Editor’s Note: Be sure to see our interview with @verylemonade, who tells us she started the hashtag in response to mainstream media commentary on the issue.
Olympic diver Tom Daley recently came out on his YouTube channel as being in a relationship with a man. Despite Daley clearly admitting to liking both men and woman, mainstream media outlets have largely been reporting him as gay. While he is currently in a monogamous relationship with a male, that doesn’t make him homosexual. He says on the video, “Of course I still fancy girls, but I mean, right now I am dating a guy and I couldn’t be happier. It just feels safe and it just really does feel right.”
Rightfully feeling wronged for just one more example of the consistent erasure of bisexuality in movements and the media, the bisexual community and supporters have launched a hashtag meme on Twitter: #Bisexualfacts. Most are tongue-in-cheek “facts”, poking fun at stereotypes and misguided assumptions about the bisexual community, while some make up facts altogether. Like #TweetLikeAForeignJournalist in Kenya and the reclamation of “chapulling” as a verb in Turkey, these jokes steer the popular narrative and draw attention to their absurdity. Here are some of our favorite reactions:
A monogamous bisexual experiences wave function collapse and becomes gay or straight once observed. #bisexualfacts
— M. A. Melby (@MAMelby) December 2, 2013
I’m not bisexual, I’m bi-winning. #bisexualfacts. #charliesheen
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) December 2, 2013
Bisexuals were most common in WWI but were mainly replaced by single-winged sexuals between the wars. #bisexualfacts
— Kieron Gillen (@kierongillen) December 2, 2013
The first bisexual was created in 1946. It was the size of a warehouse, weighed 50 tons, and could only perform basic tasks. #bisexualfacts
— Zachary (@WashingMachineO) December 3, 2013
I am not bisexual but support their ability to light fires with their minds. #bisexualfacts
— Corey Freeman (@CoreyFreeman) December 3, 2013
bisexuals work by rapidly flickering between hetero and homo several thousand times per second. #bisexualfacts
— Mallory Doe (@mallorydoe) December 2, 2013
If two bisexuals come into direct contact, they will merge and form a quadrasexual #bisexualfacts
— Dean Burnett (@garwboy) December 2, 2013
Bisexual women emit high-frequency jamming signals when random dudes suggest threesomes to spice up their relationships #bisexualfacts
— ASSHOLE WIZARD GIRL™ (@verylemonade) December 2, 2013
Pat Robertson says that gay marriage causes hurricanes, but bisexual marriage only makes it “sorta windy.” #bisexualFacts
— Popehat (@Popehat) diciembre 3, 2013
#bisexualfacts is cracking me up. As a bisexual I *could* confirm that these are all true but then I’d have to kill you.
— Kirsty Hall (@kirstymhall) diciembre 3, 2013
Bisexuals are usually friendly and affectionate. They are recommended for every home. #bisexualfacts
— Jeremy Talumin (@talumin) diciembre 3, 2013
