"It's just a phase" is something that bisexuals are very used to hearing. They are constantly being attacked with stereotypes about themselves and their identities. These stereotypes stem from a lack of understanding and respect for bisexuality, which is evident in media coverage and the lack of representation of bisexuals in government and social movements.

Bi people lack representation in media and politics, yet they make up 40-50% of the LGBTQ community. Aside from Freddie Mercury and James Baldwin, there really aren't many bisexual cultural icons for young people to look up to. When they are portrayed in media, they're often portrayed with all of the stereotypes associated with being bisexual, like being attention-seeking, sexually promiscuous, confused, or even just in denial about being gay. Its often believed that bisexual people are incapable of being monogamous, which we've seen recently with shows like Grown-ish. These portrayals lead to the perpetuation of these harmful stereotypes which cause bisexuality to not be taken seriously, even within the LGBTQ community.

It's frustrating to be excluded from a movement that bisexual people, such as Diane Anderson-Minshall, Lani Ka'ahumanu, and Michael Page, helped to create and gain momentum for.

The effects of the stigmatization of bisexual people can be devastating. Bisexual youths and adults have reported higher levels of mental illness and suicide. According to a Drexel College study, this could be because of an increase in social acceptance of lesbians and gay men but a lack of acceptance of bisexual people. Bisexual people face discrimination from the LGBTQ community in addition to outside communities, which can cause them to feel out of place and even more isolated.

Moving forward, the LGBTQ community should make an effort to legitimize those who identify as bisexual and to provide them with the same support that they would provide every other member of their community. Hopefully, the legitimization and support from the LGBTQ community and allies will lead to more media portrayal and acknowledgement of bisexual stories and experiences so that no one is left out of the movement.