Bisexual history

This is an article about the history of bisexuality. The subject is inherent with systematic bias, of non-heterosexuality being seen as less worthy than heterosexuality, and of women's sexuality being seen as less worthy, even of being depicted, than that of men. Bisexual erasure has taken place in many cultures so that bisexuality is often not acknowledged or interpreted as homosexuality. In many cultures, bisexuals, especially bisexual women, were never thought to exist.

Sexuality that was non-heteronormative was often not discussed, and only allowed if absolutely necessary. In many cases, although male and female bisexuality has arguably existed in every culture, researchers are often able to only document occurrences tied to scandals, criminal proceedings, private correspondence, and/or artistic renderings.

Ancient Greeks did not associate sexual relations with binary labels, as modern Western society does. Men who had male lovers were not identified as homosexual, and may have had wives or other female lovers. See Homosexuality in ancient Greece. Ancient Greek religious texts, reflecting cultural practices, incorporated bisexual themes. The subtexts varied, from the mystical to the didactic.

Spartans thought that love and erotic relationships between experienced and novice soldiers would solidify combat loyalty and unit cohesion, and encourage heroic tactics as men vied to impress their lovers. Once the younger soldiers 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. For example, Aristophanes calls them euryprôktoi, meaning "wide arses", and depicts them like women. The Theban Band, a military of male couples, may have been organized according to the same idea.

It was expected and socially acceptable for a freeborn Roman man to want sex with both female and male partners, as long as he took the penetrative role. See Homosexuality in ancient Rome. The morality of the behavior depended on the social standing of the partner, not his sex per se. Both women and young men were considered normal objects of desire, but outside marriage a man was supposed to act on his desires only with slaves, prostitutes (who were often slaves), and the infames. Sex did not determine whether a man's sexual partner was acceptable, but it was considered immoral to have sex with another freeborn man's wife, his marriageable daughter, his underage son, or with the man himself; sexual use of another man's slave was subject to the owner's permission. Lack of self-control, including in managing one's sex life, indicated that a man was incapable of governing others; too much indulgence in "low sensual pleasure" threatened to erode the elite male's identity as a cultured person.

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