Out of the darkness and into the shadows: The evolution of contemporary bisexuality

Bisexuality, as we currently understand it, has evolved over the past 150 years both shaped by and shaping cultural change, scholarly endeavour and individual experience. To understand bisexuality in contemporary Western society it is essential to understand its past. This article explores the his0tory of bisexuality within scholarly literature and social conversation by examining its progression from a largely silent past to a contemporary topic of scholarly investigation, a socio-political concept and a lived experience. With the growing awareness of poor mental health and suicidality among bisexual people in Western society, there has never been a more pressing time to examine bisexuality from its roots to its current existence with the aim of building a foundation from which academics, activists, health professionals and bisexual individuals can work together toward a more positive future where bisexuality can emerge from the shadows and be explored, understood, accepted and celebrated.