Although they comprise more than half of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual population, bisexual people face significant disparities. Stigma, legal inequality, and lack of bisexual-specific data contribute to poor outcomes for bisexual people in the United States. This infographic explores these three factors and their impact on bisexual peoples’ health, safety, employment, and economic security.
To read MAP’s summary analysis of issues facing bisexual Americans, click here. For a national snapshot of state policies affecting bisexual people, visit our equality maps and click on any individual state or issue to learn more.
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Founded in 2006, the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) is an independent, nonprofit think tank that provides rigorous research, insight and communications that help speed equality and opportunity for all.
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The term “sexual orientation” is loosely defined as a person’s pattern of romantic or sexual attraction to people of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or more than one sex or gender. Laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation primarily protect or harm lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. That said, transgender people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual can be affected by laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation.
“Gender identity” is a person’s deeply-felt inner sense of being male, female, or something else or in-between. “Gender expression” refers to a person’s characteristics and behaviors such as appearance, dress, mannerisms and speech patterns that can be described as masculine, feminine, or something else. Gender identity and expression are independent of sexual orientation, and transgender people may identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay or bisexual. Laws that explicitly mention “gender identity” or “gender identity and expression” primarily protect or harm transgender people. These laws also can apply to people who are not transgender, but whose sense of gender or manner of dress does not adhere to gender stereotypes.
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