How I realised I am bisexual: 5 people talk about their struggle

It’s not easy to take the road less traveled—be it your sexuality or choice of lifestyle—and you may have to pay a huge price for taking it. While the world has slowly started accepting the fact that a girl might have a girlfriend or a boy might be gay but same is not the case with bisexuals—as per a study conducted by the Pew Institute, a nonpartisan American think bank, only 28 per cent bisexuals come out of the closet as compared to 71 per cent of lesbians. Being a bisexual is like walking the thin line between being gay and straight. Sometimes it’s even difficult for a person to accept the fact that he or she might be sexually attracted to people from both genders. But their struggle doesn't just end in acknowledging their sexuality, they have to fight the battle of acceptance too. Let’s read about a few people on how they discovered their bisexuality and the struggles they faced:

“Although I had dated girls since my college days, I could never keep thinking about my best friend from school. It is not that I was sexually attracted to only boys because I have had satisfying physical relationship with girls. When I was in college, I told my best friend about my feelings and he severed all ties with me. It has been almost eight years, but I remember him and days we spent together vividly. Although I know that I am bisexual, I still have my moments of doubt.”

“I used to have recurring erotic dreams about girls. I was too young and was a bit scared but strangely I enjoyed what I dreamt about. I was confused and believed I was a lesbian and had a girlfriend during my college days. But when I started working, I quite liked the company of men. I dated a few men out of curiosity and realised I am a bisexual. Currently, I am taking counselling sessions to help me come out in the open.”

“I never knew I was heteroflexible until my girlfriend suggested that we should try something new in the bedroom. I was very reluctant because deep down I had this fear that I find guys sexually attracted but I have repressed those feelings for long. She introduced a sex toy and played the role of a man in the bedroom one day. That was the best sex experience I ever had. Sadly, I will never come out in the open because who would accept a man who likes having sex with both men and women?”

“Like other boys, I too had a very difficult adolescence. As I grew up I could feel a sexual tension building inside me. I could not decide whether I liked boys or girls more. There were moments when I thought I was gay because I had kissed a boy in college and enjoyed it a lot. Later, I was in an open relationship with my girlfriend who encouraged me to explore other relationships. She gave me the strength to face reality—I loved her but I also enjoyed being in a relationship with another man at that time.”

“I am a man in my mid-thirties and I used to feel guilty for getting sexually attracted to both boys and girls. It almost drove me crazy and I never had a steady relationship. I was even thinking of taking my life and I knew I needed help. I approached a psychiatrist because I was suffering from depression. I was asked to attend a few counselling sessions during which I gradually started accepting my sexuality. I realised that there is nothing wrong being a bisexual. However, I have never told my partners about it.”