Woody Allen once quipped, ôBeing bisexual doubles your chances for a date on Saturday night.ö Within the homosexual and heterosexual categories of sexuality exists another subgroup of sexuality, bisexuality. Bisexuals enjoy sex with both partners of the same and the opposite sex. Within the homosexual community, bisexuals are a subgroup that are often looked upon with disdain by members of the gay community. Sexuality is typically categorized into the binary division of heterosexuality and homosexuality. As bisexuals attempt to express their unique identity as a subgroup of the homosexual community, they are often criticized by homosexuals. As a group they are perceived at turns as confused, indecisive or greedy. So, too, bisexuals are caught in a perception trap from the dominant homosexual community that makes it seem like they are taking advantage of both homosexuals and heterosexuals for their own ends. As Hennessy (2003) maintains, ôBisexuals are queers with straight privilege; bisexuals are straights with gay chicö (23).
There are many theories on deviance in society. Bisexuals are viewed as a deviant subgroup by both mainstream heterosexual culture and the homosexual culture. Bisexuals must fight prejudice and fight for their sexuality to be recognized as being as viable as other sexualities. All too often Hennessy (2002) argues that ôbisexuals are victims of bias and an ignorance that relegates them to a non-statusö (22). MertonÆs Strain Theory of deviance helps illustrate the perception of bisexuals by homosexuals. Merton, like Durkheim, believed that normlessness and lack of social control give rise to anomie. However, Durkheim believes such social conditions arise from abrupt social change (e.g. the toppling of Saddam HusseinÆs regime). Merton, in contrast, felt that the cause of deviance is instead related to social structure. He argued that anomie and deviance are produced by a ôsocial
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