Beyond Gay and Straight: Ten Things to Know About Bisexuality

Keke Palmer encouraged us to open our minds.

My Love Is Not Necessarily Your Love - From openly-bisexual femcee Azealia Banks to Scream Queens star Keke Palmer, whose new music video “I Don’t Belong to You” depicts her ending up with a woman, many stars are showing us that sexuality isn't binary. As Palmer said when speculation about her own identity dominated the headlines this week, “I’m making the rules for my self, and I don’t have to be stuck down to one label.”  So what is the 'B' in LGBT all about? Here are ten things to know about bisexuality. (Photos from left: Lisa Lake/Getty Images for Primark, Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images for NYLON)

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My Love Is Not Necessarily Your Love - From openly-bisexual femcee Azealia Banks to Scream Queens star Keke Palmer, whose new music video “I Don’t Belong to You” depicts her ending up with a woman, many stars are showing us that sexuality isn't binary. As Palmer said when speculation about her own identity dominated the headlines this week, “I’m making the rules for my self, and I don’t have to be stuck down to one label.”  So what is the 'B' in LGBT all about? Here are ten things to know about bisexuality. (Photos from left: Lisa Lake/Getty Images for Primark, Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images for NYLON)

It's Not a Phase - Bisexuality used to be thought of as a “transitional” identity, for people who were not quite ready to accept being gay or lesbian. However, studies have shown bisexuality is just as real as being gay or straight and can be a constant and important part of one’s identity. (Photo: Rainer Holz/Westend61/Corbis)

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It's Not a Phase - Bisexuality used to be thought of as a “transitional” identity, for people who were not quite ready to accept being gay or lesbian. However, studies have shown bisexuality is just as real as being gay or straight and can be a constant and important part of one’s identity. (Photo: Rainer Holz/Westend61/Corbis)

One Love  - It is a common belief that because bisexuals are attracted to more than one sex or gender that they must have a difficult time maintaining monogamous relationships. This is a myth, there are many bisexual folks in committed relationships. (Photo: Laura Doss/Corbis)

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One Love  - It is a common belief that because bisexuals are attracted to more than one sex or gender that they must have a difficult time maintaining monogamous relationships. This is a myth, there are many bisexual folks in committed relationships. (Photo: Laura Doss/Corbis)

There Is More to Bisexuality Than You Think - While sexuality was once understood in very binary terms —meaning someone was either all the way straight, or all the way gay — actually, sexuality exists more on a spectrum, both within each individual, as someone’s attractions can shift within their life. In fact, on the Kinsey Scale, which rates sexuality along a spectrum of 6 (0 being fully heterosexual and 6 being fully homosexual) 11.6% of males, and 7% of females between ages 20-35 ranked at 3. Sexuality is not as strict as we think! (Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

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There Is More to Bisexuality Than You Think - While sexuality was once understood in very binary terms —meaning someone was either all the way straight, or all the way gay — actually, sexuality exists more on a spectrum, both within each individual, as someone’s attractions can shift within their life. In fact, on the Kinsey Scale, which rates sexuality along a spectrum of 6 (0 being fully heterosexual and 6 being fully homosexual) 11.6% of males, and 7% of females between ages 20-35 ranked at 3. Sexuality is not as strict as we think! (Photo: David McNew/Getty Images)

New Generation - In a study done this year by YouGov, which polled 1,632 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60, it was found that 43% of people between that ages of 18 and 24 identified as something other than exclusively straight or exclusively gay. Also, 1 in 2 young people are not 100% heterosexual, signifying that young people are more open to non-binary sexual identities. (Photo: Peathegee Inc/Blend Images/Corbis)

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New Generation - In a study done this year by YouGov, which polled 1,632 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60, it was found that 43% of people between that ages of 18 and 24 identified as something other than exclusively straight or exclusively gay. Also, 1 in 2 young people are not 100% heterosexual, signifying that young people are more open to non-binary sexual identities. (Photo: Peathegee Inc/Blend Images/Corbis)

