Over the years, I’ve worked with a number of bisexual clients who’ve described feeling like they exist in a strange in between space. Too queer for some people. Not queer enough for others. Constantly feeling misunderstood, questioned, or erased.
There’s still a huge amount of misunderstanding around bisexuality, both in wider society and sometimes even within LGBTQ+ spaces themselves.
Many bisexual people grow up hearing stereotypes like:
“You’re just confused.”
“It’s only a phase.”
“You can’t make your mind up.”
“Bi people are greedy.”
“You’re more likely to cheat.”
These messages can sound dismissive on the surface, but over time they can cut deeply into somebody’s sense of self worth and identity. When your sexuality is repeatedly questioned or minimised, it can create shame, self doubt, hypervigilance, and a feeling that you constantly have to prove who you are.
One of the most difficult things about bisexuality for many people is invisibility.
If a bisexual person is in a relationship with somebody of the same gender, people may assume they’re gay or lesbian. If they’re with somebody of a different gender, people may assume they’re straight. The bisexual identity itself often disappears in the eyes of others.
That erasure can feel exhausting. It can leave people feeling unseen even within spaces where they hoped they would finally belong.
For some people, this can also create anxiety within relationships. Partners may feel insecure, make assumptions, or struggle to fully understand bisexuality because of the stereotypes they themselves have absorbed from society. Over time, that can leave bisexual people feeling invalidated, mistrusted, or emotionally worn down from having to repeatedly explain themselves.
And yet bisexual people continue to show enormous resilience, authenticity, and courage in a world that often tries to simplify human sexuality into rigid boxes.
Therapy can offer a space where you don’t have to defend or justify your identity. A space where your experiences are taken seriously and understood in the wider context of stigma, invisibility, and minority stress.
Together we might explore:
• how biphobia or erasure have affected your confidence and self esteem
• relationship difficulties linked to misunderstanding or invalidation
• fears around belonging, rejection, or being “not enough”
• the emotional impact of constantly feeling misunderstood
• reconnecting with pride and ownership of your identity
You deserve relationships where you feel accepted, respected, and fully seen for who you are.
If any of this resonates with you and you’d like support exploring it further, I offer LGBTQ+ affirming therapy both online and in person from my practice in Manchester city centre. You’re welcome to get in touch to arrange a free 15 minute introductory call.
