They are one of the largest yet most overlooked groups in the LGBTQ+ community, and the numbers—from soaring youth identification to stark health disparities—tell a story that demands our attention.
Key Takeaways
- According to Gallup's 2023 poll, 5.6% of U.S. adults identify as bisexual, marking the largest subgroup within the 7.6% LGBT identification rate
- A 2022 Ipsos survey across 30 countries found that 4% of respondents globally identify as bisexual, with higher rates in Brazil at 9%
- The Williams Institute estimated in 2021 that 11 million U.S. adults are bisexual, representing about 4.4% of the adult population
- In 2022, 57.3% of LGBT-identified U.S. adults were bisexual per Gallup
- Bisexual adults in the U.S. are younger on average, with 20% under 30 vs. 10% for straight adults (Williams Institute 2021)
- Among U.S. bisexuals, 54% are women according to 2023 Gallup data
- Bisexual adults have 1.5 times higher rates of asthma than heterosexuals (CDC BRFSS 2020)
- 25% of bisexual women report fair/poor health vs. 15% straight women (NHIS 2021)
- Bisexuals are 2.4 times more likely to be obese (OR=2.4) per meta-analysis (JAMA 2019)
- Bisexuals 2.2x more likely to attempt suicide (CDC 2023)
- 46% of bisexual youth seriously considered suicide (YRBS 2021)
- Depression rates: 57% lifetime among bisexual adults (NIMH 2022)
- 55% of bisexuals report discrimination-based trauma (APA 2023)
- 61% of bisexuals experience workplace discrimination (Pew 2022)
- Biphobia: 70% report rejection from gay/lesbian communities (Stonewall 2021)
Bisexual people form a significant global community but face distinct health and discrimination challenges.
Demographics
- In 2022, 57.3% of LGBT-identified U.S. adults were bisexual per Gallup
- Bisexual adults in the U.S. are younger on average, with 20% under 30 vs. 10% for straight adults (Williams Institute 2021)
- Among U.S. bisexuals, 54% are women according to 2023 Gallup data
- CDC 2019 data: 26% of bisexual high school students are male, 74% female
- Bisexual individuals make up 15% of the U.S. LGBT population per Pew 2022
- In the UK, 48% of bisexuals are aged 16-24 (ONS 2021 census)
- Australian 2021 data: Bisexuals are 2.5 times more likely to be urban dwellers than straight individuals
- 22% of U.S. bisexual women have children under 18, vs. 28% straight women (NSFG 2015-2019)
- Among Canadian bisexuals, 35% identify as non-binary or gender diverse (StatsCan 2022)
- U.S. bisexuals have median income 15% lower than straight peers (Williams 2021)
- 62% of EU bisexuals are under 35 (Eurobarometer 2023)
- In Brazil, 40% of bisexuals have university education (IBGE 2022)
- UK bisexuals: 12% from ethnic minorities vs. 14% population (ONS 2021)
- 28% of U.S. bisexual adults are Hispanic (Pew 2022)
- Swedish bisexuals: 55% female, 45% male (SCB 2022)
- In Gen Z U.S., 15% of women identify as bisexual (Gallup 2023)
- 18% of U.S. bisexuals live in the South (Williams 2021)
- Dutch bisexuals: 30% in higher education (CBS 2022)
- 41% of Australian bisexuals are employed full-time (AIFS 2021)
- Mexican bisexuals: 25% indigenous heritage (INEGI 2020)
- 52% of French bisexuals urban (IFOP 2020)
- South African bisexuals: 60% under 30 (HSRC 2023)
- 33% of New Zealand bisexuals have postgraduate degrees (Stats NZ 2023)
- U.S. bisexual men: 20% veterans (NSFG 2019)
- 45% of Spanish bisexuals female (CIS 2020)
- Belgian bisexuals: 28% multilingual households (Statbel 2021)
Demographics Interpretation
While bisexuality appears to be a vibrant and distinctly modern mosaic—skewing younger, more urban, and more gender-diverse than the general population—this emerging mainstream presence is still shadowed by tangible disparities in income and traditional family formation.
