Can a sexual orientation be trendy? Well, that's what some people have been claiming about the bisexual identity.
The argument goes that in some circles it is seen as "cool" to explore same sex sexual experiences whether or not a person is actually bisexual.
As one lesbian teen explained:
"Some girl added me on MySpace. We were talking and then she was like 'So you're a lesbian, that's really cute.' And I was like, 'How's that cute?' And she just goes, 'It just is. I'm bi.'
Why is being lesbian cute? She for some reason feels as if she can relate to me because she's bi, although she's one of those girls that thinks its 'cool and trendy' to be bi. She's one of the girls that make out with girls to impress guys. But she wouldn't ever date one or have sex with one, because she loves guys it's just to impress them. I don't get why girls do that? That's why bisexual girls have such a bad name and a lot of lesbians and gays don't like bisexuals, it also makes being lesbian or gay seem less serious and like we aren't serious and were just doing it to be 'cool'."
This is a tricky issue. For GLBT teens, it can be really annoying to think that someone is simply adopting a label because it is fashionable, when there are many different challenges to being gay. But it is also impossible to ever really know another person's motivations for expression of sexual orientation or sexuality.
Additionally, there are people who argue that whatever the reasons, it is a positive sign of the times that in any form there is increasing acceptance of bisexuality, even if this acceptance is the result of the fact that in some circles it is seen as trendy.
