Teaching About Bisexuality: Stimulating Discourse And

Teaching about bisexuality

Teaching About Bisexuality: Stimulating Discourse and Critical Analysis of Sexual Orientation

Travis Sky Ingersoll

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I. Introduction Sexual orientation is a sensitive topic for many, since it is an area of human sexuality often clouded by confusion, myth, and misunderstanding (Stumper, 1997). This may be partly due to the fact that a universally accepted definition of sexual orientation has yet to materialize (Kauth, 2005; Knous, 2005; Leiblum & Rosen, 2000; Rust, 2000; Stombler, Baunach, Burgess, Donnelly, & Simonds, 2007; Stumper, 1997). American culture has been, and remains, relatively intolerant of sexual diversity, so discussions of sexual orientation are often met with suspicion, condemnation, or even hostility. Generally, within our culture, topics of diversity tend to lean toward dichotomization (i.e., black vs. white, man vs. woman, gay vs. straight). For example, when someone hears the words “sexual orientation” they automatically think of gay men and lesbian women, and not bisexuals, since sexual orientation is all about being “straight” or “gay;” a mentality mirrored by the focus of media and public attention regarding the legal, political and social issues surrounding homosexuality (Allen, 1995). Although bringing up the topic of sexual orientation in a classroom can be challenging, it is necessary. The role of educators, in teaching about family structure and interpersonal dynamics, is to present information representative of the world in which we live. Drawing students’ attention to the life experiences of persons whose sexual orientations are different from their own is important for many reasons. First, it is of primary importance for educators to emphasize the overall diversity of human experience. Variations in sexual orientation should be regarded as tantamount in broadening students’ understanding of human development, as variations in ethnicity, race, social class, or family structure already are. It is highly unlikely that anyone will go

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throughout their life span, and never interact with a bisexual, transgender, gay, or lesbian person. It is therefore our responsibility as educators, to ensure that our students receive accurate, research-based information regarding the experiences of these often misrepresented, misunderstood and ignored demographic groups (Allen, 1995; Fletcher & Russell, 2001). Reacting to the tendency for Americans to dichotomize everything, I feel that an appropriate way to open the discussion about sexual orientation, is to begin by focusing on bisexuality. By using bisexuality as a starting point, we bypass the typical route of heterosexual vs. homosexual in addressing sexual orientation. In this way, we directly challenge the pseudo-axiom of dichotomous sexual orientation (Namaste, 1994; Rust, 2000). Just as there is a great deal of homophobia in our society, there is also a good amount of bi-phobia. Whereas homophobia is usually expressed by self-identified heterosexuals, bi-phobia is common in gay and lesbian communities as well (Hartman, 2005; Knous, 2005; Leiblum & Rosen, 2000; Namaste, 1994; Rust, 2000; Stombler, 2007; Strong, DeVault, Sayad, & Yarber, 2005). Our society’s pathological overemphasis on putting human experience into dichotomous boxes has created a situation in which bisexuality is questioned as a legitimate sexual orientation. As far as most heterosexually identified people are concerned, bisexuals are really just gay men or lesbian women that have yet to “come out of the closet” (Leiblum & Rosen, 2000; Rust, 2000). In gay and lesbian communities, bisexuals are often perceived as being confused, as being in transition from heterosexual to homosexual, or as being “fence sitters” due to their unwillingness to give up their hetero-privileges (Hartman, 2005; Stombler, Baunach, & Burgess, 2007). Bisexuality

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remains relatively invisible in academic and social discourse (Hartman, 2005; Knous, 2005), and many bisexuals feel pressured to conform to one side or the other of the politically-charged realms of homosexuality and heterosexuality (Goldberg, 1985; Knous, 2005; Stombler, Baunach, Burgess, Donnelly, & Simonds, 2007). What the following educational intervention hopes to accomplish, is to encourage students to apply critical thinking to their assumptions regarding sexual orientation. By educating students about the actual statistics related to sexual orientation, providing a variety of sexual orientation models to examine, and having them engage in thought provoking activities, a greater degree of knowledge and understanding may be achieved. People fear what they do not understand. Providing accurate and meaningful education on sexual orientation may not only decrease students’ sensitivities regarding the topic (Fletcher & Russell, 2001), but may help combat homophobia and biphobia as well (Adams, Wright, & Lohr, 1996; Hays & Samuels, 1989; Stewart, 1999).

