Narrative Analysis of Bisexual Identity: Centering on Synchronic Construction

Abstract

Within the movement to enhance the visibility of sexual minority individuals, bisexuals and their identity are still found to be at a “loose end,” that is, they are left out of the dichotomy of the “homo/hetero sexual” debate and there are few studies about them. In this study, I analyze how bisexual identity is constructed in narratives and investigate cultural differences. The results reveal the following: 1) bisexual speakers, as shown in previous research, position themselves based on both their own and others’ viewpoints of themselves, 2) speakers construct their bisexual identity and positioning in response to narrative context while eliciting different dimensions of their identity, and 3) the narrated experience of bisexuals is associated with cultural differences.