Beyond Expectations: The Experiences of Two African American Bisexual Women

Abstract

There is more research pertaining to African American bisexual men than there is pertaining to African American bisexual women. Most of this research, however, does not specifically address bisexual identity development as much as bisexual behavior and associated risks. Based on the experiences of two African American bisexual women, this article briefly explores the impact of culture on the development of a bisexual identity and the development of a more consistent sense of self as a sexual being.

KEYWORDS:

• African American
• bisexual
• identity
• culture
• sexuality
• gender roles
• women
• self-awareness

Acknowledgments

The sample used in this article was taken from the study utilized in the article “Once-Married African-American Lesbians and Bisexual Women: Identity Development and the Coming-Out Process” (Bates, 2010).