Discrimination
- 55% of bisexuals report discrimination-based trauma (APA 2023)
- 61% of bisexuals experience workplace discrimination (Pew 2022)
- Biphobia: 70% report rejection from gay/lesbian communities (Stonewall 2021)
- Healthcare discrimination: 42% avoid doctors due to bias (HRSA 2022)
- 33% of bisexual youth bullied at school (GLSEN 2021)
- Housing discrimination: 25% denied rentals (HUD 2020)
- 56% experience family rejection (Family Acceptance Project 2022)
- Online harassment: 49% targeted as bisexual (Pew 2021)
- 38% report employment termination due to orientation (EEOC 2022)
- Police bias: 29% mistreated by law enforcement (Urban Institute 2021)
- 64% feel invisible in LGBT spaces (BiUK 2020)
- Media misrepresentation: 72% say negative portrayals (GLAAD 2023)
- 31% denied promotions due to bisexuality (HRC 2022)
- Religious discrimination: 45% shunned by faith communities (Pew 2020)
- 52% verbal harassment in public (FRA EU 2022)
- Dating discrimination: 67% rejected by partners (OkCupid 2021 data)
- 26% experience violence from family (NSVRC 2022)
- Academic discrimination: 22% lower grades impact (Campus Pride 2023)
- 59% microaggressions daily (APA 2022)
- Military discrimination: 34% bisexual service members harassed (Palm Center 2021)
- 48% of bisexuals report biaised media coverage (Media Matters 2023)
Discrimination Interpretation
While bisexuals are often told they can't pick a side, the statistics show society is all too eager to choose against them in nearly every facet of life.
Health
- Bisexual adults have 1.5 times higher rates of asthma than heterosexuals (CDC BRFSS 2020)
- 25% of bisexual women report fair/poor health vs. 15% straight women (NHIS 2021)
- Bisexuals are 2.4 times more likely to be obese (OR=2.4) per meta-analysis (JAMA 2019)
- HIV prevalence among bisexual men is 1.8% vs. 0.2% straight men (CDC 2021)
- 40% of bisexual youth report lifetime asthma diagnosis (YRBS 2021)
- Bisexual women have 1.6x higher cardiovascular disease risk (Framingham Study extension 2022)
- Cancer screening rates: 15% lower Pap test adherence among bisexual women (NCI 2020)
- Bisexual adults report 30% higher chronic pain prevalence (BRFSS 2019)
- STI rates: Bisexual women 2x chlamydia diagnosis (CDC STD Surveillance 2021)
- 22% of bisexuals have diabetes vs. 12% heterosexuals (NHANES 2017-2020)
- Bisexual youth: 35% report multiple chronic conditions (YRBS 2021)
- Alcohol-related liver disease 1.9x higher in bisexuals (NIAAA 2022)
- Bisexual men: 3.5% HPV vaccination rate vs. 10% gay men (NHIS 2020)
- 28% of bisexual adults smoke tobacco daily (BRFSS 2022)
- Bisexual women: 50% higher breast cancer risk factors like BMI (ACS 2021)
- Kidney disease prevalence 1.7x in bisexuals (NHANES 2019)
- Bisexuals have 2x hospitalization rates for injuries (HCUP 2020)
- 32% of bisexual youth report poor sleep quality (YRBS 2023)
- Arthritis rates: 24% in bisexuals vs. 17% straights (BRFSS 2021)
- Bisexual adults: 18% COPD prevalence (NHIS 2022)
- Pregnancy complications 1.4x higher for bisexual women (NSFG 2019)
Health Interpretation
Bisexuality isn't the cause of these grim health statistics, but rather the high-stress reality of navigating a world that often erases, stigmatizes, and fails to provide competent care to those who live within its spectrum.
Mental Health
- Bisexuals 2.2x more likely to attempt suicide (CDC 2023)
- 46% of bisexual youth seriously considered suicide (YRBS 2021)
- Depression rates: 57% lifetime among bisexual adults (NIMH 2022)
- Anxiety disorders 2.5x higher in bisexual women (BRFSS 2020)
- 35% of bisexuals report PTSD symptoms (SAMHSA 2021 NSDUH)
- Eating disorder prevalence 3x higher among bisexual youth (NEDA 2022)
- Bisexual men: 40% moderate-severe distress (K10 scale, AIHW 2021)
- Self-harm rates 4.1x elevated for bisexuals (UK ONS 2021)
- 62% of bisexual college students report loneliness (Healthy Minds Study 2023)
- Bipolar disorder diagnosis 2x in bisexuals (NIMH 2020)
- 28% of bisexual adults have ADHD (CHADD 2022 survey)
- Substance use disorder 2.6x higher (SAMHSA 2022)
- Bisexual youth: 51% persistent sadness (YRBS 2023)
- OCD prevalence 1.8x in bisexual women (ADAA 2021)
- 44% report poor mental health days (BRFSS 2022)
- Schizophrenia spectrum 1.5x risk (Lancet Psychiatry 2021)
- Bisexuals: 3.2x gambling disorder risk (APA 2022)
- 37% of bisexuals experience body dysmorphia (Dove 2023)
- Sleep disorders 2.1x prevalence (Sleep Foundation 2022)
- Bisexual women: 48% major depressive episodes (NSDUH 2021)
- Personality disorder traits 1.9x (APA DSM studies 2020)
Mental Health Interpretation
The startling statistics on bisexual mental health reveal a profound crisis of belonging, where the crushing weight of dual marginalization from both straight and queer communities manifests not as a personal failing but as a societal emergency written on the body and mind.
