Why We Use The Word Bisexual

Bisexual is a Community Identity Label (similar to “lesbian,” “gay,” “straight,” or “queer”).
Many bisexuals use Personal Identity Labels that serve a vital function in describing differences while giving each individual a space to be unique.
Personal Identity Labels can include (but would never be limited to): fluid, multisexual, non-monosexual, pansexual, polysexual, pomosexual, and omnisexual.
The internal conversation between bi, pan, fluid, queer community members about labels should not be used as a rationale for not serving the needs of the same community.
“Bisexual or Pansexual?” can be considered the bisexual equivalent to internal community conversations many gay and lesbian people have regarding personal approaches to identification (e.g. “masculine,” “butch,” “femme,” or “queer”). Some older bisexuals only prefer bisexual, some younger folks only prefer bi, and some only prefer using a personal identity label like non-monosexual or pansexual. All identifications are equally valid so don’t “identity police” but DO spend time acknowledging the diversity that exists within the “B in LGBT”.

Bisexual, bi definition

From the 1990 Bisexual Manifesto

Bisexuality is a whole, fluid identity. Do not assume that bisexuality is binary or duogamous in nature: that we have “two” sides or that we must be involved simultaneously with both genders to be fulfilled human beings. In fact, don’t assume that there are only two genders. Do not mistake our fluidity for confusion, irresponsibility, or an inability to commit. Do not equate promiscuity, infidelity, or unsafe sexual behavior with bisexuality. Those are human traits that cross all sexual orientations. Nothing should be assumed about anyone’s sexuality, including your own.

New York Area Bisexual Network Marching, 1991

Some bisexual identity reporting best practice tips

• If a source identifies as pansexual or fluid, use their identity word to describe them—but do so without making or repeating assumptions about those who identify as bisexual. For instance, a source may say that she or he identifies as pansexual because of a capacity to be attracted to people of any/all genders. Do not assume that the same is not true for someone who uses the term bisexual.
• Do recognize that people who fall under the “community identity label” bisexual may use “personal identity labels” such as fluid, multisexual, pansexual, polysexual, pomosexual and omnisexual. The use of these labels may vary by region, ethnicity and socioeconomic class. Understand that the bisexual community (and the LGBT community as a whole) has ongoing conversations about labels. Those conversations do not invalidate the label bisexual–or the labels lesbian, gay, transgender, queer, etc.
• Do not assume that someone must be equally attracted to men and women to be bisexual. Within the bisexual community, you will find that people have a broad array of attractions. Some bisexuals may be more attracted to people of a particular sex/gender identity, while others may experience attraction as unrelated to sex/gender identity.
• Recognize that bisexuals are part of the LGBT community, regardless of their current relationship status. Don’t refer to bisexual people as straight, and do not call them “allies” of the LGBT movement. For example, media coverage of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie frequently characterized both as supporters or allies of the LGBT movement (or, in some cases, their support has been questioned). In fact, Jolie is a bisexual woman who has been out for years. The fact that she married a different-sex partner does not change that she is part of the LGBT community, not an ally/supporter.
• Do not hyphenate the words bisexual or bisexuality.
• Spell out the word bisexual on first reference. The abbreviation bi is often acceptable on subsequent references; however, some members of the bisexual community prefer that the full word always be used. Ask your sources and respect their preferences. Other abbreviations of bisexual may include bi* and bi+ to indicate the diversity of identities within the bisexual community (i.e. pansexual, non-monosexual, fluid, queer). The label bi* maybe considered analogous to the abbreviation trans*, which is similarly used to indicate diversity within the transgender community. These abbreviations are not widespread, and if you use them you will most likely want to include a note of explanation for readers.

For more best practices, see GLAAD Media Reference Guide – In Focus: Covering the Bisexual Community at glaad.org/reference/bisexual.

About Bisexual Awareness Week

In celebration of the 15th anniversary of Celebrate Bisexuality Day, held every September 23rd, GLAAD, BiNet USA and other bisexual organizations are launching Bisexual Awareness Week.
Bisexual Awareness Week (#biweek) exists to help draw attention to the public policy concerns of bisexual people while also celebrating the great resiliency of bisexual culture and community.
Bisexual Awareness Week will utilize a social media campaign that provides daily themes to keep changing hearts and minds about bisexual people, and bi lives. Themes will focus on the history, culture, community and current policy priorities of bisexual communities.

