New study shows a third of bisexual students are bullied in UK

A new report from Stonewall has found that 35 percent of bisexual students have experienced bullying at school because of their sexuality. The report, Celebrating Bi Inclusion in Secondary Schools, explained that “the specific experiences of bi young people are often overlooked or assumed to be exactly the same as gay and lesbian young people.”

This was similar to a previous report by Stonewall that found more bisexual people stayed in the closet at work than lesbian or gay people.

Further findings in the report: 37 percent of bisexuals say they have an adult at home they can talk to, as opposed to 46 percent of gay and lesbian students. Students that identify as bisexual, or pansexual, or queer are 67 to 79 percent likely to harm themselves, compared to 59 percent of gay men and lesbians.

The report also found that bisexuals were bullied not just from straight people, but from the LGBT+ community as well.

Sian, a 13-year-old student in Wales said: “I’ve been shouted at and talked about on multiple occasions because of my sexuality and I’ve heard remarks such as ‘bisexuals are more likely to cheat, I’d never date a bi woman or man.’ A few people who are openly gay have said things like ‘as a lesbian, I would never want to do anything with a bisexual woman.’”

Stonewall outlines three ways schools can help bisexual students: they must educate and train staff, tackle biphobia directly with students, and improve bi visibility within the curriculum and wider school life.

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