Bisexual Dating: Bi God

“What to others a triffle appears/ Fills me full of smiles or tears,/ For double the vision my eyes do see/ And a double vision is always with me” Poet William Blake speaks of the double vision which allows for a wider perspective. Such is the view from high atop the infamous bisexual fence. Where others are confined to the view of their own backyard, fencesitters can see what’s going on across the field.

In her book The Wisdom of No Escape, Buddhist nun Pema Chodron, tells the story of God who appeared wearing a large hat that was red on one side and blue on the other. Walking down a road with people working in fields on either side, God manifested himself for all to see. At first they were all ecstatic, exclaiming that they had seen God. However, they then started to argue over what colour of hat God was wearing. Those on the left side of the field insisted it was a red hat while on the right they insisted it was a blue hat. It is this inclusive picture which can allow bisexuals a greater view of Humanity—understanding that attraction to members of the same and opposite sex can lead to a greater understanding of each sex and, it could then be argued, a greater understanding of God.

Throughout history and various religions, we find examples of how bisexuality or the incorporation of both masculinity and femininity into oneness creates enlightenment and offers insight. Whereas conservative theology may condemn homosexuality and bisexuality, a closer examination reveals examples where it is celebrated and even worshiped.

The Sambia of New Guinea believed semen to be soulful secretions. Young boys between the ages of seven and ten, would perform fellatio on teenage boys and older men in hopes that ingesting the magical substance would inseminate them into maturity and manhood. Similarly, in the 15th century, Mayan families would provide their adolescent sons with male slaves to attend to their sexual needs until marriage.

Within some Native American and Aboriginal cultures, bisexuality or the possession of both male and female characteristics is referred to as being two-spirited. Such youth were sometimes identified in a ceremony called “the bow or the basket” The children would have to run into a burning structure and choose what was most important to them. If they rescued objects attributed to the opposite sex, for example a boy who saved basket weaving materials or a girl who saved weapons, then they were identified as being two-spirited. These youth would sometimes grow up to be healers, medicine people, tribal leaders and visionaries.

Greek philosopher Plato (c.429-c.347 BC) explored concepts of dualism in Symposium where he suggested that human beings where actually perfect spheres that were cut in two by Zeus. Plato also alluded to the fact that homosexual love was actually a force that could drive the soul towards wisdom. This idea was echoed by Friedrich Nietzsche who said “The degree and kind of a man’s sexuality reach up into the ultimate pinnacle of his spirit.

Bisexuality and the attraction to both males and females is similar in theory to androgyny and hermaphrodites, who have an infusion of both male and female characteristics. Several classical Gods are said to have encompassed such oneness. Most prominent was Hermaphroditus, who was the child of the God Hermes and the Goddess Aphrodite and who possessed both femaleness and maleness.

Offering another example of this, the oldest available commentaries on the Hebrew myth of Genesis suggest that God created man as androgynous. Given also that Eve was created from Adam’s rib, it has been interpreted that Adam gave birth to Eve—a historically female act—as would be God’s creation of man. And seeing as God created man in his image, it has also been suggested that God himself was androgynous.

In fact, many Gods and Goddess have been shown to have dual sexual natures. Omphale, was the queen of Lydia and also the taskmaster of Hercules. Her name is derived from ‘Om’ meaning the Universal mother and ‘Phallus’ meaning the male organ. Represented as doubled sexed, she has been interpreted as possessing bisexual qualities. She is associated with male symbols such as the club and lion’s skin. Whereas Hercules, who wore Omphale’s dress and spun for her can be associated with femininity.

Mercury who was called “the male female” is also said to have been androgynous. This is illustrated by the symbols associated with Mercury: the serpent and the cornucopia. The serpent can be interpreted in different ways. It’s tail and head are male in nature, but when the tip of the tail is inserted into the serpent’s mouth, this represents the woman. Also, the cornucopia or horn of plenty, is said to be a double sexed symbol. The horn being the maleness, with the inside of the cornucopia and the fruit it contained representing the productiveness of femininity. Janus of the Greeks, who possessed two heads and opposite faces is also said to have been double sexed or hermaphroditic. One head was said to be looking behind at the past and one head was looking forward at the future. Implying that God could look both ways at once, referring again to a broader perspective—similar to what is available with bisexuality. The Sufi poet Rumi eloquently sums up these concepts of androgyny, with “I, you, he, she, we /In the garden of mystic lovers /These are not true distinctions.

Angels have also possessed a certain amount of androgyny. They have men’s names such as Gabriel, Raphael and Michael, however they also have non-specific and confusing forms. Visual representations of angels possess both male and female characteristics. With their cherubic faces and robed attire, angels are both visually appealing and appeasing. Because their apparitions are typically meant to be a sign of God and the presence of peace, angels could be interpreted as representing non-threatening imagery of androgyny, perhaps that of the wholesome and divine combination of the male and female form in one astral presence.

These concepts of god-like androgyny where elaborated on by the mystic Jakob Boehme (1575-1624) who claimed Christ and his father God were androgynous with both male and female coming together in the soul. According to Boehme, “When Christ on the cross once more redeemed man’s virgin male-female image, and colored it with heavenly blood—Christ changed sleeping Adam from being man and woman, back into his original angelic image.

Even within the holy trinity of the father, the son and the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit is said to be the feminine aspects of God, represented at times by the dove, which symbolizes the female procreative energy.

Believing that in the last several thousands years religion has been male-dominated, some feminist movements have carved out their own beliefs and practices. Dianic Wicca or Dianic Witchcraft was founded in the 1970's by a lesbian named Zsuzsanna Budapest. Named after the Moon Goddess Diana and attracting many bisexual followers, it is practiced with women only rituals and typically does not work with male energy or worship male deities. Although these women may be involved with men to varying degrees, they agree that it is time to reclaim religion in a more female form.

In Asian Tantric philosophies, the Sun and practicality are male whereas the Moon and wisdom are female. It could therefore be argued that bisexuality, being intimate with both energies, offers a more inclusive perspective on the universe. This further illustrates the idea of oneness given that Tantra refers to the divine union of opposites.

This can also be seen in Taoism or Daoism. Founded by Lao-Tse (604-531 BCE) it is also rooted in the concepts of oneness and balance between male and female, represented by the black and white symbol of the Ying Yang. The Ying represents eternity, darkness and feminity and the Yang represents history, lightness and masculinity. When the Ying and the Yang are equally present there is balance. When one is outweighed by the other, there is confusion and disarray. Since there is a small circle of ying in the yang and a small circle of yang in the ying, it also symbolizes fluidity in sexuality and the balance that can be achieved with bisexuality.

This balance between male and female can also be found in Atum who was a God in ancient Egypt and a part of the Hellopolltan Cosmology. Said to be a bisexual God, he was responsible for creation in Egypt. Atum, who the Egyptians called the “Great He-She,” was said to embody all the male and female aspects of life. His semen contained all that was necessary to create life and deities. He gave birth to his children Shu and Tefnut by masturbating. His name, Atum, means “the complete one” and he serves as a good example of how bisexuality has long been viewed not as an indecisive identity but instead the most complete and holistic identity possible.

Often condemned for their indecision and lack of identity, bisexuals can now take comfort in their androgynous, dualistic approach to love. With a wider view of the world and each other and the possibility that God himself was bisexual, it is obvious that our straddling seat high atop the fence between male and female brings us that much closer to the heavenly clouds. Perhaps our most esteemed sexpert, Sigmund Freud, best sums it up. In a letter written to Wilhelm Fliess on March 25th, 1898, Freud wrote, “I do not in the least underestimate bisexuality—I expect it to provide all further enlightenment.