Themes and Hashtags For Bisexual Awareness Week

In addition to the usual hashtags (#bipride, #bisexual, #BiDay, and #BiVisibilityDay), the following hashtags will be used on given, corresponding days during #biweek:

• Sunday 9/21 #BiHistory – Post, status update and tweet about important moments in bisexual movement history and/or the names and images of famous bi* people throughout history
• Monday 9/22 #BiFacts – Post, status update and tweet facts about being bi* e.g., stories and statistics about bi* health, safety/security, quality of life, or funding and social disparities
• Tuesday 9/23 “My #bisexuality looks like…” – Post, status update and tweet “My #bisexuality looks like” finishing the sentence to express bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer and fluid pride and experience
• Wednesday 9/24 #BiMedia – Post, status update and tweet the names and images of your favorite bisexual blogs, films, tv shows, authors, artists, cultural workers, and thank them for their work
• Thursday 9/25 #RecognizeBiMen – Post, status update and tweet selfies of bisexual men. Allies can post, status update and tweet selfies with bisexual men in their lives or holding up an image of the book Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men
• Friday 9/26 #BiTrans – Post, status update and tweet affirming statements and images about being bi* and trans*
• Saturday 9/27 #BiAllies – Post, status update and tweet selfies of bisexuals with people that love, support and champion them

About Celebrate Bisexuality Day

Official name	Celebrate Bisexuality Day
Also called	Bisexual Pride Day, Bi Visibility Day, CBD, Bisexual Pride and Bi Visibility Day
Observed by	Bisexual, pansexual, fluid community and their families, friends, allies and supporters

September 23 is Celebrate Bisexuality Day (often abbreviated CBD), an international awareness day that is also referred to as Bi Visibility Day and Bisexual Pride Day. Three bisexual advocates–Wendy Curry, Michael Page and Gigi Raven Wilbur–conceived of the event as a way to combat bisexual invisibility. CDB, which began in 1999, is celebrated with events around the world celebrating bisexual culture, community and history. In 2013, the White House held its first bisexual community issues roundtable on Celebrate Bisexuality Day.

In addition to the usual hashtags #bipride, #bisexual, #BiDay, and #BiVisibilityDay the following hashtags will be used on given, corresponding days during #biweek:

• Sunday 9/21 #BiHistory – Post, status update and tweet about important moments in bisexual movement history and/or the names and images of famous bi* people throughout history
• Monday 9/22 #BiFacts – Post, status update and tweet facts about being bi* e.g., stories and statistics about bi* health, safety/security, quality of life, or funding and social disparities
• Tuesday 9/23 “My #bisexuality looks like…” – Post, status update and tweet “My #bisexuality looks like” finishing the sentence to express bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer and fluid pride and experience
• Wednesday 9/24 #BiMedia – Post, status update and tweet the names and images of your favorite bisexual blogs, films, tv shows, authors, artists, cultural workers, and thank them for their work
• Thursday 9/25 #RecognizeBiMen – Post, status update and tweet selfies of bisexual men. Allies can post, status update and tweet selfies with bisexual men in their lives or holding up an image of the book Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men
• Friday 9/26 #BiTrans – Post, status update and tweet affirming statements and images about being bi* and trans*
• Saturday 9/27 #BiAllies – Post, status update and tweet selfies of bisexuals with people that love, support and champion them

 

It’s Bisexual Awareness Week! Here Are Five Ways To Celebrate

This article was posted in Politics + Activism, reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

Posted by Audrey on September 22, 2014 at 6:23pm PDT

feature image via thenextgreatgeneration.com
Bisexual people make up more than 50 percent of the LGB community, but media, the mainstream, and even LGBT groups often erase our experiences and specific needs or fold them into lesbian and gay programs and statistics. BiNet USA, GLAAD and other organizations hope the first ever Bisexual Awareness Week will be a step toward making more space for for the B in LGBT.
September 23, 1999 was the first Celebrate Bisexuality Day, and in that tradition a big part of the week aims to celebrate what makes bisexuality and bisexuals great, and honor our accomplishments throughout history and today. Organizers also want to make people aware of the stark realities non-monosexual people face, like poorer health, higher rates of sexual assault and relatively low rates of being out as bisexual — only 28 percent of bi people say they are out to the most important people in their lives, compared to more than 70 percent of gay and lesbian people.
“Bisexuals are coming together to say we can’t live with this anymore,” said Faith Cheltenham, the president of BiNet USA. “Because we haven’t been living with it — there have been a lot of suicides. I’ve lost three friends in this work since I started doing it because they had no hope.”
Bisexuals have successfully worked together to gain more visibility and pursue proactive policies and services in recent years. There are many ways to celebrate and honor Bisexual Awareness Week. Here are a few! Add your own in the comments.

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1. Educate yourself about the specific challenges of bisexual people and support efforts to improve our lives.

