慶祝第25個雙性戀可見日：挑戰刻板印象並提高意識

This week marks the 25th annual Bisexuality Day of Recognition, which was originally called "Celebrate Bisexuality Day". For over a quarter of a century, the day's purpose has been to "raise awareness and challenge the elimination of bisexuality". While one week may seem like an ample amount of time to raise awareness of an issue, a recent study showed that 37% people still view bisexuality as a choice, as opposed to homosexuality, a finding that underscores why we still need to work on raising awareness of bisexuality.

這項由約會應用程式PURE進行的調查，對2000名美國人的雙性戀觀點進行了了解。結果顯示，許多人仍然抱持著對雙性戀的陳舊觀念，20%的人認為雙性戀是成為同性戀的“跳板”，26%的人認為人們聲稱自己是雙性戀是因為某些“好處”（“什麼好處？！”每個雙性戀者都想問）。調查還發現，有3%的受訪者甚至不相信雙性戀的真實存在。

讓我們澄清一些事情：雙性戀是真實存在的。實際上，大多數酷兒人群都是雙性戀。2021年英國人口普查——第一次包含性別問題的人口普查——發現，1.3%的英國人口認為自己是雙性戀。

對於想要更深入了解雙性戀的人來說，有許多書籍可以提供幫助。例如，《貪婪：一個想要太多的雙性戀者的筆記》就是一本探索雙性戀體驗的書籍。

While some people may be openly bisexual first before they are openly gay, that doesn't mean that bisexuality is a stopover on the way to gay town. In a society that would rather you not be cool at all, figuring out your coolness can be challenging, and for many people, it can take a while for the many layers of internalized homophobia to dissipate. In addition, identities can change over time.

So why does the understanding of bisexuality lag behind other cool kid identities? Meg-John Barker, a theorist and author of several books on cool kids, suggests that it's because of our cultural obsession with duality. Bisexuality challenges two key dichotomies: "attracted to the opposite sex vs. attracted to the same sex" and "nature vs. choice".

In the dominant culture, things that are "natural" are often seen as more real and fixed than things that are "chosen". In reality, however, these things are not binary. Most aspects of being human, including sexual behavior, are biopsychosocial. This means that they are a complex combination of aspects of our innate orientation, aspects that we have developed over time - both in response to the choices we make, and as a result of the culture around us and the choices available to us.

The homosexual/heterosexual binary is forced upon all of us, and anything other than that is seen as a choice. This has become another way of refuting bisexuality. Because of this, people have been trying to prove that bisexuality isn't real for a long time, including a 2005 study that led the New York Times to claim that all men are either "gay, straight, or liars".

Bisexuals are perceived as untrustworthy, and this affects our entire identity; we don't tell enough about our own existence. Bisexual phobia stereotypes tell us that bisexuals are unreliable narrators of our own lives-because if you can't trust someone to know who they're really attracted to, you can't trust them to understand any of their sexual experiences-and that unisexual (attracted to one gender) people understand our sexuality better than we do.

These stereotypes continue to negatively impact bisexuals. Statistics and first-person accounts tell us that bisexuals are more likely to be in poorer physical and mental health, in part because bisexuality is eliminated from healthcare settings. London journalist Katie Boyden is one of the many bisexuals who lack understanding when trying to get support and healthcare. A previous therapist told her that her bisexuality was "[her] choice."

The "nature vs. choice" dichotomy has harmed the bisexual community in other ways as well. While Born this Way's narrative is a huge victory for LGBTQIA+ rights (and spawned an incredibly catchy song - thanks Gaga), it also subtly demonstrates that the cool community deserves rights and protections only because of the things that happen to us, and that we will choose those things if we can.

Bisexuality is not a choice. No one is going to sit down and make some list of pros and cons of the sexual orientation they want to be. Like gay, straight or asexual, bisexuality is a natural, beautiful, wonderful part of people's complex, multifaceted, fabulous selves, but it's not up to us. Through my own bisexuality, I have found a wonderful community, made lifelong friends, fallen in and out of love, and I have become an activist. If that 37% respondent is right, bisexuality is a choice I would make any day.

