Global Journal of Human Social Science, C: Sociology and Culture, Volume 23 Issue 3

approach to better tell the stories of those who are marginalized. Feminist methods encourage researchers to acknowledge and potentially use “the interdependence between researcher and research participant” (Leslie & Sollie, 1994). We worked together to create space (multiple interviews) to allow the women to reflect on their experiences. In this environment, where bracketing was practiced by the researchers, these women were able to give authentic voice to the multi-faceted challenges and positives associated with being who they were. Using an intersectional perspective and treating individuals as members of discrete, yet interconnected groups help disentangle unique processes and experiences. For example, we better understand the nuance of sexual orientation identity formation and disclosure decisions by considering ethnicity and religion. For Ashley, the cultural expectations regarding gender for Muslim and Indian women meant she had a different identity formation and disclosure journey than did Emma, who grew up as a biracial Black Christian woman. These findings may inform practitioners and interventionists of the experiences of this population, illuminating areas of concern and potential supports for them. Ultimately, the women’s intentions and experiences are reactionary. They are in response to the world around them. To better understand the ambiguity, ambivalence, and identity salience that bisexual women of color experience, we must know more about the context of the society in which these women are situated. An examination of the cultural and societal world is likely to provide some insight into why the women have the intentions and experiences that they do. An understanding of their experiences coupled with the knowledge of the contextual background underlying these experiences can allow family scientists to uncover what must be done at the individual, familial, and societal level to improve the lives of marginalized populations. V. L imitations, R esearch I mplications, and C onclusions These findings and the discussion underscore the importance of better understanding the experiences of bisexual women of color; however, there were some study limitations. They are outlined here along with suggestions for future research. First, although there were several ethnic/racial groups represented in this study, some groups were not. A phenomenological study of Native American, Latine, Hispanic, and other racial/ethnic minoritized women could provide valuable information about their experiences. Racial stereotypes and cultural expectations may differ among other groups whose experiences may be qualitatively different. Additionally, most women in this study had similar educational backgrounds. Attending to factors such as privilege, education, and socioeconomic standing may provide varied information about intentions and experiences. The women in this study reported positives and resiliency along with their noted challenges, but perhaps their relatively privileged positions impacted their narratives. Secondly, this study did not focus on identity salience, and more in-depth investigations of the importance of specific identities for women’s day-to-day lives are needed. The ways in which the women experience the world has much to do with the intersectionality of their identities, however, at times, one identity might be more at the forefront. The salience of a particular identity in any given context might be related to how visible that identity is to others (e.g., “others can see that I’m a person of color”), or to which identity is most misunderstood (e.g., “people are wrong about who I am as a bisexual person”). Studies exploring identity salience in different contexts would help expand understanding of lived experiences related to singular identities and the intersections of identities. Third, based on our own use of the term “bisexual” to describe sexual orientation in our recruitment, we recommend that researchers be mindful of language used in recruiting – to ensure that the population of interest is reached. People’s understandings and definitions of bisexuality have changed over time. Younger individuals who feel attracted to more than one gender may feel that bisexual is too limiting a descriptor for their sexuality (Rust, 2001). We may have missed talking to someone who is attracted to more than one gender but did not reply to our advertisement because they do not use the label of bisexual. Related to recruiting language, we suggest intention with terms around gender in addition to sexual orientation. We advertised for “women.” Whereas all those who were interviewed identified as cisgender women, the authors understand that individuals with various gender identify formation processes can identify as “women.” Bisexual individuals with other identities are absolutely worthy of better understanding (e.g., transwomen, non-gender conforming individuals, men, etc.), but recruitment language must be intentional in its specificity and/or inclusivity. These groups are worthy of better understanding as distinctly identified individuals – and recruitment language must properly describe the groups who are being recruited. Despite these constraints and limitations, there is value in the use of intersectional, feminist, and resilience perspectives in the future study of minoritized groups. In better understanding both the challenges and positives of being a person with intersecting identities, researchers will be better positioned to capture the nuances of being in multiple minoritized groups and the complexity of those lives. © 2023 Global Journals Volume XXIII Issue III Version I 25 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 C “The In-Between Spaces of Those Labels”: Exploring the Challenges and Positives of Being a Bisexual Woman of Color