A new report from the LGBT Movement Advancement Project uses data to demonstrate the ways in which bisexual people face specific challenges and thus require targeted solutions. The report collates a lot of data that has been widely shared and discussed on this website and many other places — and that’s because there simply isn’t much reliable data on bisexuals, said Heron Greenesmith, a movement and policy analyst for LGBT MAP. It’s startling and important to see so much data collected in one place. The report highlights poor physical and mental health among bisexuals compared to heterosexual, lesbian and gay people; higher levels of poverty; and higher rates of intimate partner and sexual violence among bisexual women.

via LGBT Movement Advancement Project

This report gives the media, service providers and bi people a comprehensive place to go to look for information and statistics about bi people. Says Greenesmith:

I’m hoping that media will use it and all the resources collected during the week to speak more competently about the LGBT movement and understand that even the LGB part is not a monolith. I’m hoping LGBT organizations will see it as an invitation to showcase their bi-specific programming and for those who don’t have any to understand the necessity and the importance of having bi-specific programming. I’m hoping that bi folks will see it and know that not only are they not alone but other people are going through the same challenges they are facing in their lives and folks are out there who are supporting them. I’m hoping that service providers and researchers will take it as an invitation to be more culturally competent and precise in their language around LGBT people and in their work.

The research presented demonstrates why it’s harmful to fold bisexuals in with gays and lesbians or heterosexual people when doing research and providing services. For example, Cheltenham noted that many LGBT-oriented health centers can’t or won’t provide bi-specific health care and may even turn away bisexual patients. The lack of information and awareness has very real consequences. As Greenesmith said, there is a dearth of research on bisexuals, and not much of what does exist accounts for the intersections of oppression that put some bisexual people, like those who are transgender, gender nonconforming or non-binary, of color or low-income at greater risk. With more knowledge, policymakers and service providers can better target their work to reach the most people and improve outcomes for bisexuals and everyone in the larger LGBTQ community.

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2. Read and share books about bisexuality.

I semi-regret getting the incredible Bi: Notes From A Bisexual Revolution by Shiri Eisner on Kindle because it makes it harder to foist it upon people and make them read it. Before I read it, I was timid about identifying as bi because I felt like it carried baggage I wasn’t prepared to handle. After reading Eisner’s book, I became excited and proud to call myself bi (in addition to queer) and quote it at anyone who will listen. Now I’m making my way through Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around The World, an anthology of more than 200 essays from bisexual people from 42 countries who speak from many different experiences of gender, race, class and more. Its editors, Robyn Ochs and Sarah Rowley, are among the most trusted and active bi women in the U.S. and internationally. Next up on my list is Bisexuality and Transgenderism: Intersexions of the Other. It’s a textbook, so it’s expensive and hard to track down, but it is an important resource for people interested in the ways bisexual and transgender identities, movements and oppressions overlap and diverge. Because bisexuals are often erased in mainstream works about lesbian and gay people, bisexuals are creating our own texts, with many awesome results.

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3. Donate to organizations that support bisexuals.

Although bisexual people make up a very large portion of the LGBT community, funding for bi-specific work makes up a small part of funding for LGBT programs. If you’ve got extra dollars floating around, put them toward the work of improving quality of life for bisexual people. National organizations like BiNet USA and Bisexual Resource Center are collecting resources, energizing communities and working directly with LGBT and mainstream leaders to promote bisexual causes and get information into the public. Find out if your local LGBT resource center provides bi-specific programming and give a donation marked for that program. Become an A+ member to help financially support the bisexuals who work at this website, and so you can read our staff emails where we finally explain bisexual orgasms (hint: they involve ghosts).

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4. Engage with people online and in real life about bisexuality.

Cats are like “I always knew I was different but didn’t have the words to express it before.” via bidyke.tumblr.com

BiNet has a series of hashtags for the week to highlight different aspects of the bisexual movement, which you can find on their site. The hashtags so far — #bihistory and #bifacts — have provided some amazing insights and resources, so check them out on the twitters and contribute! There are also a ton of official events, like meetups, trainings and concerts, plus online activities like a Google Hangout with bisexual Christian heartthrob Eliel Cruz hosted by Campus Pride. If none of that is your bag, just paint your face blue, purple and pink and go to brunch.

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5. Acknowledge and celebrate bisexuals and bisexuality.

It seems so simple, but it often doesn’t happen. Bisexuals are often an afterthought, lumped in with bigger headings like gay, queer and LGBT without being named as our own community with specific needs. Subtle changes to daily language — the simple act of naming bisexuality and actively including bisexual people and concerns in activism, policy language and service provision will make an impact. The fight is so much bigger than visibility, but reversing the damaging impact of erasure and silencing is an important first step toward caring for bisexual people and communities. Some people aren’t comfortable with using the term bisexual for themselves or as an umbrella term, and all these suggestions apply to people of many non-monosexual identities.