胡塞武裝在也門公開處決同性戀者，國際特赦組織譴責此行為

In Yemen, a Houthi-controlled court recently sentenced nine people to death for homosexuality, seven of whom will face stoning and two will be crucified. This news has caused widespread international concern and condemnation. Amnesty International has stated that these actions are spreading fear of the LGBTQ+ community and the Yemeni public at large.

據報導，這些判決是在也門達馬爾的胡塞武裝法庭作出的，另外還有二十三人因同性戀、「散播不道德行為」和「不道德行為」等多項罪名被判處六個月至十年監禁。社交媒體上流傳的視頻顯示，有兩人在公共場合被鞭打，這可能發生在他們的家門前。

此外，也門伊布的胡塞武裝法庭以「傳播同性戀」為由判處13名學生死刑，另外三名學生被判處鞭刑。消息人士稱，還有35人因同性戀指控被拘留。

Two courts run by the Houthi movement have sentenced more than 40 men. The regime has been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November and has been subjected to retaliatory strikes by the United States and Britain. Yemen sits on the southeastern edge of the Red Sea, and the Iranian-backed Houthi movement controls the desert nation's most populous region and has been engaged in a long-running war with a coalition led by Yemen's northern neighbor, Saudi Arabia.

Grazia Careccia, Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, called the planned executions a "horrific public spectacle" designed to spread fear among LGBTQ+ people and Yemenis in general. She described all the sentences as "very distressing".

In a statement, Carrecia said, "Public flogging is a cruel and inhumane punishment that violates the absolute prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment under international law and should not be practiced under any circumstances." She added: "The authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all those detained solely on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity."

Niku Jafarnia, a Yemeni researcher at Human Rights Watch, told AFP, "The Houthis have stepped up their atrocities inside the country, while the world is watching their attacks in the Red Sea." Jafarnia added: "If they really cared about the Palestinian rights they claim to defend, they wouldn't be flogging and stoning Yemenis to death."

These events highlight the extreme dangers and challenges faced by sexual minorities in war and conflict. The international community is calling for immediate action to protect these innocent people from further persecution and violence.

标题：停止对《9-1-1》中非双性恋角色的赞美中忽略Hen和她的妻子的行为

在这篇文章中，作者强烈批评了主流媒体和粉丝对《9-1-1》中一个主要角色巴克的双性恋身份的过度赞美，同时忽略了剧中存在的其他酷儿角色，特别是黑人女同性恋角色Hen及其妻子。作者指出，这种做法不仅是对Hen和她的妻子的存在的抹去，也是对整个酷儿社区的不尊重。此外，文章还提到了其他酷儿角色和故事线，强调《9-1-1》一直以来都是一个包容酷儿角色的节目，而不是最近才开始的。最后，文章以一些积极的酷儿相关新闻结束，提供了一种平衡的视角。

In today's media environment, the presentation of cool characters and story lines is becoming increasingly popular and appreciated. This is a sign of progress, showing that society is becoming more aware of the diversity of genders and sexual orientations. However, this progress is sometimes accompanied by problems, especially when certain characters or story lines are ignored or marginalized. Recently, I have been particularly concerned about some of the discussions that have taken place on the show 9-1-1, especially regarding its treatment of the bisexual character Barker, and how this treatment may have inadvertently erased the show's black lesbian characters, Mother Hen and her wife.

首先，我要說，我對《9-1-1》讓巴克成為一個雙性戀角色感到非常興奮。這不僅是因為這個角色的性取向變化為劇集帶來了新的故事線，也因為這展示了電視劇對於酷兒角色的包容性。然而，當主流媒體和大量粉絲在讚美這一點時，我注意到了一個問題：他們似乎完全忽略了母雞和她的妻子這一對黑人女同性戀夫婦。

母雞從第一季開始就是一個重要角色，她的婚姻和家庭生活也是劇情的一部分。她的妻子，特雷西·湯姆斯飾演的凱倫，也是一個重要的角色。然而，在許多討論中，這對夫婦似乎被完全忽略了。這不僅是對這兩個角色的不公平對待，也是對劇集中酷兒故事線的一種刻板印象化和簡化。

This situation is a reflection of a broader problem in which the representation of cool characters in the media tends to focus on white characters while ignoring the presence and importance of ethnically cool characters of color. Not only does this deprive these characters of visibility, but it also deprives audiences of the opportunity to see a more diverse and well-rounded story of cool kids.

