While the increase of LGBTQIA+ representation in the book world is amazing, I have noticed a subtle trend that mirrors general society: Bi-erasure (and Pan-erasure). This comes from readers, publishers and even authors, and I’m not even sure if it’s a conscious act.

Most of the erasure comes from readers. I see it in the way that they talk about books with Bi or Pan characters. And in how they label the books featuring them. This is especially true for Sapphic books, but applies to Achillean books as well. Many times I will see books with two Bi or Pan leads who end up together labeled as “Lesbian” or “Gay” even though neither character identifies that way. Just because two women are in a relationship together, does not mean they are Lesbians. They might be, or one of them might be, but if the author has specified that the characters are Bi or Pan, they aren’t.

This also comes up a lot when a Bi or Pan character ends up with someone from the opposite sex. These relationships are labeled as “straight” and the character’s sexual identity is glossed over or ignored. Any relationship that a Bi or Pan individual is in, is a queer relationship and deserves to be recognized as such, whether it is straight-presenting or not.

As I said, this mirrors the Bi-erasure that you see in society as well. It doesn’t matter whether a Bi person is with a male or female presenting partner, they aren’t switching between straight and gay, they are always Bi (or Pan). We need to do better with respecting individuals and their identities, now more than ever.