Janna L. Horowitz: Janna L. Horowitz received her M.S.Ed. in counseling psychology from the University of Southern California in 1996. She is currently earning her doctorate in counseling psychology at USC, with specialty areas in college student development, gender, and sexual orientation.
This book is a collection of well written and well researched articles on bisexuality. It is divided into five sections: Overview: Bisexuality in Psychology and the Social Sciences; Diversity: Understanding and Valuing Difference; Counseling Issues: Challenges and Choices; Politics and Community: Becoming Visible; and Affirming Bisexuality: Paradigms and Possibilities. The contributors are highly qualified political activists, editors, theorists, educators and researchers. Included in the back of the book is a valuable resource list for bisexual people.
In Bisexuality: The Psychology and Politics of an Invisible Minority, Beth Firestein gathers a wonderful collection of authoritative articles. Although each articles makes a distinct contribution, the articles work well together to form a comprehensive and up-to-date volume. In the introduction, written by Firestein, she defines bisexuality as, broadly conceived, bisexual means of or pertaining to one's experience of erotic, emotional, and sexual attraction to persons of more than one gender. Such individuals may identify as bisexual, homosexual, lesbian, gay, heterosexual, transgendered, or transsexual or may choose not to label at all. This is the most inclusive definition I have heard of bisexualityand highlights a unique feature of this book: it is intentionally inclusive of diverse peoples, broadly defined. Although I found all chapters in this book timely, pertinent, and interesting, I will only discuss a few.
Chapter One, written by Ronald C. Fox, Ph.D., provides a review of the literature on bisexuality and how it has emerged in psychology and the social sciences as a valid sexual orientation. Fox reports that two factors have contributed significantly to this phenomenon: the elimination of homosexuality as a clinical diagnostic category, and a critical critique of the dichotomous model of sexual orientation.
In the last chapter of the book, Chapter Eleven, written by Beth Firestein, she picks up on the themes presented in Fox's chapter and highlights the paradigm shift (a concept borrowed from Kuhn, 1970), that is currently occurring in studies of sexuality. According to Firestein, the paradigm shift can occur from within or outside of a discipline. With regard to sexual orientation, she reports that changes from within have occurred from researchers noting that the dichotomous models of the pastfail to account for the existence of many people encountered in research and clinical practice who experience bisexual feelings and behaviors. From the outside, Firestein cites the growth of the bisexual movement and the media (i.e., Newsweek, 1995) as having an impact on academic culture. At this point in time, the psychologists, sociologists, and other researchers who see bisexuality as integral to understanding sexuality are calling for profound changes in approaches to theory and research. Chapters One and Eleven bring this book together by first introducing the history of bisexuality in society and the social sciences, and then looking to future directions in the study of sexuality with bisexuality as an integral dimension of that study. Between these two chapters are several others that reflect where the study of bisexuality lies today.
Chapter Two, written by Paula C. Rust, discusses diversity in bisexuality. Rust uses data from a current study to illustrate the complex diversities that exist in bisexual people. There are several valuable lessons to be learned in this chapter. Rust warns that sexual identity is a culturally and historically specific concept that may not be shared by all cultures; as such, one must take caution in assuming that because one does notidentify as bisexual they are in denial about their sexual orientation. Rust also cautions that one must consider a person's cultural values and the costs and benefits of a person coming out as a sexual minority in their culture. She points out that in marginalized racial and ethnic groups, racism may cause a community to embrace traditional cultural values because the ethnicity is preserved in those values. In such a community, any cultural change reflects a loss of traditional ethnic values and sexual minorities will be under particular pressure to deny same-sex feelings in demonstration of ethnic loyalty and pride (p. 65). Rust notes that ethnic oppression reinforces marriage and child bearing, and the impact of racism makes family support more important for people of marginalized ethnic groups; both of these factors add complications to the coming out process. Rust counters this argument with the notion that because people of ethnic minorities rely so much on family support, their families may be more willing to accept their differences instead of alienating a member of the family. Rust concludes this chapter with specific counseling implications, such as calling on counselors to be educated about various ethnicities and not rely solely on their clients to educate them. Additionally, Rust suggests that counselors be aware of>social resources for bisexual people (support groups and on-line groups) as well as literary sources. This chapter is insightful, sensitive, and enlightening, as well as appreciative of difference.
Chapter Eight, Counseling and Psychotherapy with Bisexual and Exploring Clients is written by David R. Matteson. In this chapter, he outlines two main issues facing bisexual clients: identity issues and systemic issues. By identity issues, Matteson is referring to exploring bisexuality and the marginality that bisexuals must deal with on a consistent basis. Bisexuals are marginalized from both the mainstream heterosexual culture, as well as the gay and lesbian communities. As such, bisexual or exploring people face a lack of social confirmation of their existence, and their identities are constantly called into question. Matteson notes that, it is important to respect each person's sexual orientation without judging it against either heterosexual or gay/lesbian standards (p. 188). Counselors must also gently challenge self-shaming biphobic comments in their clients to counter internalized and societal biphobia (and homophobia). Additionally, counselors should be aware that clients may be struggling with gender issues as well as sexual orientation, and thatbarriers to exploration of their sexuality may include guilt and shame. It is important that counselors give their clients permission to explore their sexuality while understanding their true risks and unrealistic inhibitions. With regard to systemic concerns such as lifestyle, Matteson considers the role of fantasy, personal and social risk-taking, links between sex and intimacy, gender choice of partners, and the client's tolerance for ambiguity in the self and social relationships. This chapter provides a comprehensive look at realistic concerns for bisexual and exploring people, and it offers many concrete suggestions for counselors who work with these clients. This chapter is excellent.
Chapter Three in this book discusses gender identity and bisexuality with regard to transgendered or transsexual people. It is in keeping of the inclusive nature of the collection, and yet is reminiscent of gay and lesbian oriented books that include one chapter on bisexuality. However, it does appear that transgendered concerns are also becoming more visible, and this is one step. Other chapters focus on AIDS and HIV for bisexual men and women, biphobia, and community and politics. Overall, Bisexuality: The Psychology and Politics of an Invisible Minority makes a valuable contribution to the still limited literature on bisexuality. The articles are serious, well researched and written, and accessible. I highly recommend this book as the current authority on the above issues.
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