Abstract

Belonging and community connection are important for all people, but are particularly important for bi+ (including bisexual, pansexual, queer, and other plurisexual) individuals due to experiences of anti-bisexual stigma and delegitimization by both heterosexual and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities. A gap in the literature exists regarding bi + people’s definitions and processes of locating bi + belonging and community connection. The current research addresses this gap in the literature, investigating these topics through a qualitative focus group project with 46 bi + individuals. Using a modified constructivist grounded theory approach, results from nine focus groups yielded four core categories depicting experiences of belonging and community connection for bi + participants, including: 1) Process and pathways to belonging; 2) Barriers to belonging; 3) Distinct offerings of bisexual-specific community; and 4) Unique belonging experiences of bisexual Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC). Findings from the current study serve as a call to action where important directions for how heterosexual and LGBTQ + communities can create more affirming and welcoming spaces for bi + community members are provided.

摘要

归属感和社区联系对所有人都很重要，但对双性恋（包括双性恋、泛性恋、酷儿和其他多性恋）个体尤其重要，因为异性恋和女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋和跨性别者都经历过反双性恋的污名和非合法化和酷儿 (LGBTQ+) 社区。关于bi+人的定义和定位bi+归属感和社区联系的过程，文献中存在空白。当前的研究解决了文献中的这一空白，通过一个有 46 名双性人以上的定性焦点小组项目来调查这些主题。使用改进的建构主义扎根理论方法，来自九个焦点小组的结果产生了四个核心类别，描述了 bi+ 参与者的归属感和社区联系体验，包括：1) 归属的过程和途径；2) 归属障碍；3）双性恋社区的特色产品；和 4) 双性恋黑人、土著和其他有色人种 (BIPOC) 的独特归属体验。当前研究的结果作为行动号召，为异性恋和 LGBTQ + 社区如何为双性恋 + 社区成员创造更多肯定和欢迎的空间提供了重要方向。