Hanna Peterson, a rising senior at Wartburg College, shared a literature review at the 2022 Hawaii International Conference on Education.

Peterson, a music therapy major, presented “Finding Bisexuality: A Literature Review Exploring Bisexual Perceptions and Bisexual Erasure Within Film Media.”

“Bisexuality has become very difficult to find examples of in media, which shapes the way that bisexual individuals feel about their identity,” said Peterson. “Since there is little exposure in media for the sexual minority, bisexuality is often invisible, leading to the beliefs that bisexuality isn’t real, is simply a phase or a kink, or that it doesn’t belong, all of which are untrue and invalidating for people who identify as bisexual.”

The idea for Peterson’s review started with the movie “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which received criticism for its portrayal of singer Freddie Mercury’s sexuality. Through her presentation, Peterson has gained a passion for research that she now hopes to put to use in her major.

 “I was also able to publish my research as a part of the conference proceedings, which is something that will set me apart in grad school and internship applications as I look at furthering my education and beginning my career,” Peterson said.