The Imaginary Orientation: The Impact of monosexism on the health and wellbeing of the nonmonosexual community.

Bisexuality and other nonmonosexual identities are the misunderstood and maligned sexual orientations thought of by many as the middle ground between gay and straight. Often considered a phase, or an attempt to be cool, nonmonosexuals are criticized by both the gay and straight community for not fitting neatly into one side or another. As well, nonmonosexual individuals seem to blend in with whatever group matches their current relationship, rendering them as a community largely invisible both in popular culture and in the minds of community activists. This lack of a cohesive community identity and connection has very real negative impact on those of us who walk between, and it has led to nonmonosexuals on average having worse mental health outcomes than gay or straight peers. In this workshop we will explore nonmonosexual identity l as a valid construct separate from gay or straight and explore some of the challenges the community faces.