Biphobia: Deal with It and Be More Than a Bystander

by Gordon Nore, Kate Phillips (Illustrator)

Overview

Prejudice and discrimination affect people with different sexual identities than the standard poles of "gay" and "straight."

This reader-directed exploration of biphobia/bierasure helps readers identify biphobia and start a conversation about how to deal with it.

The roles of the Bi+ Ally, the By+ Stander, and the Bi+ Eraser approach the issue from three different points of view, while quizzes and Q&As provide real-life scenarios and responses to biphobia.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459417212
Publisher:	James Lorimer and Company Ltd., Publishers
Publication date:	08/01/2023
Series:	Lorimer Deal with It
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.30(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	850L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 15 Years

About the Author

Gordon Nore is an elementary teacher librarian who has advised queer straight alliances in schools for ten years. He lives in Tkaronto, unceded territory.

Kate Phillips is an illustrator and comic artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Mount Allison. Her art career explores the intersection of traditional print media and digital design. Her work includes children's books and comics that focus on inclusivity and queer voices. She lives in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Nova Scotia.

Editorial Reviews

2023-05-24
An introduction to biphobia and how to confront it.

After noting that biphobia is rooted in the “belief that everyone is only truly attracted to one sex or gender,” the author discusses different identities under the umbrella of “bi+,” such as pansexual, omnisexual, and polysexual, noting their similarities and differences with bisexuality and providing reasons why someone might identify with a particular label. Though the text is unengaging and a bit didactic—readers may feel as though they’re receiving a lecture from a teacher—it does contain useful information, such as scenarios that bi+ young people might encounter (being asked to sleep in a separate room on a sleepover, hearing classmates make offensive jokes) and ways to respond. Competent illustrations depict characters who are diverse in terms of race and ability but do little to enrich the text. The tips for becoming a better ally are strong. Though the text is accurate, some readers may take away incorrect assumptions due to misleading phrasing, such as the implication that trans people are more often and more accurately represented in media than bisexual people. This book may offer some help to a young person who is the target of biphobia or an ally who wants to unpack their biphobia.

Approachable and educational, with the energy of an after-school special. (resources) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews