Querying Theory and Politics: The Epistemic (Dis)Location of Bisexuality within Queer Theory

Abstract

Bisexuality's capacity to reveal and disassemble existing regimes of power and knowledge that shape gendered and sexed discourses, identities and politics would appear to make it an obvious ally to queer theory and politics. Yet queer theory has variously sidestepped, marginalized and even arguably erased bisexuality. This article focuses on the epistemic dilemmas presented by bisexuality. The theoretical (not to mention psychic) machinations required to keep bisexuality outside the queer parade incite us to consider what function bisexuality serves discursively, epistemologically and politically. We join a number of scholars in an exhortation to consider bisexuality not merely as an identity or a practice, but as a key epistemological register from which to disassemble the polarized axes of gender and sexuality. In this way, we consider bisexuality in the context of its interdependent relationship with other sexualities and identities, rather than treating it as a distinct identity signifier. This approach permits us to see how bisexuality functions in the construction and maintenance of all sexual categories and asserts that its elision from sexuality discourses in general leaves a gap in all such discourses. For bisexuality to achieve its subversive potential, we need to extend theory and politics beyond quests for visibility and inclusivity, and to explore bisexuality's capacity to expose the inevitable contradictions, ambiguities and conflicts of all adopted identities.

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