"An extra set of bits for your fantasy" : A qualitative exploration of bi + women’s fetishization experiences

Bi + Australians experience disproportionate rates of poor mental health compared to both heterosexual and lesbian and gay people. In the case of bi + women, negative psychological outcomes may arise from the eroticization of their sexual identities. There is a scarcity of literature examining this phenomenon. The current study aimed to address this gap by qualitatively exploring bi + women’s experiences of fetishization. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants aged 19 to 51 years (M = 30.3 years, SD = 9.3). Data was analyzed with inductive thematic analysis, and eight themes were developed: (1) Bi + sexuality is desirable to heterosexual men; (2) fetishization differentiates bi + sexuality from monosexual ­same-sex attraction; (3) bi + sexuality creates exceptions to monogamy; (4) fetishization manifests as dehumanization and hypersexualisation; (5) experiencing internalized fetishization, (6) emotional impact of fetishization; (7) cognizance of fetishization leads to alertness and vigilance, and; (8) navigating intersecting identities. Future directions concern the need for generation of theory around fetishization processes.

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