Living in the Shadows, Dreaming in Color: A Bisexual Woman’s Survival Guide to Bangladesh
Picture this: you’re scrolling through your phone, and suddenly, a threatening message pops up. You know who it’s from—the faceless, nameless crowd that wants you to disappear. Welcome to the daily reality of being bisexual in Bangladesh, where your identity is a crime before the law and a scandal before society. But here’s the twist: I’m still here. I’m still standing. And I refuse to be erased.
Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and the Art of Survival
Let’s call it what it is: the law doesn’t just ignore LGBTQ rights—it actively punishes us. There’s no protection against discrimination in housing, jobs, or even healthcare. Police harassment? Check. Threatening messages? Double check. Social stigma so thick you could cut it with a knife? Absolutely. And while organizations helping lesbians are as rare as honest politicians, the government did manage to toss us a bone: hijras are now counted as a “third gender” in the census. Baby steps, sure, but at least someone’s counting.
Bisexuality, Women’s Empowerment, and the Fine Art of Not Giving a Damn
As a bisexual woman, I’ve mastered the art of living behind a fake name. It’s not glamorous, but it’s survival. The real challenge isn’t just the external barriers—it’s the internal ones. The voices in your head that whisper, “You’re not good enough,” “You don’t belong,” or the classic, “What will people say?” Spoiler alert: people will always talk. The question is, will you let their words define you?
Challenging social norms isn’t just about waving a rainbow flag (though that would be nice). It’s about reclaiming your narrative, your body, and your right to exist. It’s about demanding sexual freedom and self-acceptance in a world that would rather you stay silent. It’s about women’s empowerment—not just for straight women, but for all of us who refuse to fit into neat little boxes.
How to Overcome: A Survival Kit for the Bold and the Bisexual
- Find Your Tribe: Seek out allies, online or offline. Even if organizations are rare, there are people out there who get it. You’re not alone.
- Educate and Advocate: Knowledge is power. Learn your rights (or lack thereof) and share what you know. Challenge myths and stereotypes with facts and humor.
- Self-Acceptance is Revolutionary: Loving yourself is the ultimate act of rebellion. It’s okay to have bad days, to cry, to rage. But don’t let fear win.
- Speak Your Truth (Safely): If you can’t be out loud, be out in whispers. Write, create, connect. Your truth matters, even if it’s only shared with a trusted few.
- Call Out Hypocrisy: Religious conservatism and Islamic hypocrisy thrive in silence. Challenge them with wit, sarcasm, and unapologetic honesty.
What Should We Do? A Call to Action
To my fellow bisexual women and LGBTQ folks: your existence is a revolution. Don’t wait for the law to catch up. Don’t wait for society to approve. Start where you are, with what you have. Embrace your identity, your desires, your right to love and be loved.
To allies: listen, learn, and amplify our voices. Stand with us, not just in pride parades (if we had them), but in everyday acts of solidarity.
And to the powers that be: we see your hypocrisy. We see your fear. And we’re not going anywhere.
Sexual freedom, self-acceptance, and women’s empowerment aren’t just buzzwords—they’re the keys to our survival. So go ahead, challenge social norms. Dance in the shadows. Dream in colour. And remember: you are enough. Just as you are.