II. Educational Intervention The following lesson uses activities presented by Stewart’s (1999) awareness training manual on reducing heterosexism and homophobia, and Fletcher and Russell’s (2001) article on incorporating issues of sexual orientation in the classroom. In addition, this lesson draws from various theoretical models of sexual orientation as developed by the likes of pioneers such as Kinsey (1948) and Storms (1980). This lesson was designed for use with working adults of all ages, college students, or even to high school students if possible. After a brief ice-breaker activity, students will be directed to notice posters on each

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side of the room that state either “fact” or “myth.” Students will then be asked to get out of their chairs and stand in the middle of the room. The class will be instructed to listen to the declaration presented, and then choose to stand on either side of the room, according to their belief. They will not be able to stand in the middle, making this a “forced choice” activity (Hedgepeth & Helmich, 1996). Examples of statements would include: “Bisexual persons are confused about their sexuality, bisexual people are denying their lesbianism or gayness, bisexual people are in transition, being bisexual means having concurrent lovers of both sexes, and bisexual persons can hide in the heterosexual community when the ‘going gets tough’ (Stumper, 1997).” After the exercise is finished, students will be asked to return to their seats. Each statement will then be identified as either a fact or a myth, followed by thorough explanations. Following the “forced-choice” exercise, an information sheet of sexual orientationrelated terms and definitions will be passed out. It should be emphasized at this point, that the lesson underway is about questioning the culturally enforced dichotomization of sexual orientation through critical analysis, and not an invitation to explore one’s opinions as to whether any sexual orientation is morally right or wrong. A visual presentation/lecture regarding the various theoretical models concerned with sexual orientation, and society’s tendency to dichotomize all issues of diversity will then be presented. Visuals of the dichotomous, psychoanalytic model (Strong, DeVault, Sayad, & Yarber, 2005), the Unidimensional-Bipolar model (Kinsey, 1948), and the TwoDimensional – Orthogonal model (Storms, 1980) will be showcased and succinctly described. Various statistical prevalence studies, regarding sexual orientations will be reviewed,

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followed by a synopsis of the research indicating that homophobia may be linked to homosexual arousal (Adams, Wright, & Lohr, 1996), and proposing that biphobia may be similarly related to suppressed heterosexual arousal. With the high prevalence of homophobia in American culture in mind, the questions will be posed: “With research indicating a link between homophobia and homosexual arousal, and the high rates of homophobia in our culture, could it be possible that bisexuality is much more prevalent than we think? Depending upon the way in which we define bisexuality, could it even be more prevalent than true heterosexuality?” Following the presentation the class will be divided into small groups, and instructed to apply their critical thinking skills in formulating opinions about the material just presented. Each group will assign a note-taker, who will present their group’s thoughts to the class. An opportunity for open class discussion will be provided after every group has shared their thoughts. For the final activity, students will be asked to return to their own seat and take out a writing implement. Each student will be given an index card. They will then be instructed to imagine that they are a parent of an adolescent child that has just told them that they are bisexual. Each student will be asked to write a paragraph about what they would say to their child (Fletcher & Russell, 2001). The students will be instructed to make no identifying marks on the index cards. Afterwards, the instructor will collect all the index cards from the students and shuffle them thoroughly. The index cards will then be redistributed to the class. Students will then be asked to read their index card out loud to the class. This process will continue untill all the cards have been read. The activity will be followed by an open discussion about common themes, insights, and personal

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reactions to what people had written. The remainder of the class will be devoted to processing the information presented throughout the lesson.

