Bisexuality

Bisexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by aesthetic attraction, romantic love and sexual desire for both males and females. It is usually contrasted with homosexuality, heterosexuality, and asexuality.

Historical examples of bisexuality

Historical and literary records from most known societies document widespread bisexuality, usually age structured or gender-structured. In fact, most of the commonly cited examples of "homosexuality" in previous cultures would more properly be categorized as "bisexuality".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For example, in Ancient Greece most males engaged in same-sex relationships, but eventually married and had children. Ancient Rome, Arab countries up to and including the present, China, and Japan, all exhibit patterns of analogous bisexual behavior. Perhaps the most famous example is Alexander the Great who had many wives, but also a male lover, Hephaestion. The same could be said of many Roman emperors, shoguns of Japan, Chinese emperors, and countless others.

Related Topics:
Ancient Greece - Same-sex relationships - Rome - China - Japan - Alexander the Great - Hephaestion

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

However, it should be noted that the terms heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, and the concept of "sexual orientation" itself are all modern sociological constructs, and may not be appropriate in historical contexts, in which behavior might be considered homosexual, but people were not labeled using such terms.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ancient Greece

Ancestral law in ancient Sparta mandated same-sex relationships with youths who were coming of age for all adult men, so long as the men also had wives and produced children. The Spartans thought that physical relationships between experienced and novice soldiers would solidify combat loyalty and encourage heroic tactics as men vied to impress their lovers. Once the younger soldier reached maturity the relationship was supposed to become non-sexual, but it is not clear how strictly this was followed. There was some stigma attached to young men who continued their relationships with their mentors into adulthood.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Greek religious texts, reflecting cultural practices, incorporated bisexual themes. The subtexts varied, from the mystical to the didactic. See Mythology of same-sex love.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Middle Eastern cultures

In the Middle East, sexual behavior between males is common; a few sources describe it as near-ubiquitous. It was also a topic celebrated by some of the greatest medieval artists of the Middle East, such as the famous poet Abu Nuwas and the Persian painter Riza Abbasi. This is despite prohibitions against homosexual behavior in the Qur'an and severe penalties for offenders in some nations, including the death penalty. The Qur'an however requires that the transgression be witnessed by four men or eight women in order to convict the participants. Therefore, while bisexual behavior is known to be common, men are not given much trouble about these behaviors so long as they also marry and raise families and fulfill other societal duties. It is something that remains very covert, and an open declaration of homosexual preference would be unacceptable. In this way, bisexuality in the Arab world and Persian world is somewhat similar to the DL culture prevalent in some African-American and Latino communities.

Related Topics:
Middle East - Medieval - Abu Nuwas - Persian - Riza Abbasi - Qur'an - Bisexuality in the Arab world - Persian - DL

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~