Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out

What I liked most about this was that it presented the personal stories of such an extraordinarily diverse group of people, showing that really there is no "typical" bisexual, and also showing how bisexuality has factored into the lives of different kinds of individuals. One really good point that this book stresses is the duality of our monosexual culture-- the belief that everyone is either gay or straight. Our society leaves no room for the enormous spectrum between the two, since very few people are 100% homo- or heterosexual, and I think the book did a good job of emphasizing this point, and the way bisexuals feel out of place or "invisible" in both the straight and gay communities. The only thing I would have liked would have been more stories about bisexuals who are not part of the "gay community". Many of the stories concerned people who came out as gay or lesbian, and then realized they were bi. While I definetly agree that bisexuals are a largely invisible group in the gay community, or, as the book puts it, "queer among queers," I would have liked to see more stories of those who felt equally invisible among heterosexual company. Still, overall, this is an excellent book, and definetly a must-read for anyone fed up with the assumption that all are either gay or straight. Bi, gay, lesbian, straight, undefined, or simply curious, I highly recommend this book for everyone.

At the beginning i was thinking that i have bought the wrong book, but after i began reading i realize why i feel so out of the straight world and that i also don`t fit into the lesbian world. The testimonials of the people sometimes look like my life.

The essays compiled in this anthology address the many struggles and contradictions that characterize bisexuality known to anyone who idenitifies as bisexual. As I bisexual woman I was very affected by the poetry and prose of many entries and often found myself re-reading passages multiple times. This text documents the personal experiences of bisexual individuals, indicating to me that I am not alone even though I often feel without a community or place to belong. This text is wonderful read for any individual, regardless of sexual orientation, as it explains the beautiful reality of bisexuality by referencing the lives of a diverse group of bisexual men and women. Its approach to defining bisexuality and explaination of what it means to form a strong bisexual identification in society today is extremely adequate. The editors of this text deserve much praise for developing a resource which discusses the discrimination and exclusion of bisexuals from many communities while simultaneously encouraging those who identify as bisexual to assert themselves with pride and seek alliances in order to form strong, supportive communities.

This is a wonderful book. After reading a plethora of gay and lesbian coming-out anthologies, I was so happy to come upon a book that talked about *my* community. This book also serves as a great introduction to the various schools of thought on this subject. A-plus.