DISCOURSES OF BISEXUALITY AMONG OLDER WOMEN: LABELS VERSUS LIVES

Abstract

Older bisexual women report differences in life experiences and significant health disparities compared to non-bisexual counterparts. In-depth qualitative analyses are needed to provide a better understanding of how older women construct their bisexual identities in later life. This study applies a Foucauldian Discourse Analysis to in-person interviews with older bisexual women (N=12) to identify the specific linguistic tools and broader discourses that participants drew on when constructing their bisexual identities as well as the historical influences that impact their use of language. Two divergent groups of women, Early Emergers and Mature Migrators, emerged based on the ways in which they constructed bisexuality and by the timing of the onset of their reported attractions to women. Early Emergers constructed bisexuality as a stable, biological concept while Mature Migrators challenged this narrative by emphasizing the fluidity of sexuality through discourses of migration spurred by “light bulb” moments. Although participants described feelings of ambivalence toward bisexuality as a label, they also constructed bisexuality as creating freedom and possibility in the full context of their lives. This study reveals the unique contributions of discourse analyses in identifying patterns in constructions of bisexuality among older women as well as the need for scholars to critically and intentionally contribute to discourses of bisexuality. Practitioners should allow clients to describe their sexual identity and the meaning behind that identity within the full context of their lives in order to validate and recognize the unique life patterns among older bisexual women.