The Hidden Difficulties of a Bisexual Teen

In my time as a semi-out bisexual teenager, I’ve encountered plenty of supportive, kind, loving people who have not cared about my sexuality or have been able to relate to me because of it. I’ve met plenty of people who don’t know much about bisexuality, but aren’t really against it either.

Those people I can deal with.

It’s the few people I’ve met who have prejudices against bisexual people, have huge misconceptions about us, or are very nervous around us because of above said misconceptions or prejudices that irk me greatly.

Its difficult being a bisexual teenager, and many straight individuals aren’t aware of or just don’t understand these difficulties. So, I'd like to let you into my world a little bit, so that the next time you encounter a bisexual individual, you're a little more aware (if you're not already). Here's a list of difficulties that I face every day as a bisexual teen.

- If I go out with a girl, it’s assumed I’m a lesbian. If I go out with a guy, it’s assumed I’m straight.

- I'm not able to be honest with my very Catholic relatives.

- I'm not able to hold my girlfriend’s hand or kiss her in the hallway.

- I have to put up with catcalls, yells of “dyke” (my least favorite word), or taunting offers of three-ways.

- Straight people of both genders automatically assume that I am attracted to them because of my sexuality.

- Family or friends who don’t know about my sexuality question if I “have a boyfriend yet?”

- Similarly, people who I’ve known since before I was consciously aware of my sexuality assume that I’m straight.

- I'm unable to tell people, for example, in my gym class about my sexuality, as I am worried that it will cause them to be nervous around me in the locker room.

- I never see representations of myself in the media, besides girls making out for male attention or the very dismissive Ramona Flowers (God, she annoys me).

- I have a rational fear of hate crimes.

- I'm not sure which gender I’m going to end up with in the long run, and having the choice actually scares me a little.

Do straight readers out there face any of these difficulties, ever? Are there any difficulties I forgot or have been spared from? I’m honestly interested in the answers!