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All Attraction Is Not Equal   - According to GLAAD, bisexuality does not mean you have to be equally attracted to both men and women. In fact, some bisexuals are overwhelmingly attracted to one sex and only occasionally to the other. The overall spectrum of bisexuality includes many forms, and the only thing that bisexual people have in common with one another is that they are attracted to people of more than one gender. (Photo: Grant Harder / Masterfile/ Corbis Images)

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All Attraction Is Not Equal   - According to GLAAD, bisexuality does not mean you have to be equally attracted to both men and women. In fact, some bisexuals are overwhelmingly attracted to one sex and only occasionally to the other. The overall spectrum of bisexuality includes many forms, and the only thing that bisexual people have in common with one another is that they are attracted to people of more than one gender. (Photo: Grant Harder / Masterfile/ Corbis Images)

Bisexual Doesn't Equal Promiscuous - There is a myth that because someone is bisexual they must be having twice as much sex as someone who is strictly gay or straight. This stereotype is incorrect and harmful.  Bisexuality only applies to sexual identity, not sexual appetite. (Photo: Paloma Marticorena/ Getty Images)

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Bisexual Doesn't Equal Promiscuous - There is a myth that because someone is bisexual they must be having twice as much sex as someone who is strictly gay or straight. This stereotype is incorrect and harmful.  Bisexuality only applies to sexual identity, not sexual appetite. (Photo: Paloma Marticorena/ Getty Images)

No More Lies - There is a tremendous pressure to “lie” if you are bisexual. In fact, only 23% of self-identified bisexuals tell others, saying it’s easier to let the people assume that if they are with an opposite-sex partner they are straight and if they are with a same sex partner they are gay. This unfairly perpetuates the false belief that bisexuality is nothing more than a phase and prevents both community-building and society's understanding of bisexuality. (Photo: Masterfile/ Corbis Images)

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No More Lies - There is a tremendous pressure to “lie” if you are bisexual. In fact, only 23% of self-identified bisexuals tell others, saying it’s easier to let the people assume that if they are with an opposite-sex partner they are straight and if they are with a same sex partner they are gay. This unfairly perpetuates the false belief that bisexuality is nothing more than a phase and prevents both community-building and society's understanding of bisexuality. (Photo: Masterfile/ Corbis Images)

Bisexuality Is Not Just for Women  - Being bi is not a "girl" thing. Just as some women are attracted to men, women or both, so too are some men attracted to women, men or both sexes. Furthermore, the mainstream media is culpable in creating the myth that all women are latently bisexual, which is nothing more than a male fantasy. It is both degrading to women and those who truly identify as bisexual.  (Photo: Patrik Giardino/Corbis)

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Bisexuality Is Not Just for Women  - Being bi is not a "girl" thing. Just as some women are attracted to men, women or both, so too are some men attracted to women, men or both sexes. Furthermore, the mainstream media is culpable in creating the myth that all women are latently bisexual, which is nothing more than a male fantasy. It is both degrading to women and those who truly identify as bisexual.  (Photo: Patrik Giardino/Corbis)

The STD Myth - There is a myth that bisexual people, especially bisexual men, spread STDs more than other groups. While this claim has no foundation in truth, the fact that as many as 15% of our population deem bisexuality a illegitimate sexual orientation leads to bigotry and LGBT-phobia.  (Photo: Liba Taylor/Corbis)

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The STD Myth - There is a myth that bisexual people, especially bisexual men, spread STDs more than other groups. While this claim has no foundation in truth, the fact that as many as 15% of our population deem bisexuality a illegitimate sexual orientation leads to bigotry and LGBT-phobia.  (Photo: Liba Taylor/Corbis)

Love Is Love - Keke has it right. It is no one's job to define, and act upon, your sexual identity besides you. Love is love, be it straight, gay, bisexual or something else. We have to work to support each others’ love to ensure that everyone can lead a happy and healthy life. (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill)

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Love Is Love - Keke has it right. It is no one's job to define, and act upon, your sexual identity besides you. Love is love, be it straight, gay, bisexual or something else. We have to work to support each others’ love to ensure that everyone can lead a happy and healthy life. (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill)