Here’s Ochs’ definition:
The potential to be attracted — romantically and/or sexually — to people of more than one gender, not necessarily at the same time, not necessarily in the same way, and not necessarily to the same degree.
Rich Ferraro, GLAAD’s chief communications officer, still noted the significance of the move, saying that updated definitions of LGBTQ+ terminology have a “direct impact on how the world recognizes marginalized communities.”
“Despite bisexual+ people comprising the largest community within the [LGBTQ+] population, they face higher rates of stigma and discrimination as their identities and experiences are less likely to be understood or accepted than those of their lesbian and gay counterparts,” he said in a statement. “By updating the definition of ‘bisexual,’ Merriam-Webster took an important step in helping to create a more accurate and current understanding of bisexual+ people.”
Some may be confused as to why advocates are pushing for a less binary definition of “bisexual” even though it contains the prefix “bi,” which comes from the Greek meaning “two.” Bi and LGBTQ+ advocates say that the term — and how it’s used commonly today — is not specifically binary.
“The historical and cultural definition of the term bisexual has always referred to more than one gender,” the Trevor Project specifies in the guide How to Support Bisexual Youth. “Identity definitions are not just literal. They are a part of our ever-evolving language that reflects the diversity of the people using these words.”
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