A bisexual man who has dated men and is in a relationship with a woman says that his experiences with both sexes has shown him that society isn't truly ready for equality.

Lewis Oakley, 25, from London who was seeing a man for two-and-a-half years before meeting his current girlfriend Laura, said that returning to the dating scene made him realise that some women 'like their men to behave in a certain way in a relationship which may be feeding misogynistic points of view'.

'I was so used to things being equal, but despite what they tell you, society still isn't entirely ready for that when it comes to men and women,' he told FEMAIL.

'Often, women I dated expected me to pay the first time we went out. Now I'm not rich, I can't be dropping £100 an evening every time I like a girl. I'd be bankrupt in a week.'

Lewis, who realised he liked both genders when he was 19, says that it was only by dating men was he able to see what true equality means in a relationship.

'You play to your talents not your genitals,' he said. 'If you're better at cooking, you do most of the cooking. If they're better at picking places to eat, they pick the places to eat. If you're both bad at cleaning - hire a cleaner.'

Lewis Oakley, 25, from London, is bisexual and has enjoyed relationships with both men and women

Lewis, pictured with his girlfriend Laura, has enjoyed relationships with both men and women, which he says have shown him that society isn't ready for true equality between the sexes

Lewis said that there's also an expectation that the man will be the 'protector' in a straight relationship.

'In my view I signed on to be a boyfriend not a bodyguard, and I don't think it's my place to go calling out and punching down people in my girlfriend's life that I'm not happy with,' he said.

'It's her life, I've really no right to get involved in issues that don't concern me unless she asks for my help. Some guys disagree and think their girlfriend is their property to defend.'

Stating your attraction also has to be handled differently, depending on which sex you're approaching.

According to Lewis, some straight men feel they have to assume a macho role as their girlfriend's protector

After a year together, Lewis says he's never been happier and there are no trust issues between himself and his girlfriend Laura

'If I see a guy I find attractive I feel fine about going up to him and saying "wow you're hot",' he explained.

'Yet If I said that to a woman I'd be "objectifying her". Basically some feminists hate me because I invalidate a lot of what they say.

'I treat men and women 100 per cent equal. That means objectifying both genders just as much as respecting them.

Lewis realised he was bisexual at 19 and first met his girlfriend at a party where he was kissing another man

Lewis has dated both sexes and says that, in general, men have no problem with the direct approach while women complain of being objectified

'People's attitudes to casual sex Is very different too. When I was single and had casual sex with a guy people would high five me and ask how it was.

'Yet with a woman people would tell me to be careful, that I was leading her on and that sex means more to women than it does to men.

The same is true if I went on a date and didn't want to take it any further. If it was a girl who kept texting and I eventually stooped replying, I was "horrible" and was accused of leading her on.

'On the flip side if a man kept texting me, people found it funny and would ask "doesn't he get the message?".

Lewis said being bisexual has only strengthened his relationship with Laura. The only downside is other people's attitudes

'We are encouraged to see women as the victims and men as mean aggressors but that's just not my experience. There are horrible men in the world, but there are just as many horrible women.

'We all get our feelings hurt, we all fall in love and we all like sex I don't understand this gender argument people keep pushing.'

Currently, Lewis is in a relationship with Laura who he's been seeing for more than a year.

'We met at a house party and I was actually kind of seeing a guy at the time. So I was kissing this guy and spending a lot of time with him,' he recalled.

Lewis wasn't looking for a relationship when he met Laura but soon realised they were perfect for each other

'When Laura walked in I noticed her amazing smile. We talked a lot that night and I'm so happy she saw that I was there with a guy and it didn't put her off.

'We met again a few months later and I was single. We chatted more and eventually we kissed.

'I really wasn't looking for a relationship but I wanted to get to know her better so I asked her out on a date.

'We just found each other so interesting, she even made me cry and I am not the kind of man that cries at anything.

The 25-year-old admitted that his girlfriend is warned that he will cheat on her with another man and that she will catch HIV when people find out they're dating

'With each date I realised how perfect for each other we were and suddenly I didn't care about being single anymore I just wanted to be with her.'

Despite being blissfully happy, Lewis admits the relationship does come with its problems.

'I do feel bad for her. She gets a lot of "are you the one dating the gay guy?".

'She's told "You're going to catch HIV", and "It's just a matter of time before he leaves you for a man".

'But she knows that's not the case and we have a storybook relationship. Truth be told I think she likes the idea that I'm not with her for her genitals but actually for who she is as a person.

Lewis believes that the LGBT community has a long way to go when it comes to supporting men and women who are bisexual

'Many people think I'll eventually miss sex with men. That's just not the case.

'I'm having the best sex of my life, I don't have time to think about the sex I'm not having.

'If I never have sex with men again that would be fine. On the flip side if I did ever find myself single again of course I'd have sex with men again.'

When Lewis first met Laura, he was at a house party kissing another man

According to Lewis, the LGBT community should be doing more to support people who are bisexual.

'There are no bisexual dating apps so people like me have to put up with people on gay dating apps saying "come back to me when you've accepted yourself" and women on straight apps saying "I don't date bi men, are you sure you're not gay?".

'There are no bisexual venues so we don't get to meet one another. I've been in gay bars where I've been asked by staff to stop kissing my girlfriend. We really get discrimination from both sides.'