Bisexuality and the Challenge to Lesbian Politics. Paula C Rust
to complete a very long questionnaire
in the hope that our lives would become a little less invisible
and
to the memory of
Martin P. Levine
whose encouragement and mentorship
made this book, and my career as I know it, possible.
CONTENTS
1. Debate in the Lesbian Press: Introducing the Issues
Coverage of Bisexuality in the Lesbian and Gay Press
2. “Experts’” Voices: Lesbianism, Bisexuality, and the Social Sciences
The Great Debate—Essentialism versus Constructionism
A Brief History of Sexology in the United States
The Interplay of Politics and Science and the Downfall of the Dichotomous Conflict Model of Sexuality
3. Behind the Scenes: How the Study Was Done and Who Participated in It
A Brief and Nontechnical Lesson in Sampling Theory for Nonacademic Readers
How Lesbian and Bisexual Women Were Recruited to Participate in the Study
The Women Who Participated—Who Were They?
4. Lesbians’ Voices: What Do Lesbians Think about Bisexuality and Its Role in Sexual Politics?
Liberal Opinions and Mixed Feelings
What Is Bisexuality? Or, Will the Real Lesbian Please Stand Up?
Bisexuality as a Matter of Behavior
Bisexuality as a Matter of Feelings
Bisexuality as a Matter of Identity—Or a Denial of Identity
Bisexuality as a Matter of Preferences or Choices
Bisexuality as a Matter of Gender Blindness
Existentially Invalidating Images
Images of Bisexual Privilege—“The Best of Both Worlds” and Political Distrust
Images of Bisexual Oppression—“The Worst of Both Worlds” and Political Sympathy
Overall Perceptions of Bisexual and Lesbian Oppression
Underlying Conceptualizations: Two Different Kinds of Hybrids and Apoliticality
How Do Lesbians Feel about Bisexual Women?
Race, Education, Class, and Other Demographic Differences
Political Differences: Do Political Lesbians Speak for Us All?
Politics and the Issue of Bisexual Existence
Politics and Sexual Conceptualizations, Beliefs, and Feelings about Bisexuality