PIHM Book Review: Bi: The Hidden Culture, History, and Science of Bisexuality by Julia Shaw
Genre: Non-Fiction
Age: Adult
Format: Hardback
This is an incredibly informative book that, just as the title suggests, delves into all things bisexual. Shaw goes deep into this identity, drawing on sources and her own experiences to put forward the case for bisexuality as an incredible, wonderful identity, and not something to be ashamed of or erased.
I think most readers would be surprised at the history element, and the way bisexuality has been considered and studied in the past. But alongside this, Shaw examines the attitudes towards bisexuality. There are parts of this book that are incredibly affirming, but Shaw highlights the negativity as well (and yes, it’s enough to make most rational folks pretty angry!), including the difficulty in proving bisexuality as an identity, most notably for asylum seekers.
Bisexuality is, as Shaw argues, often overlooked as a sexuality, considered to almost be a subset of being gay or straight rather than a sexuality and identity in itself. The writing is accessible and easy to understand, without feeling condescending, and although there is a lot of information, facts, and statistics, Shaw keeps the writing engaging rather than dry.
This is a really good read for both bi folks and allies, anyone who wants to dig deeper into bisexuality and gain further understanding. Perfect to pick up for Pride month!
Review by Elle Turpitt
Twitter: @elleturpitt
Bluesky: @elleturpitt.bsky.social
I purchased this book.
