Abstract
Although, bisexual individuals comprise most of the LGBT community in the U.S. they report feeling invisible. Bisexual identity denial from out-group members is an established explanation for this effect, but we propose a novel explanation based on bisexuals’ own perceptions. Two studies examined perceptions of the composition of the LGBT+ group (i.e. the relative proportion of bisexual individuals). In Study 1 (N = 521), heterosexual, gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals all consistently underestimated the proportion of bisexuals in the U.S. Bisexual individuals also reported lower LGBT identification than lesbian women and gay men even though the former constitute a majority of the U.S. LGBT population. Further, greater underestimation of the bisexual population was associated with lower group identification among Bisexual individuals. In Study 2 (N = 249), reading accurate information about the LGBT community’s demographic composition, including bisexual majority status, increased bisexual individuals’ LGBT identification and self-esteem. Thus, false beliefs about representation may be an explanation for lower group identification and well-being among bisexual individuals (relative to other sexual minorities).