What's in a Name? Bisexuality, Transnational Sexuality Studies and Western Colonial Legacies

Abstract

This paper explores the role of bisexuality in transnational sexuality studies. The author argues that bisexuality is either absent, or inscribed as potential or behaviour, rather than identity. In the process, transnational sexuality studies reproduces bisexuality's historical role as facilitator of Western sexual oppositions, a role that also facilitates colonial distinctions between cultures as sexually civilised or sexually primitive. In addition, rendering bisexuality as potential or behaviour safeguards lesbian and gay subjects as de facto authors of queer studies transnationally. The author suggests ways of reframing transnational sexuality studies to address these problems.

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