Bisexual Identity Development

Bisexual identity development refers to the process by which individuals come to adopt a bisexual sexual orientation identity, which reflects attraction to both men and women or to individuals regardless of gender. Models of bisexual identity development often include several stages or tasks that a bisexual individual goes through or attempts to complete during the process of developing a bisexual identity. Bisexual identity development received little direct research attention until the late 1990s. This entry begins by examining existing models of bisexual identity development, including models of homosexual identity development applied to bisexual individuals, bisexual-specific models of bisexual identity development, and a dynamic model of sexual identity development. This entry then examines the impact of binegativity, the stigmatization of bisexuality, on bisexual identity development. Finally, ...