Bi the Way: A Guide to Bisexual+ Research
Bi the Way is an updated set of guidelines for Bi+ inclusive research. Bi the Way aims to support research into bi+ people and ensure that research more accurately represents the community, is inclusive of community needs, and relevant to important contemporary issues of sexual identity, attraction, and behaviour.
Published in 2023, this is the first guideline of its kind in Australia, and the first internationally in over 10 years. Melbourne Bisexual Network led the development of Bi the Way, in collaboration with research staff at Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University (ARCSHS). It was produced primarily by volunteers with expertise in bi+ research, supported by a grant from the Victorian government.
Bisexual and multigender attracted people constitute the majority of non-exclusively heterosexual people by current best estimates. Yet research that meaningfully includes bi+ people in positive ways is relatively new, and funding for bi+ specific research is chronically low. Much of the research currently being published either does not include bisexuality as a separate category of sexual identity/experience, or when it does, misses key factors of context, language, or framing. Both of these oversights unfortunately contribute to biphobic myths, stigma, and discrimination, without substantially improving outcomes for bi+ people.
Given the state of wellbeing for bi+ people, it is crucial we improve research for this population. These guidelines show how.
Citation: Cavarra, R., Amos, N., & Muller, J. (2023). Bi the Way: A Guide to Bisexual+ Research. Melbourne Bisexual Network.
Want a printed copy of the guidelines? Email us and we’ll send you a copy.
View a recording of the panel discussion at the publication launch at RMIT, September 2023. This event formed part of Australia’s national bi+ conference, Stand Bi Us.