Bis to Celebrate on Dyslexia Awareness Week

From the 3rd to the 9th of October, the world celebrates Dyslexia Awareness Week, with the aim of bringing greater understanding to the condition and people who are dyslexic. So what does dyslexia mean?

In the simplest of terms, dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the way people are able to read and write fluently. This can include muddling visually similar words (such as "beard" and "board") when reading, frequently spelling words wrong despite previous attempts at correction, and finding it hard to read and write quickly. 

However, this is not to say that dyslexic people are any less intelligent than the average person! Multiple studies have proven there is no correlation between dyslexia and a person’s intelligence. Even Albert Einstein was dyslexic!

There is some debate over how common dyslexia is and due to a lack of understanding of the condition, it goes underdiagnosed. Unfortunately, there are no recognized worldwide official statistics, but the general consensus from various organizations is that at least 1 in 10 people are dyslexic. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that many of our favorite bi icons are included in this number!

John Lennon

John Lennon did not know that he was dyslexic until later in life but always knew that his brain worked differently from others around him. Although he was incredibly intelligent and creative, he did not get on very well in formal education and left school in his early teens. As a child, he couldn’t remember the words to songs on the radio, and so would make up his own lyrics — the mark of a true creative dyslexic.

"A couple of teachers would notice me, encourage me to be something or other, to draw or to paint, to express myself," he told one interviewer, "But most of the time, they were trying to beat me into being a dentist or a teacher." Despite the naysayers, Lennon continued to pursue his creative passions after leaving school, forming The Beatles, one of the greatest and most successful bands of all time.

Marilyn Monroe 

Hollywood’s darling "blonde bombshell" Marilyn Monroe was, in addition to being talented, beautiful and bi, also dyslexic! Due to her turbulent childhood, Monroe struggled throughout her education, and this continued into her adult life. Throughout her career, many commented on her attempts to tackle classic works (despite her diagnosis by a studio doctor) and would hole up in her bedroom with champagne and a chunky novel. 

Though she rarely managed to finish a book, she understood the importance of reading and gave it her all. Monroe was known for her intelligence, with an IQ of 163, and in addition to acting wrote her own poetry. "She may not have had formal schooling but Marilyn was a woman not only self-educated but brilliantly so," wrote her biographer Lois Banner.

Hans Christian Andersen

The Little Mermaid writer was well known among his peers for the "quirks" that came with his dyslexia, though during his lifetime, the condition had not yet been recognized. During his childhood, Andersen rarely attended school; when he returned during his teens, he was treated harshly for his poor spelling and mocked for expressing his dreams of becoming a writer. He would later describe his time in education as the "bitterest" in his life. 

So how did he become one of the most well-known children’s authors of all time? Andersen preferred to memorize stories, rather than reading them or writing them down, and often accompanied his written work with artwork created from paper cutting. It’s theorized that his difficulties contributed to his simpler writing style, more accessible than other stuffy Victorian prose, which is what has allowed his tales to endure into the 21st century. His ability to blend adult humor and references with interesting adventures for children bolsters his popularity to this day.

Bella Thorne

Of all the dyslexic bi people I encountered in my research, Bella Thorne was the most vocal about her dyslexia journey. The Disney channel star has spoken about her condition on many occasions throughout her career. "I remember when I started first grade. Right away, it was awful because I couldn't read as well as the other kids," she discussed on a Disney Channel segment, "My brain mixed up letters like 'B' and 'D' and 'M' and 'W.' Dyslexia is different for everyone who has it. For me, it just makes it harder to read or write."

Thorne has even played dyslexic characters on screen. In Shake It Up, she played a young dancing hopeful named Cece Jones, who hoped for a career in the spotlight despite being dyslexic and is shown to overcome adversity regardless throughout the show. The Disney Channel show was a career breakthrough for Thorne, who said that learning the script with the help of co-star Zendaya taught her better ways to manage her dyslexia.

Marlon Brando 

Another bi Hollywood legend was dyslexic, Marlon Brando. In multiple interviews, Brando discussed how difficult he found his time in school, his struggle only exacerbated by his unsupportive father. "He enjoyed telling me I couldn’t do anything right," Brando said of the man, "He had a habit of telling me I would never amount to anything."

When he began his acting career, Brando was embarrassed that he found it so hard to read the scripts he was given and tried to hide this from his fellow actors. As time went on, Brando learned to manage his dyslexia better and found different ways to learn his lines. During filming for The Godfather, he famously made other actors wear cue cards, or propped them about in his eye line, serving as visual reminders when filming longer scenes. When asked why he did this, he simply responded "Because I can read them that way". 

There are so many creative, intelligent, inspiring dyslexic bis to choose from. Who is your bisexual dyslexic icon this Dyslexia Awareness Week?