Bigender
Bigender is a gender identity which indicates that someone identifies as two or more genders simultaneously. Bigender is widely categorized as a nonbinary identity, but someone who is bigender might not identify as nonbinary. This is because being nonbinary often indicates that someone does not fall on either side of the traditional gender binary, while a bigender person may fall on either side simultaneously.
The word “bigender” was first recorded in 1988 during the 2nd International Lesbian and Gay Health Foundation Conference. It was mentioned in the definition of the word Androgyne, “a person who can comfortably express either alternative gender role in a variety of socially acceptable environments (includes bigenderist).
Bilateral Mastectomy
A bilateral (or double) mastectomy refers to a surgery that removes both breasts. It is most often prescribed as a way to remove breast cancer or prevent it in those who may have a high risk for breast cancer. Bilateral mastectomies are recommended for patients who already have or are at high risk of having breast cancer in both breasts. It can also be performed as a preventative measure to completely eliminate the possibility of developing breast cancer in the remaining breast. This procedure is similar to top surgery, a form of gender-affirming surgery that also removes tissue from the chest, but the two surgeries differ in goals and results.
There are multiple different types of bilateral mastectomies, characterized by the amount of tissue removed. Skin-sparing or nipple-sparing mastectomies remove just the breast tissue, preserving the skin around the breasts and the nipples. After that, there is the total or simple mastectomy, that removes all breast tissue along with the skin and nipples. Finally, in rare circumstances, doctors may suggest radical mastectomies, which remove breast tissue, skin, nipples, sentinel lymph nodes and chest muscles. This is only recommended in scenarios in which it is absolutely necessary.
Binge Drinking
Binge drinking is defined by the CDC as routine drinking that brings blood alcohol content (BAC) levels up to 0.08, which would equate to 5 drinks for men and 4 for women within a few hours. Binge drinking is different from heavy drinking, which is qualified as having 8 or more drinks for women and 15 or more drinks for men in a week. Any excessive alcohol use, including binge drinking, is strongly linked with negative consequences such as higher risk of developing cancer, chronic memory loss, or even death due to alcohol poisoning.
The 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that around 61.4 million Americans ages 12 and older reported binge drinking within the last month. This equates to 21.7% of the population ages 12 and older who have recently exceeded recommended alcohol consumption for their group. Of the groups who reported binge drinking, young adults are the most concerning, as 28.7% of adults ages 18-25 reported binge drinking within a month of filling out the NSDUH.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder (BED) is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating, or eating large amounts of food in a specific period of time, up to 2 hours. Eating binges are not strictly defined, but usually include eating until uncomfortably full, eating very quickly, and feelings of immense shame afterwards. Binge eating disorder is more common in people with obesity, but you don’t have to be obese to have BED, and most people with obesity do not have BED.
Binge eating disorder only became a diagnostic category of eating disorder in 2013, and since then, it has become the second most diagnosed eating disorder. Given its prevalence, it is important to stay informed about binge eating disorder. People with BED have an increased risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and gastrointestinal issues. Environmental factors are often responsible for someone developing BED, as childhood exposure to unhealthy eating habits could fester and be replicated in adult life.
BIPOC
BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and it is a modern term that serves as a more descriptive version of “people of color”. The philosophy of the term is to highlight the history of slavery and oppression experienced by Black and Indigenous people in such a way that isn’t minimized by their inclusion in POC. This history of systemic violence and oppression against Black and Indigenous people remains relevant in modern-day legislation and organizations of communities, which further justifies the need for the distinction. In spite of that, the term BIPOC is meant to bring systemically disadvantaged groups together even if they don’t have the exact same experiences.
While BIPOC is a useful term to refer to large communities of non-white people, it can be harmful to use it as a blanket term to describe smaller groups. For example, there is a tendency to use the phrase “BIPOC children” instead of “Black children” when describing people growing up in certain predominantly Black neighborhoods. Using BIPOC like this could make statements seem to refer to non-white people as a whole instead of a specific cultural identity or ethnicity.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a chronic mood disorder characterized by mood swings between states known as euthymia, mania (or hypomania, a less severe version of mania) and depression. There are two main types of bipolar disorders: bipolar I and bipolar II. The difference between the two lies in the presence of mania; people with bipolar II disorder have never experienced a manic episode, but may have experienced hypomania and depression.
Euthymia is a neutral state that lies between mania and depression, where no extreme mood swings are present. Mania involves feelings of extreme happiness or excitement, increased irritability, and high levels of energy. Mania may lead to impulsive decision-making, like suddenly ending relationships or spending large amounts of money. Depression, on the other hand, involves feelings of sadness or hopelessness, anhedonia (loss of pleasure), and low levels of energy. Depression may lead to a loss of enjoyment in pleasurable activities and the inability to perform simple tasks.
Bisexual
Someone who is bisexual is attracted, romantically or sexually to more than one gender. Bisexuality can be, but is not necessarily, distinct from biromanticism, or the romantic attraction to more than one gender. Many bisexual people are both bisexual and biromantic, and use the term “bisexual” as an umbrella term for both.
Contrary to popular belief, bisexuality is not just the attraction to both men and women. Many bisexuals conceptualize the identity to mean being attracted to two or more genders. This means that bisexuals can also be attracted to anyone of any gender identity depending on their personal preference. In practice, some bisexuals also identify as pansexual (having the capacity to be attracted to people regardless of gender) as the identities naturally allow for overlap.
Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental illness that impacts how people view themselves and others, which can cause issues with regulating emotions. It involves intense emotional mood swings, impulsive decision-making, and unhealthy self-conception. People with BPD may have self-esteem issues and a fear of abandonment, which may cause them to struggle with maintaining healthy relationships. This may lead to a pattern of frequent, unhealthy relationships caused by the aversion to abandonment.
Symptoms of BPD will most likely manifest in early adulthood, beginning with high intensity mood swings that diminish with age. There are various genetic and environmental risk factors for BPD, such as having a family member with the disorder or experiencing traumatic events as a child. However, there are no definitive causes for BPD, and the presence of these risk factors do not guarantee the development of the disorder.
Bottom Surgery
Bottom surgery is a type of gender-affirming surgery that augments the shape and function of the genitals. Bottom surgery is often requested by transgender people to align their bodies with their gender identities. It can also be requested as a medical procedure to reconstruct damaged genitals using surrounding tissue.
There are many types of bottom surgeries, but three are most often referred to: vaginoplasty for people assigned-male-at-birth (AMAB) and metoidioplasty or phalloplasty for people assigned-female-at-birth (AFAB). Vaginoplasty involves the construction of a vagina by repurposing existing penile tissue. Metoidoplasty is the freeing of the clitoris from surrounding tissue to create a penis, and phalloplasty is the construction of a penis from skin grafts taken from other parts of the body, like the arms or thighs.
Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder which involves extreme sessions of overeating, or binging, followed by purposeful expulsion to avoid gaining weight, or purging. People with bulimia often feel shame and disgust towards their binge eating habits, leading to them hiding their binges from others. On top of this, many people with bulimia maintain a normal body weight, which makes it difficult to notice the disorder in others. The disorder also affects how someone views their own body, causing them to justify their own purging.
There are two types of bulimia nervosa: purging and non-purging. Purging can include vomiting, laxative overuse, or any other methods of forcibly removing food from one’s body. Non-purging bulimia involves fasting or excessive exercise for the sake of weight loss. Pushing past one’s physical limits in this manner can be very dangerous as it can lead to dizziness, fainting, nausea and even heart failure. Seeking treatment for bulimia is recommended, as both types are potentially life-threatening.