Of course, 9-1-1 is not the only episode with this problem, but it provides an opportunity for discussion and reflection. We should applaud the presentation of cool characters in the episode, but at the same time think critically about the ways in which they are presented and the inclusiveness and prejudice they can bring.

Before I end this post, I'd like to share some more exciting news. Bisexual actress Shay Mitchell is launching a travel show about drinks around the world; Saturday Night Live has produced a Jojo Siva sketch that Jojo himself found funny; and Devery Jacobs will be starring alongside bisexual Evan Rachel Wood in a cool cheerleading movie called Backspot. These are all testaments to the fact that the cool kid culture continues to grow and be seen in different areas.

Finally, we should continue to promote a more diverse and inclusive representation of Cool Kids stories in the media. This is not only for the sake of diversity within the Kool Kids community, but also for the sake of a more authentic and well-rounded view of the world for all viewers.

兄弟姊妹的科學：探索家庭中的性向與出生順序之間的關聯

In today's society, scientists are constantly exploring the science behind human behavior, and one fascinating area is the influence of family structure on an individual's sexual orientation. Recently, NPR launched a new series called The Science of Siblings, which delves into how our siblings affect our lives, from money and mental health to our molecular level.

這個系列的一部分聚焦於一個長期以來令人好奇的話題：為什麼同性戀者往往是家中最小的孩子？這個問題引起了我的興趣，作為一名同性戀者和家中最年幼的孩子，我發現這個觀點不僅有趣，而且似乎在某種程度上解釋了我的個人經歷。

在深入研究這個主題時，我發現這種現象，被稱為「兄弟出生順序效應」，在科學界有著堅實的證據支持。研究表明，有較多哥哥的男性成為同性戀的機率較高。這一發現在全球範圍內被多次證實，從加拿大和美國到薩摩亞、墨西哥南部、土耳其和巴西等地。

最近的一項研究對超過 900 萬荷蘭人進行了分析，不僅證實了這一效應，而且還發現女性同性戀者也更有可能擁有哥哥。這一發現提示我們，可能存在某種生物機制，至少部分地解釈了這一現象。

Scientists have proposed the "maternal immunity hypothesis" to explain this phenomenon, which suggests that a mother's immune response to proteins produced by the Y-chromosome in a male fetus may influence the sexual orientation of the subsequent male fetus. Although this theory has not been conclusively proven, it offers a possible explanation.

However, this area of research has also raised some concerns and controversy. Justin Torres, author of the semi-autobiographical novel We the Animals, is wary of research linking sexual orientation to biological factors. He worries that it could reignite prejudice and discrimination against homosexuals, and cautions us to be wary of the intentions and potential consequences behind scientific research.

That said, this area of research is undoubtedly fascinating, challenging our understanding of the relationships between sexual orientation, family structure, and biology. As the Science of Siblings series unfolds further, we look forward to more discoveries and insights that will hopefully promote understanding and acceptance of the diversity of sexual orientation.

Copyright 2024 NPR

對雙性戀者的質疑與擦除：娜塔莉·施里弗的見解

在當今社會，雙性戀者經常面臨著一種被稱為”雙重擦除”的現象，這種現象不僅來自異性戀社群，也來自LGBTQ+社群內部。娜塔莉·施里弗（Natalie Schriefer）在她的文章中提到，對雙性戀者的不斷質疑是雙性戀擦除的後果之一。這種質疑往往源於對雙性戀者身份的誤解和刻板印象。