Bisexual Awareness Week is about more than awareness — it’s a chance to loudly declare our presence in the LGBT community and the world and work for the rights, respect and services that will keep us alive and help our community become healthy and vibrant.

Understanding Issues Facing Bisexual Americans

As part of Bisexual Awareness Week, MAP, in partnership with BiNet USA and the Bisexual Resource Center, is releasing a new report, Understanding Issues Facing Bisexual Americans. We hope you will take a look and learn more about this frequently invisible community. The report outlines how bisexual people experience significant health, safety, and economic disparities: Poverty: Approximately 25% of bisexual men and 30% of bisexual women live in poverty, compared to 15% and 21% of heterosexual men and women, respectively, and 20% and 23% of gay men and lesbians.  Employment: While 20% of bisexuals report experiencing a negative employment decision based on their sexual orientation, almost 60% of bisexual people report hearing anti-bisexual jokes and comments on the job.Nearly half of bisexual people report that they are not out to any of their coworkers (49%), compared to just 24% of lesbian and gay people.  Violence: Bisexual women experience significantly higher rates of violence-both overall and intimate partner violence-compared to lesbians and straight women: 46% of bisexual women have experienced rape, compared to 13% and 17% of lesbian and heterosexual women, respectively. Bisexual men also report higher rates of sexual violence; nearly half of bisexual men (47%) report experiencing sexual violence other than rape in their lifetime.  Suicide: One study found bisexuals were four times more likely, and lesbian and gay adults two times more likely, to report attempted suicide than heterosexual adults. As with all of MAP's reports, we offer policy recommendations to address these harmful disparities and improve the lives of bisexual Americans. Visit  www.lgbtmap.org/understanding-issues-facing-bisexual-americans for more information.  You can read all about the new report in the Advocate and Autostraddle. Follow MAP on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about the movement for LGBT equality.

Clinical Issues in Working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender and Questioning Youth

Developed by Dr. Gerald Mallon, Executive Director of the National Center for Child Welfare Excellence (NCCWE) and the National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections (NRCPFC), this PowerPoint presentation provides an overview of significant developmental issues for LGBTQ youth, explores various clinical issues for LGBTQ youth, and shares intervention strategies and implications for practice.  This presentation was delivered at Grand Rounds for Psychiatric Interns at the Tulane Medical School, New Orleans, Louisiana. (May 2014)
http://www.nrcpfc.org/is/downloads/Tulane.grandrounds.clinicalissues.pdf

Webinar on Supporting LGBT Peers with Their Employment Goals Is Sponsored by Peerlink NTAC

On Sept. 17, at 2 p.m. ET until 3 p.m. ET, Peerlink National Technical Assistance Center is hosting “Employment over the Rainbow: Supporting LGBT Peers with Their Employment Goals.” Peerlink NTAC writes: “This webinar is dedicated to discussing the barriers and challenges that LGBT peers face when seeking employment.” For more information or to register, click here. http://www.peerlinktac.org/webinar-events/

GLMA Conference Preliminary Program Now Available

The preliminary program for GLMA’s 32nd Annual Conference is now available online. Click here to check out this year’s conference workshop, research and plenary topics and speakers! Also included in the preliminary program is the schedule of events and helpful information (and discounts) about travel to/from Baltimore.

We are thrilled to announce the Keynote Address: LGBT Health Priorities at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

• Kathy Greenlee, JD, Administrator of the Administration for Community Living and Assistant Secretary for Aging
• Pam Hyde, JD, SAMHSA Administrator
• Jim Scanlon, MPP, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, HHS 
• Juliet Choi, Chief of Staff, Office of Civil Rights and Senior Advisory, HHS
• Moderator: Matthew G Heinz, MD, Director, Provider Outreach, HHS

Early bird registration for the Annual Conference ends July 15th! Click here to register now or to learn more about GLMA’s Annual Conference—the premier LGBT health conference and the world’s largest scientific gathering devoted to LGBT health issues and concerns. REMINDER: GLMA members receive a discount on registration! Join NOW!

We are also excited to announce the location of this year’s Annual Achievement Award Gala on Saturday, September 13th: The National Aquarium in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor!

Get your tickets now!
Gala tickets include free admission to the National Aquarium’s exhibits for one hour prior to the start of the Gala (6pm – 7pm)!

If you have already registered for the conference, but would like to add Gala tickets, please contact us!