(Re)producing the sexuality binary: on bisexual experiences in U.S. gay and heterosexual spaces

Abstract

The geographies of sexuality literature is a great source of information for the experiences of gay men and lesbians as they navigate heteronormativity in both private and public spaces, and engage in gay and lesbian counter-space production. However, this literature has yet to fully incorporate bisexual experiences into its paradigm. This article finds that bisexuals experience the spatial (re)production of a sexuality binary (gay/straight) through three interrelated processes: passing, blending, and biphobia. These processes occur throughout the spaces they inhabit, whether those be public or private. The data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with participants from a Midwest U.S. college town. Additionally, examples of exclusion from gay spaces arise during interviews, suggesting that binary sexuality is connected to the queer unwanted. Information on bisexual experiences can further expand geographers’ understanding of how sexuality is spatialized, and further make room for non-binary subjectivities.