Bi-Invisibility in Academia; the Intentional and Accidental Erasure of Bi + Parents in Research and Recommendations for Future Research

Abstract

It is incredibly common for research focusing on bi + populations generally, and bi + parents specifically, to cite a lack of research as a reason for their own study. However, few papers have explored the research practices that contribute to bi-invisibility, and the specific erasure of bi + parents. This paper identifies four commonplace research practices that make invisible bi + parents’ experiences in academia: 1. ignoring bi + parents, 2. erasing bi + parents, through unlabeling and accidental or intentional mislabeling, 3. aggregating bi + parents with other groups, generally lesbian and gay parents, and 4. adopting recruitment strategies that lead to bi + parents being underrepresented. This article discusses how these research practices are related to monosexism, heteronormativity, and the epistemic contract of bisexual erasure (Yoshino, 2000). It also identifies certain groups of bi + parents who receive a disproportionately low amount of research attention. Recommendations for researchers are provided, with the aim of improving the field of research concerning LGBTQ parent families.