在2024年的Netflix特輯《Have It All》中，單口喜劇演員泰勒湯姆林森（Taylor Tomlinson）公開了自己的雙性戀身份。她的經歷凸顯了雙性戀者面臨的挑戰，尤其是在公開自己的性取向時，常常需要面對他人的質疑和要求”證明”自己的雙性戀身份。這種經歷不僅令人不安，也反映了社會對雙性戀者的誤解和偏見。

雙重擦除是一種複雜的現象，它來自於人們對性取向的簡化和二元對立的看法。當雙性戀者與異性約會時，他們可能被認為是異性戀；而當他們與同性約會時，則可能被認為是同性戀。這種基於當前伴侶性別的假設忽略了雙性戀者的真實身份，使他們在異性戀和酷兒群體中都感到被排斥。

Tomlinson's experience and Schriever's analysis remind us that bisexuals are diverse and rich in their identities, and that they should not be forced to choose a side or justify their sexual orientation. Bisexuals should be allowed to self-identify and not be forced to conform to outside expectations and assumptions about their sexual orientation.

As more and more bisexuals are bravely opening up about their identities, society's awareness and acceptance of bisexuality is gradually increasing. However, more education and dialogues are needed to eliminate prejudice and double erasure against bisexuals. By sharing and discussing the real-life experiences of bisexuals, we can help break down stereotypes and promote a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of bisexual identity.

Everyone has a role to play in this process, whether it is through supporting our bisexual friends or participating in and promoting public discussion on the issue of bisexuality. Only when we learn to accept and respect everyone's sexual diversity can we truly realize an inclusive and equal society.

美國取消對同性戀和雙性戀男性捐血的限制，克里斯·範·比伯首次捐血創歷史

For the past decade, Chris Van Bieber has faced the restriction of not being able to donate blood. The 35-year-old male from Salt Lake City, Utah, is prohibited from donating blood under a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation due to his openly gay status. This regulation is based on the potential risk posed by sexually active gay men, regardless of the actual health status of the individual.

然而，今年5月，FDA宣布取消了對同性戀和雙性戀男性捐血的所有限制，並在8月推出了一種新的捐血風險評估工具。這一變化意味著，無論個人的性取向或身份如何，每個捐血者都將接受相同的評估。對範比伯來說，這不僅是一個歷史性的時刻，也是一次個人的勝利，他終於能夠在家鄉的美國紅十字會捐血中心捐血。

範比伯對美國廣播公司新聞表示，他對於終於能夠貢獻自己的一份力量感到非常興奮和如釋重負。他認為，即使是一件小事，也能產生巨大的影響。公共衛生專家和同性戀權利活動人士長期以來一直在呼籲改變這一政策，認為它基於群體風險而非個人風險，並加劇了對特定群體的恥辱和歧視。

在愛滋病流行初期，由於捐血無法篩檢出愛滋病毒，導致一些透過輸血感染愛滋病毒的病例。這促使FDA實施了終身禁止同性戀和雙性戀男性以及男男性行為女性捐血的政策。隨著科技進步，所有捐血都能進行普遍的愛滋病毒檢測，但相關政策卻遲遲未見改變，直到2015年全面禁令被廢除，並在2020年將禁慾期縮短至90天。

For Fan Bieber, the desire to donate blood stems in part from family history. His mother had life-threatening complications when he was born and needed to donate blood to save her life. From a young age, Van Beber understood the importance of blood donation, especially since his blood type is O-negative and can be used for transfusions of any blood type. However, due to previous policies, he was never able to participate in his family's blood drive, which made him feel like an outsider.

This year's policy change is a major step forward not only for Van Bibber, but also for many others who are opening their doors. The new Blood Donor Risk Assessment Tool asks all donors if they have had a new or multiple sexual partners in the past three months, with a deferral for those who have a history of anal sex during that time. This change makes it possible for more people to become involved in blood donation and help solve the blood supply problem.

Despite this, Van Bibber and others believe there is more work to be done, especially in expanding eligibility for blood donation for patients on PrEP medications. This would be a step forward, not only in reducing stigma and discrimination, but also in encouraging more people to donate blood, thereby safeguarding the blood supply.

With the implementation of this new policy, we look forward to a more inclusive and just society, one where everyone can contribute according to their abilities.