III. Lenses Gay and Lesbian Students: Gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual students who are open about their sexual orientation will likely be familiar with phobic and hostile reactions (Stombler, Baunach, Burgess, Donnelly, & Simonds, 2007). For students who are questioning their sexual orientation, or who are keeping their sexual orientation a secret, this lesson may be highly anxiety provoking. Either way, non-heterosexual students may be uncomfortable addressing the topic of sexual orientation in a classroom setting. Although they will not be forced to engage in the lesson’s activities, they may have negative reactions to how others react, or what others say about homosexuality and bisexuality. Journaling could be a good way to process those feelings. By pointing out the discrimination that bisexual individuals face within the gay and lesbian communities, and suggesting that such reactions may mask possible heterosexual arousal, gay and lesbian students may feel attacked and/or defensive for a variety of reasons. However, the point of the lesson is to look at sexual orientation through a lens that promotes anti-dichotomization. This goal will have been reiterated throughout the lesson. Perhaps gay and lesbian students may react negatively to such information, due to their guilt over judging bisexuality, their political views and alliances surrounding homosexuality, or due to confusion over past or present relationships with other-gender individuals. Such feelings may especially come to the surface during the forced choice

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and final writing assignment about addressing one’s bisexual teenager. People tend to invest a lot into their identity, whether it be their sexual orientation, race, political affiliation, or religious beliefs. It is important to anticipate such personal convictions, and respond in a validating, understanding, and compassionate way. Homophobic Heterosexually-Identified Individuals: Students with any degree of homophobia may find this lesson extremely stressful. People who are homophobic often respond to homosexuality with fear, anxiety or even hatred (Hays & Samuels, 1989). By covering research about homophobia, people with any degree of homophobia may feel inhibited from participating, less their true feelings are discovered and they are assumed to have issues with homosexual arousal. They may even take the option of not participating. Even if they are not homophobic, they may feel that homosexuality and bisexuality are inherently wrong, or even deviant. Just because a person does not agree with homosexuality/bisexuality does not mean that they are homophobic (Adams, Wright, & Lohr, 1996). People are products of their culture, and American culture has a lot of homophobia in its social programming. This lesson may temporarily flip the script on homophobic heterosexually-identified individuals, by focusing attention on the root causes of their own prejudices. Such an experience may prove to be quite uncomfortable.

Conservative Christians: Whether students are Roman Catholic or Evangelical Protestant, learned messages concerning any sexual orientation other than heterosexual, are likely to be condemning (Comstock, 1991). Simply being asked to discuss homosexuality and bisexuality may

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bring up a lot of negative emotions in these students. Typical justification for the conservative Christian’s stance of rejecting homosexuality often come from misinterpretations from the Book of Leviticus (Comstock, 1991; Stewart, 1999). This may be a particularly sensitive topic for such religiously oriented students who are themselves gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, regardless of whether or not they selfidentify that way. Even thoughts of a homosexual nature may engender profound feelings of guilt and shame. By allowing students to opt-out of discussion and/or activities in this lesson, a good deal of anxiety may be alleviated. Also, by framing the lesson as one of building critical thinking skills, students may self-protect through intellectualizing this often emotion-stirring topic. However, some Christian students may feel the need to proselytize their religious convictions regarding the topic. By creating an atmosphere where hateful and/or discriminatory remarks are discouraged, people may feel safer in sharing what they truly think about he information presented. However, it is also important for the educator to refrain from assuming that all religiously-inclined students hold negative views of nonheterosexuality, or that they will respond to the topic with hostility and/or condemnation. Bisexual Students Bisexuality is a topic often absent from academic and societal discourse (Knous, 2005), so engaging in such a discussion may either be validating and empowering, or completely terrifying for the bisexual individual. Whether or not they publicly identify as a bisexual, such students may worry about being “outed” due to what they say in the class. The forced choice activity may be particularly painful, due to the frequency that many bisexuals are faced with such comments, judgments, and accusations (Hartman,

Teaching about bisexuality 10 2005; Knous, 2005; Leiblum & Rosen, 2000; Namaste, 1994; Rust, 2000; Stombler, 2007; Strong, DeVault, Sayad, & Yarber, 2005). During the final activity about addressing one’s bisexual adolescent, affect could go either way. Either the student may feel validated or empowered by people’s positive and empathetic handling of the proposed situation, or become distraught by people’s judgmental/critical responses. Students of any self-identified sexual orientation may question their orientation as a result of the material presented. This may be highly stressful and confusing. Bisexual individuals who have politically aligned themselves with the heterosexual or homosexual communities may become distressed by what feelings the topic brings up. They may also reject their own bisexuality due to the negative way in which our society views bisexuality (Hartman, 2005; Namaste, 1995). An awareness of possible reactions the discussion of this topic may have on bisexual individuals is important.

