What Is “Bisexual Erasure”?
Pronunciation: /ˈbaɪ.sɛk.ʃu.əl ɪˈreɪ.ʒər/
Part of Speech: Noun phrase
Grammatical Formation:
- Bisexual (adjective or noun) + Erasure (noun)
- Functions as a compound noun.
- Example: “Bisexual erasure exists in many forms of media.”
Definition:
Bisexual erasure, also called bi erasure, refers to the tendency to ignore, deny, or invalidate the existence or legitimacy of bisexuality as a sexual orientation. This happens in both heterosexual and LGBTQ+ contexts.
It may occur through:
- Assuming a bisexual person is either gay or straight based on their partner
- Labeling bisexuality as “just a phase”
- Omitting bisexual characters from representation in media
- Ignoring bisexuality in conversations about sexuality
Synonyms:
bi invisibility, bisexual denial, bisexual exclusion, bisexual invalidation
Antonyms:
bi-affirmation, bisexual representation, bisexual inclusion
Related Terms:
biphobia, monosexism, bisexuality, pansexuality, queer erasure, LGBTQ+ discrimination
Simple Explanation:
- Bisexual erasure means acting like bisexual people don’t exist or are just confused.
- It can hurt people by making them feel unseen or not accepted.
- This happens in movies, everyday talk, and even in LGBTQ+ spaces.
Common Collocations:
- widespread bisexual erasure
- media bisexual erasure
- cultural erasure of bisexuals
- challenge bisexual erasure
- effects of bisexual erasure
Sample Sentences:
- The film was criticized for its bisexual erasure by never naming the character’s sexuality.
- Many bisexual people face erasure even within the LGBTQ+ community.
- Bisexual erasure can lead to feelings of invisibility and identity crisis.
- Speaking up against bi erasure helps create a more inclusive environment.
- Bi erasure often comes in the form of people saying, “You’re either gay or straight.”
Idiomatic & Cultural Usage:
- “Erase someone’s bisexuality” – to deny or rewrite a person’s sexual identity.
- “Read through a monosexist lens” – interpreting someone’s identity only through a gay/straight binary, contributing to bisexual erasure.
- “Just a phase” – a dismissive phrase often linked to bisexual erasure.
Does “Bisexual Erasure” Have a Relationship to Sexuality?
✅ Absolutely.
Bisexual erasure is directly tied to sexuality. It is a form of discrimination and invisibility that affects people who identify as bisexual or experience attraction to more than one gender. It reinforces monosexist norms and contributes to the mental health challenges and social exclusion that bisexual people often face.