 As a child he dealt with several years of illness then bullying because of his sexuality, “I was trying to do as well as I could, and getting snowballs thrown at me with rocks in them because I was gay and I was getting beaten up and having really no friends.” 

He attended Dalhousie University (1956) and the University of British Columbia (1963–1965).After completing course requirements for his two majors in English and Philosophy, Bissett dropped out of both universities to avoid academic constraints.In 1962, Bissett had one child with partner Martina Clinton, Ooljah Bissett (whom later in life changed her name to Michelle), Ooljah died in the early 2000s from an unknown illness.