Sexism, Heterosexism, and Biphobia

SUMMARY Recent research has indicated that friendship patterns of sexual minorities are simultaneously influenced by sex, sexual orientation, and race (Galupo, 2007). An understanding of bisexual women's friendship patterns, then, must acknowledge the intersection of sex and sexual orientation as a context in which friendships develop. This paper considers the current literature as it informs our understanding of the friendships of bisexual women with particular emphasis on the meaning of bisexual identity in these friendships. In particular, selected research findings are interpreted to illustrate the intersection of how sexism, heterosexism, biphobia, and racism simultaneously shape the friendship experiences of bisexual women.