IV. Addressing Sensitivities For the educator, teaching about human sexuality carries with it a variety of practical challenges. Not only does the educator need to be highly informed about the topic of sexual orientation, they must also prepare for the probable moralistic and/or political backlash from citizens raised in our sexist and homophobic culture; whether they be parents, administrators or co-workers. In addition, educators should anticipate the likelihood that negative reactions and inappropriate remarks about sexual orientation will come from some of their students as well (Fletcher & Russell, 2001). It may also be personally difficult for educators to teach about the topic of sexual orientation for a many reasons. Most commonly, sensitivity to the topic of sexual

Teaching about bisexuality 11 orientation may be due to a lack of exposure to accurate information about the topic, the fact that research has not resulted in a universal definition or understanding of sexual orientation, societal attitudes of intolerance, or a fear of how students will react (Fletcher & Russell, 2001; Kauth, 2005). Regardless of the educator’s personal feelings about the topic they teach, they have a responsibility to ensure that the learning environment is safe for their students. Safety can be enhanced through proper pre-class preparation, and the formulation of in-class ground rules (Hedgepeth & Helmich, 1996). I suggest using the following methods to create a safer environment. First, before conducting an educational intervention, the instructor should fully explore a variety of possible viewpoints (lenses) that their students may have on the chosen topic. This will enable the educator to prepare for likely reactions and/or responses to the material. It is equally important for the educator to have a thorough understanding of their chosen topic, as well as opposing viewpoints and alternative explanations or theories. In this way, the educator will be prepared to address and discuss the concerns and questions of students from myriad perspectives. In addition, pre-class preparation could involve the gathering of reading material, and resources to meet the intellectual and emotional needs of the students. Such resources could include counseling/support group resources, useful websites, up-to-date and peerreviewed research articles, and any material representing as many different views as possible. This material should be made available for students to take or access before, during, or after the lesson has ended. In this way, if people are affected in any way by the material presented, they will have easy access to resources to help them deal with their emotions (Hedgepeth & Helmich, 1996).

Teaching about bisexuality 12 As previously mentioned, prior to teaching about sensitive issues, it is also advisable to lay down some in-class ground rules. Teaching about sexuality can elicit a number of strong emotional reactions. Ground rules are important for the group process since they tend to increase students’ sense of safety, and help diffuse interpersonal conflicts (Hedgepeth & Helmich, 1996). Such ground rules may include: Confidentiality, acknowledgment and acceptance of feelings, respecting and appreciating differences, the use of “I” statements, refraining from sarcastic and judgmental comments, assuming good will, and speaking for oneself and not others. The sensitivity of the topic should be fully acknowledged, as well as the possible emotional reactions that students may have. An emphasis should be placed on students’ personal care regarding their affective reactions. Students might be given the option of processing the material with the educator after class, or through email. Contact information for counseling resources could be made available, as well as an option to not participate if they feel too uncomfortable. During the lesson, the educator should be prepared to address conflict and/or negative affect from students. If any conflict arises between students, or a student becomes hostile, the educator should always refer back to the class ground rules. The educator should also make a point to recognize and validate the diversity of views and opinions of all students, regardless of whether they agree with particular students or not. For example, if a student expresses condemning religious beliefs about the topic, the educator can first, refer back to the ground rules, and then encourage them to educate themselves about the issue within their religion at a later time. After acknowledging their viewpoint, the student could be referred to a list of useful publications on the topic of homosexuality and the bible (Comstock, 1991; Stewart, 1999).

