Despite the increasing visibility of LGBTQ people in American culture, our understanding of bisexuality remains superficial. Young people are increasingly rejecting traditional labels altogether. So who is bisexual? Is being bisexual a matter of identity and lifestyle, or is it rooted in biology? To find some answers, Ritch Savin-Williams sought out the voices and stories of dozens of Gen Z and Millennial young adults from a range of racial, ethnic, and social class groups whose understanding of what it means to be bisexual defies not only traditional views but the very notion of attaching a label to sexuality. The result is the new book called “Bi – Bisexual, Pansexual, Fluid and Nonbinary Youth.” Dr. Ritch Savin-Williams is professor emeritus of developmental and clinical phycology at Cornell University. He is the author of nine previous books, including “Mostly Straight: Sexual Fluidity among Men” and “The New Gay Teenager.”
From our conversation with Dr. Savin-Williams we learned how important friends and peer groups can be in the lives of LGBTQ young people. But even more important for good mental health and happiness is support from their parents. That’s the topic of today’s Academic Minute.
Photo courtesy of NYU Press.