The recent divorce between famous actor Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has sparked a backlash of negativity from the media. Unfortunately, a lot of this backlash is not about the domestic abuse allegations against Depp, but about Heard's sexuality. Yes, the mere fact that Amber is an out bisexual seems to be making more headlines than Depp's probable abuse, which continues to shock me.
The majority of stories I have seen covering the divorce put at least some blame on Heard's bisexuality as the reason for the split. Headlines read with loaded vocabulary such as "Johnny Depp Amber Heard Divorce: Twice The Jealousy" and "Bye bi Amber: Johnny Depp 'driven insane' over fears his wife had cheated on him with supermodel Cara Delevingne". For bisexuals, these articles don't just sting, they promote the dangerous stereotype that bisexuals are inherently promiscuous and cannot commit to monogamous relationships. It is incredibly tiring to deal with one's sexuality constantly being demonized by the media, especially when there is plenty of evidence that the divorce was sparked by Depp's abuse.
Bisexuals have had this promiscuous narrative forced on them for years, and with the recent national legalization of gay marriage, it is finally time to end it. What all bisexuals want is simply validation of their sexuality. Though it is normal for those in the LGBTQ+ community to go through a period of questioning, someone who identifies as bisexual is not going through a phase. They do not deserve to be held to the standards of ‘gold star gays’ who have only ever been with people of the same gender, and they do not deserve to be fetishized by straight people. There is also absolutely no evidence that being a bisexual has any correlation to infidelity of any kind. Contrary to popular belief, bisexuals have content and long-term relationships. Also, being in a relationship with someone of the same or opposite sex does not erase one's bisexuality. These harmful stereotypes put immense pressure on people to stay closeted or to in a sense ‘choose a side’, but no one should have to. Bisexuality is a valid sexuality and it deserves respect from LGBTQ+ and straight communities.
Thankfully, there are people on the Internet who are dedicated to busting bisexual stereotypes. Prominent Youtuber and Podcaster Rachel Whitehurst has put out a plethora of content about her bisexuality and biphobia she has faced. Whitehurst has a series on her channel titled “Bye Biphobia” where she answers questions about her sexuality while giving advice to bisexuals who are questioning or in the closet. She also discusses the harmful narrative that bisexuals are inherently promiscuous and how bisexuals feel like they constantly have to prove their sexuality to others. As one of the first Youtubers to be openly bisexual, her videos have made a tremendous impact on the LGBTQ+ community and she offers a refreshing perspective on sexuality as a whole. Her content is positive, relatable, and should be viewed by anyone who is bi or who would like to know more about bisexuality.