Teaching about bisexuality 13 A few techniques to increase safety in the class have already been incorporated into the lesson plan. For instance, breaking students into small groups to discuss and process sensitive information. Small group activities make it easier for students to get involved in discussions since they tend to be less anxiety provoking and typically help build a sense of community. Research indicates that cooperative learning (group work) can lead to higher achievement, improved social skills, improved motivation, and better relations among students from diverse backgrounds (Emmer & Gerwels, 1998, as cited in Eggen & Kauchak, 2006). Another good way to deal with teaching about sensitive topics, is to encourage journal writing. Journal writing allows students to reflect on the content and process of sexuality education they receive, and gives them a place to freely express personal reactions, attitudes, values, beliefs, and feelings (Hedgepeth, & Helmich, 1996, p.145). Although teaching about sensitive topics, such as sexual orientation, carries with it some challenges and risk, it is the educator’s responsibility to ensure that their students receive accurate and up-to-date information in the safest way possible (Allen, 1995). By becoming cognizant of various lenses from which the information could be interpreted, and preparing as much as possible for likely reactions, the educator can create an environment that fosters critical thinking. Ground rules can be generated by students themselves as well, but ultimately, it is the educator’s role in establishing a safe environment from which to share and learn (Eggen & Kauchak, 2006).

References Adams, H. E., Wright, L. W., & Lohr, B. A. (1996). Is homophobia associated with

Teaching about bisexuality 14 homosexual arousal? Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105(3), 440-445. Allen, K. R. (1995). Opening the classroom closet: Sexual orientation and selfdisclosure. Family Relations, 44(2), 136-141. Clark, J. P., & Tifft, L. L. (1966). Polygraph and interview validation of self-reported deviant behavior. American Sociological Review, 31(4), 516-523.) Comstock, G. D. (1991). Violence against lesbians and gay men. New York: Columbia University Press. Eggen, P. D., & Kauchak, D. P. (2006). Strategies and models for teachers: Teaching content and thinking skills. New York, NY: Pearson Education. Fletcher, A. C., & Russell, S. T. (Jan., 2001). Incorporating issues of sexual orientation in the classroom: Challenges and solutions. Family Relations, 50(1), 34-40. Goldberg, D. C. (1985). Contemporary marriage: Special issues in couples therapy. Homewood, Illinois: The Dorsey Press. Hartman, J. E. (2005). Another kind of “chilly climate”: The effects of lesbian separatism on bisexual women’s identity and community. Journal of Bisexuality, 5(4), 63-76. Hedgepeth, E. & Helmich, J. (1996). Teaching About Sexuality and HIV. New York: New York University Press. Kauth, M. R. (2005). Revealing assumptions: Explicating sexual orientation and promoting conceptual integrity. Journal of Bisexuality, 5(4), 81-105. Kinsey, A., Pomeroy, W., & Martin, C. (1948). Sexual behavior in the human male. Philadelphia: Saunders.) Knous, H. N. (2005). The coming out experience for bisexuals: Identity formation and

Teaching about bisexuality 15 stigma management. Journal of Bisexuality, 5(4), 39-49. Michael, R. T., Gagnon, J. H., Laumann, E. O., & Kolata, G. (1994). Sex in America: A definitive survey. Toronto: Little, Brown and Company. Morgan, R. (2002, November 29). Bisexual students face tension with gay groups. The Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A31. Namaste, K. (1994). The politics of inside/out: Queer theory, post-structrualism, and a sociological approach to sexuality. Sociological Theory, 12, 220-231.) Rust, P. C. (1995). Bisexuality and the challenge to lesbian politics. New York, New York: University Press. Rust, P. C. R. (2000). Bisexuality in the United States: A social science reader. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Stewart, C. (1999). Sexually stigmatized communities: Reducing heterosexism and homophobia (An Awareness Training Manual). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc. Stombler, M., Baunach, D. M., Burgess, E. O., Donnelly, D., & Simonds, W. (2007). Sex matters: The sexuality and society reader (2nd Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Storms, M. D. (1980). Theories of sexual orientation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38, 783-792. Strong, B., DeVault, C., Sayad, B. W., & Yarber, W. L. (2005). Human sexuality: Diversity in contemporary America. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Stumper, S. F. (1997, March12). “Myths/Realities of Bisexuals.” C:/Winword/Triangle.

Teaching about bisexuality 16 White, J. W. (2007). Taking sides: Clashing views in gender (3rd Ed.). Dubuque, Iowa: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.