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Abstract
Although bisexuality has often been subsumed under the label of "homo- sexuality" and, for a number of reasons, remains rather secretive, the recent documentation of the mental and physical health discrepancies that exist be- tween bisexually identified men/women and their counterparts has triggered an upsurge in research focused on bisexual populations (Boehmer, 2002; Dodge & Sandfort, 2007; Kaestle & Ivory, 2012). As such, health concerns continue to drive a large portion of the research on bisexual populations. Al- though research focused directly on the needs of bisexual men and women is a welcome addition to the literature, the emphasis on health disparities has the potential to perpetuate a problematized view of bisexuality. The stigmatization of bisexual men and women may be further amplified by re- search which evaluates bisexual populations against comparatively 'healthy' heterosexual populations. Researchers from various disciplines have utilized numerous frame- works and theories to understand the biological, psychological, sociologi- cal and cultural factors that directly and indirectly influence bisexual men's and women's mental, physical and sexual health/well-being. Although the theories are multitudinous, most tend to focus on risk behaviors predating bisexual behavior, or risk behaviors occurring in response to discrimina- tion that bisexual men/women experienced as a result of their bisexual behavior/identity. According to the former theory, men and women who are bisexual tend to have individual characteristics (e.g., sensation seeking) that increase their propensity for risk (Benotsch, Kalichman, & Kelly, 1999;
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