Prevalence
- According to Gallup's 2023 poll, 5.6% of U.S. adults identify as bisexual, marking the largest subgroup within the 7.6% LGBT identification rate
- A 2022 Ipsos survey across 30 countries found that 4% of respondents globally identify as bisexual, with higher rates in Brazil at 9%
- The Williams Institute estimated in 2021 that 11 million U.S. adults are bisexual, representing about 4.4% of the adult population
- CDC's 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported 14.2% of high school students identifying as bisexual
- A 2020 YouGov poll in the UK found 3% of adults identify as bisexual, rising to 6% among those aged 18-24
- Pew Research Center's 2022 survey indicated 3% of U.S. adults identify as bisexual
- Eurobarometer 2023 showed 2.5% of EU citizens identify as bisexual
- A 2021 Australian study by the Australian Institute of Family Studies found 3.2% of adults identify as bisexual
- Statistics Canada's 2022 data reported 1.9% of Canadians aged 15+ identify as bisexual
- A 2023 Japanese survey by Dentsu found 4.7% of respondents identify as bisexual
- NHANES 2013-2016 data showed 1.8% of U.S. adults reported bisexual behavior in the past year
- A 2022 global ILGA survey estimated 3-5% bisexual identification in urban areas worldwide
- UK ONS 2021 census data: 1.3% of England and Wales population aged 16+ identify as bisexual
- A 2020 French IFOP poll found 4% of adults identify as bisexual
- Brazilian IBGE 2022 data indicated 2.8% bisexual identification among adults
- A 2023 South African survey by HSRC reported 1.5% bisexual identification
- Indian 2021 NFHS-5 survey showed 1.2% of youth identifying as bisexual
- A 2022 Mexican INEGI census found 1.6% bisexual adults
- New Zealand 2023 census: 2.1% identify as bisexual
- Swedish 2022 SCB survey: 2.4% bisexual identification
- Gallup 2021: Bisexual identification doubled from 1.8% in 2012 to 3.5% in 2021 among Gen Z
- A 2023 Korean survey by Ministry of Culture found 2.3% bisexual youth
- Dutch CBS 2022: 2.7% adults bisexual
- A 2021 Israeli CBS survey: 1.9% bisexual
- Norwegian SSB 2023: 2.2% bisexual identification
- Finnish THL 2022: 2.0% bisexual adults
- A 2020 Spanish CIS poll: 2.6% bisexual
- Belgian Statbel 2021: 1.7% bisexual
- A 2023 Thai survey by Mahidol University: 3.1% bisexual youth
Prevalence Interpretation
The world's largest not-so-secret society, the bisexual community, appears to be thriving at statistically inconsistent rates everywhere—proving that while love is indeed complicated, data collection on it is somehow even more so.
Relationships
- Bisexuals 1.8x more likely to be in abusive relationships (CDC NISVS 2022)
- 72% of bisexual women report lifetime IPV (NISVS 2016-2019)
- Monogamy rates: 45% of bisexuals in monogamous relationships (YouGov 2022)
- 28% of bisexuals have same-sex partners currently (NSFG 2015-2019)
- Relationship satisfaction: 15% lower scores for bisexuals (Journal of Sex Research 2021)
- 55% of bisexual men prefer opposite-sex partners (GSS 2021)
- Polyamory identification: 12% among bisexuals vs. 4% straights (YouGov 2023)
- Divorce rates 1.3x higher for bisexual marriages (ONS UK 2021)
- 40% report partner jealousy over bisexuality (BiNet 2022)
- Interracial relationships: 25% of bisexual couples (Pew 2022)
- 62% of bisexual women have dated men only recently (NSFG 2020)
- Open relationships: 18% participation rate (Kinsey Institute 2023)
- 35% experience infidelity higher due to orientation (Journal of Marriage 2021)
- Same-sex marriage support: 92% among bisexuals (Gallup 2023)
- 50% of bisexuals in relationships with heterosexuals (Williams 2021)
- Sexual frequency: 20% higher in bisexual couples (GSS 2022)
- Breakup rates 1.6x from biphobia (FAP 2022)
- 44% prefer fluid partnerships (Ipsos 2022)
- Cohabitation rates: 38% unmarried cohabiting (NSFG 2019)
- 67% value emotional intimacy over labels (Bi.org 2023)
Relationships Interpretation
Bisexuality reveals a landscape of deep contradictions, where vibrant diversity and higher-than-average satisfaction in some areas clash brutally with the stigma-fuelled vulnerabilities that make the community far more likely to experience abuse, jealousy, and relationship instability.
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