Our understanding of the term bisexuality has been in a state of constant evolution for over a century. From the 1890s when the word first emerged in English to 2020 when the definition was updated in Merriam-Webster, bisexuality has been a term that helps people define a more fluid sexuality — but has also come with stereotypes and stigma. And in the struggle to make space for all shades of desires and attraction, is there a point when the label no longer serves the folks who use it?
Host Anita Rao meets two people who have grappled with this question as well as the term’s history, meaning and power for building community. J.R. Yussuf is the author of “Dear Bi Men: A Black Man's Perspective on Power, Consent, Breaking Down Binaries, and Combating Erasure.” And Jazmín Aguilar is a host and senior audio producer at the Boston Globe.
