Unique Issues Bisexual People Face in Intimate Relationships: A Descriptive Exploration of Lived Experience

Abstract

Bisexuality is associated with worse mental health than both heterosexuality and homosexuality on a range of outcomes. Healthy relationships extend a protective effect on one's mental health, but little research has explored the issues faced by bisexuals in developing and maintaining intimate relationships. This study uses qualitative methodology to identify some of these issues. The results show that bisexual people in intimate relationships have unique experiences, due to the nature of bisexuality and the social context in which they experience their bisexual identities. Findings of this study have implications for the provision of mental health services to bisexual clients.

KEYWORDS:

• bisexual
• mental health
• relationships
• lived experience
• focus groups
• descriptive phenomenology

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a Community Research Capacity Enhancement grant from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Lori E. Ross was supported by a New Investigator Award from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Ontario Women's Health Council (NOW-84656). Support to CAMH for salary of scientists and infrastructure was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. Tina Li was supported by a grant from l’Université du Québec à Montréal Sexual and Gender Diversity: Vulnerability and Resilience Team. We thank Anna Travers, Loralee Gillis, and our participants for their essential contributions to this research.