What Is Bisexuality and How Common Is It
Bisexuality refers to sexual or romantic attraction to more than one gender. In the United States, Gallup's 2023 data shows that bisexual adults make up the largest share of the LGBTQ+ population, at roughly 5.6% of the total adult population. The Williams Institute at UCLA estimates that bisexuals represent about 75% of all people who identify as LGBTQ+, making bisexuality the most common sexual orientation within the community.
Understanding bisexuality is increasingly relevant for financial and market analysis. Bisexual consumers are a significant demographic segment in industries such as retail, travel, media, and financial services. For example, the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index tracks how major companies like Forbes and others address bisexual inclusion in their workplace policies, which directly influences consumer trust and brand value.
Economic and Workplace Data on Bisexual Individuals
Bisexual employees often face unique challenges that affect productivity and retention. A 2023 report from the Williams Institute found that bisexual workers are less likely to be out at work compared to gay or lesbian peers, which can lead to higher stress and lower engagement. This dynamic has direct financial implications for companies managing talent and workplace culture.
Companies with strong diversity and inclusion policies, including explicit bisexual support, tend to outperform peers in attracting talent. For instance, Tesla and SpaceX have published public diversity reports and updated their non-discrimination policies to include sexual orientation and gender identity. These corporate actions are tracked by investors and analysts who use them to assess long-term risk and social governance scores.
How Companies and Regulators Address Bisexual Inclusion
Corporate Policies and Market Reach
Major corporations now integrate bisexual inclusion into their broader diversity strategies. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires certain disclosures on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, and companies like SEC filings increasingly reference workforce diversity metrics. This trend pushes firms to collect and report data on sexual orientation, including the experiences of bisexual employees.
Financial institutions are also expanding products and services for LGBTQ+ clients, including bisexual-specific financial planning resources. Firms such as Forbes regularly publish analyses on the economic power of the LGBTQ+ market, estimating its global spending power at over $3.7 trillion. These reports help banks, insurers, and retailers tailor products and marketing campaigns to bisexual and broader LGBTQ+ demographics.
Regulatory and Data Standards
The U.S. Census Bureau and other federal agencies are refining data collection methods to better capture sexual orientation and gender identity. Improved data allows for more accurate economic modeling of bisexual populations, which supports policy decisions on healthcare, housing, and labor. These standards influence how companies report diversity data and how investors evaluate social risk.
Investment and ESG Trends
ESG-focused funds increasingly screen for LGBTQ+ inclusion, with bisexual visibility as a key metric. Asset managers use public company data on diversity policies, employee resource groups, and community partnerships to allocate capital. This creates a financial incentive for firms to support bisexual employees and customers, linking inclusion directly to access to investment capital.