What About the “B” in LGB: Are Bisexual Women's Mental Health Issues Same or Different?

Abstract

The literature on mental health and bisexual people, particularly bisexual women, is reviewed. Bisexuality is routinely included as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) spectrum but is infrequently discussed or studied on its own. Data on bisexual people can be problematic, using convenience samples, mixing behavior and identity measures of sexuality, and lumping bisexual people with gays and lesbians. Some data suggest that bisexual people have higher rates of mental illness than heterosexuals and possibly even higher rates than gays and lesbians.

KEYWORDS:

• bisexual
• gay
• lesbian
• women
• mental health