Negotiating Identity – Life Narratives of Bisexual Christians

Sociological exploration specifically targeting bisexual Christians is in its infancy. Explanation regarding this is two-fold. Firstly, it is possible to argue that bisexual Christians are marginalised due to their identification as, and assimilation of, two identities which many see as contradictory. Extradition from the bisexual community, often seen as staunchly atheist,1 could occur due to individual’s identification as Christian, conversely Christian congregations are seemingly less likely to be welcoming of bisexuals. Secondly, identification as bisexual is problematic in the perception of others. The conceptualisation of bisexuality as a legitimate sexual identity may be progressing in academic discourse (see Fox, 1996), however throughout both the heterosexual and homosexual community bisexuals are ostracised due to a lack of understanding and a perpetuation of stereotyping (Eadie, 1997; Hemmings, 2002).