Bisexual men want you to know they exist and are not ‘confused’ whether they are dating men or women.
The hashtag #BisexualMenExist was trending throughout Tuesday after software engineer Vaneet Mehta tweeted he had noticed an increase in biphobia recently.
He wrote, “I’m bring back #BisexualMenExist for some much needed positivity! Drop a pic below with the hashtag and RT this thread!”
The biphobia towards Bi men recently has been so shit and honestly, in MY LGBT+ history month?! How dare! So I’m bring back #BisexualMenExist for some much needed positivity! Drop a pic below with the hashtag and RT this thread! Allies, also RT! I’ll start! 💖💜💙 pic.twitter.com/BYl1D2hzvV
— Vaneet Mehta #20ThemTy 🌺 (@nintendomad888) February 24, 2020
In follow-up tweets, he encouraged non-binary, pansexuals, omnisexual, polysexuals and bicurious to use the hashtag and share photos of themselves as well.
In an interview with HuffPost, Mehta shared that his tweet was in response to an exchange he saw on Twitter about Netflix’s new reality show, Love Is Blind.
In one installment, a couple gets into a heated argument after the guy in the relationship, Carlton, comes out as bisexual to his fiancée, Diamond. The revelation led Diamond to doubt Carlton’s sexuality.
Folks on Twitter apparently sided with Diamond.
“One of the main things I saw on Twitter was a poll trending asking women whether they would ever date a bi man,” Mehta told HuffPost. “Most people voted no. I also saw quite a few comments insinuating that bi men were basically gay and just lying to themselves. It was upsetting.”
Mehta added that many of the conversations he was seeing on Twitter about bisexuality included comments like “it’s just a phase,” which results in bisexual erasure.
“These stereotypes about bisexual people erase my identity entirely, telling me I’m not valid,” said Mehta. “And it means people feel that they couldn’t date me because I’m only going to come out or I’m still in the closet.”
In fact, bisexuals make up the largest share of LGBTQ Americans.
A 2013 survey of LGBTQ Americans by Pew Research showed 40% of respondents identified as bisexual, while 36% identified as gay men, 19% as lesbians and 5% as transgender.
Bi men from across the Twitterverse chimed in sharing their photos and stories including actor Joshua Rush (Disney Channels’ Andi Mack) and former NFL player Ryan Russell (Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
#BisexualMenExist and we are very cool, highly reccommend befriending a bi guy pic.twitter.com/tkyMzQ9jyO
— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) February 25, 2020
#BisexualMenExist no matter how masculine we are, no matter whether we are dating a man or woman, and we deserve to be seen. Just like everyone, we deserve to be loved. pic.twitter.com/SdxG0RBwth
— R.K. Russell (@RKRelentless) February 25, 2020
Joyfully reminding y’all that #BisexualMenExist and sometimes take selfies in trucks pic.twitter.com/iHbLr36BK2
— Karl Thorssen (@KThorssen) February 25, 2020
Tell em Boy Bi 🌻 #bisexualmenexist pic.twitter.com/dfnpWyCnVu
— LEGATRON 🇩🇴 (@TheOfficialChe) February 26, 2020
It’s taken me a long time to understand who I really am. I fully embrace it! Joining this train to represent my community! #BisexualMenExist pic.twitter.com/z2iZKz1YlC
— AJ Montgomery (@Aaijai13) February 26, 2020
I can confirm #BisexualMenExist.
Here’s one spotted in the wild. pic.twitter.com/9hvREUCe1q
— Bae Grylls, Tumblr Bisexual (Esq.) (@TheAuracl3) February 25, 2020
Happily married to my wife for 15 and a half years! I love to cosplay, vote, and I write books with a bi protagonist!#BisexualMenExist pic.twitter.com/I7jjAAdzD9
— William C. Tracy (@wctracy) February 25, 2020
So happy that #bisexualmenexist is trending… here’s proof that I am alive pic.twitter.com/MPToAvXZ9s
— Tobin (@T_Dot1111) February 25, 2020
Of course us #BisexualMenExist! If you think otherwise it’s because we’re too busy being lit af, playing with swords and exploring the wilderness. Tiocfaidh ár lá 🏳️🌈 pals! pic.twitter.com/82cpws2Bgr
— Asal Mór na hÉireann (@An_Asal_Dathuil) February 25, 2020
Oooo existing is fun! #BisexualMenExist pic.twitter.com/2Fce5A4h5Z
— Homie Homo 💗💜💙 (@_kingmuh_) February 25, 2020
#BisexualMenExist period. This message is especially for my Black community.
Bi Black Men: Stand up and be proud of your sexuality.
Straights: Allow our brothers to be sexually free. We have much bigger fish to fry when it comes to our community as a whole. pic.twitter.com/mABWlV98Ba— Harriet Tubman’s Wakanda Fighting Spirit (@shizzy_snorlax) February 25, 2020
When I date a guy, I’m bisexual. When I date a girl, I’m still bisexual. #BisexualMenExist pic.twitter.com/ZxIEcFplQj
— Steve (@SteveFaciana) February 25, 2020
I struggled with imposter syndrome a lot that affects everything from how I dress to labeling my sexuality. But recently I’ve gotten to a point where I’m finally comfortable expressing myself 🤗 #BisexualMenExist pic.twitter.com/v5Oil6eMyM
— Dan 🥀 (@marbleplague) February 25, 2020
Swinging both ways like a French door. Lol. #BisexualMenExist pic.twitter.com/bCoEnkkptR
— J.Orabuena (@museless_me) February 26, 2020
bi kings rise up #BisexualMenExist pic.twitter.com/9fxr3PDaUn
— breathtaking bisexual bussy baddie (@DaddySoSaddy) February 26, 2020
So apparently #BisexualMenExist, thank god, I was about to have an existential crisis there for a moment.
Good to know I’m not about to have Marty McFly moment and start phasing out of existence.
Anyway, here’s some halfway decent selfies of my dumb ass. pic.twitter.com/iBwfDl5XOg
— DELETETH THIS (@Deleteth_This) February 25, 2020
#BisexualMenExist saw this trending and i had to set the record straight ok 🥺 pic.twitter.com/tOKnULA2BP
— josiah 🌺 (@josiuhhh) February 25, 2020
#BisexualMenExist We exist and so do our pets, annoyed with us taking pics of them pic.twitter.com/8u3bmIntEd
— Tomas Kyle the WereBi 🌙 (@TomasKylexxx) February 24, 2020
Sexuality is a continuum from heterosexual to bisexual to homosexual and everything in between. In reality , your preference is really no one else’s business.