen from twice as large a pool?

    Eh, I don't get it either

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  • [–] 11 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (4 children)

    Maybe its insecurity wrapped up with thinking sex is the main driver in a relationship, and thinking a partner could have twice as many options that aren't you makes them feel even worse. I dunno.

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  • "thinking sex is the main driver in a relationship" Yeah, this belief is too widespread. I feel for ace folks. And for aro folks too, since the same take is often made about romantic love. (Disclaimer: I'm neither.)

    There are many potential driving factors in relationships. Can be sex, can be romantic love, can be another kind of love, can be trust, etc. Also, friendship is a perfectly valid kind of relationship too.

    It can also be harmful things in the case of toxic relationship. Example: being convinced one's partner will cheat because they're bi. But as such relationships mostly bring harm, they're best avoided. (Not easy because of psychological control/domination mechanics.)

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  • [–] [S] -3 points 4 days ago (2 children)

    sex is the main driver in a relationship

    Is it?

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  • [–] 7 points 4 days ago

    Sex can be the main driver in a relationship, but generally isn't. In my experience, we spend less than an hour getting down, and the rest of the day doing other stuff while relating.

    But I've been in, and seen others in booty-call relationships where their parter comes over to fool around and then leaves once everyone is satisfied, usually after a light snack or a smoke.

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