Bisexual community

Various bisexual community groups celebrating in LGBT pride events such as Bisexual Pride Day

The bisexual community (also known as the bisexual/pansexual, bi/pan/fluid community) includes members of the LGBT community who identify as bisexual, pansexual, or sexually fluid.[1][2]

People who identify as bisexual can receive specifically directed hatred and distrust (biphobia), stereotyping, and denial (bisexual erasure) from people of all sexual orientations. People may say bisexuals are just unsure of their feelings or going through a "phase" and will or should "decide" or "discover" which sex they are attracted to.[3][4][5] On the other hand, there is also increasing support, inclusion and visibility of bisexuals in the LGBT community.[6][7][8][9][10][11]

Defining the community

Bisexual pride flag, designed by Michael Page in 1998

Bisexual people are much less likely than their lesbian and gay counterparts to be out of the closet.[12] As a result, there is a lot of variation among the bisexual community in how important bisexual people find bisexuality or LGBT identity to their sense of self.[12] Some bisexual people have social networks that are heavily concentrated inside the wider LGBT community. Other bisexual people may rarely participate in LGBT culture. Others still may feel most comfortable associating with other bisexual, pansexual, or otherwise polysexual people, but not the broader LGBT community.

A series of groups have been working together and focusing on issues that are important to the bisexual community such as biphobia, dating, coming out, bisexuals visibility in the news and entertainment, and bisexual erasure. These groups are queer-identified and closely allied with the gay, lesbian and transgender communities, but their main focus is the bisexual community.[10][13][14] There has also been a movement to combat biphobia and myths about bisexuals.[15][16]

The bisexual community has many bi-specific events and conferences,[17][18][19] publications,[20][21] websites and organizations,[22][23] magazines,[20][21][24][25][26][27] writer's groups,[28] media,[29] leaders and politicians,[30][31] and even mental health associations.[32] There are bisexual groups in several cities.[33][34]

These communities come together with the gay, lesbian and transgender communities for bigger LGBT events such as LGBT pride parades, civil rights marches and advocacy, conferences and other nationwide causes where the interests of the communities intersect, such as the National Equality March. Often, conferences have separate seminars on bisexual and transgender topics, and several LGBT pride parades now include special bisexual sections as well.[35][36]

September 23 is known as Celebrate Bisexuality Day.[37]

Visibility

Some bisexual, fluid, pansexual and queer-identified contingents display their banners at the 2009 National Equality March.

Feature films and television

Currently airing shows on several networks feature explicitly bisexual characters. Out bisexual actor Sara Ramirez plays out bisexual policy analyst Kat Sandoval in Madam Secretary.[38] Brooklyn Nine-Nine also features an out bisexual character played by an out bisexual actor: Stephanie Beatriz as Rosa Diaz.[39] Crazy Ex-Girlfriend features three out bisexual characters so far[40]; the musical show included a coming out song by Darryl Whitefeather (Pete Gardner).[41]

Beginning in 2009 a web TV series Rose by Any Other Name...,[42] produced by FenceSitter Films,[43] began showing on YouTube. The story follows the main characters Rose, a comfortably out woman who identifies as lesbian, and Anthony, a heterosexual man, who serendipitously meet and then unexpectedly find themselves falling for each other. Rose has to navigate the reaction of her friends (they aren't thrilled) and her family (they are) while Anthony too has to deal with his friends, who are equally displeased.[44]

On December 30, 2009, MTV premiered their 23rd season of the show The Real World.[45] The series took place in Washington DC, and features two bisexual characters,[46][47] Emily Schromm,[48] and Mike Manning.[49] Manning's sexuality appears to have generated some controversy, with both bloggers and many comments on blogs saying that he is really gay,[50][51] although he himself identifies as bisexual and has dated both sexes.[49]

Kevin Smith's 1997 feature, Chasing Amy portrayed a relationship between two comic book artists, the straight Holden McNeil, played by Ben Affleck, and the lesbian Alyssa Jones, played by Joey Lauren Adams. The two have a tumultuous relationship, and face disturbances from Holden's friend and business partner, Banky Edwards, played by Jason Lee, due to his distrust in Alyssa. Eventually, Banky admits his love for Holden, who suggests a "threesome", but Alyssa declines and dissolves the relationship. Banky also leaves shortly after the incident.

The film Maurice, based on the book by E.M. Forster and released in 1987, featured Alec, a bisexual character who is Maurice's lover.

Equality campaigns and pride celebrations

The National Equality March was a national political rally that occurred October 11, 2009 in Washington, D.C. It called for equal protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in all matters governed by civil law in all states and districts. The march was called for by LGBT activist Cleve Jones and organized by Equality Across America and the Courage Campaign. Kip Williams and Robin McGehee served as co-directors. This was the first national march in Washington, D.C., for LGBT rights since the 2000 Millennium March.

There was a specific bisexual, pansexual and queer-identified contingent that was organized to be a part of the march.[52] Several bisexual, pansexual and queer-identified groups including BiNet USA, New York Area Bisexual Network, DC Bi Women and BiMA DC, came together and marched, showing bisexual, pansexual and queer solidarity.[53] There were four out bisexual speakers at the National Equality March rally: Michael Huffington, Lady Gaga, Chloe Noble, and Penelope Williams.

In October 2009, LGBT activist Amy Andre[54] was appointed as executive director of the San Francisco Pride Celebration Committee, making her San Francisco Pride's first bisexual woman of color executive director.[55][56]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Christina Richards, Meg Barker (2015). Sexuality and Gender for Mental Health Professionals: A Practical Guide. SAGE Publications. p. 116. ISBN 1446287165. Retrieved August 23, 2017. The identity 'bisexual' can be considered to be an umbrella term which includes all of the following groups and more: [...] People who don't see gender as a defining feature of their sexual attraction (some may also use terms like pansexual, omnisexual or ecosexual - see Glossary)."
  2. ↑ Sherwood Thompson (2014). Encyclopedia of Diversity and Social Justice. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 98. ISBN 1442216069. Retrieved August 23, 2017. There are many other identity labels that could fall under the wider umbrella of bisexuality, such as pansexual, omnisexual, biromantic, or fluid (Eisner, 2013).
  3. ↑ Michael Musto, April 7, 2009. Ever Meet a Real Bisexual? Archived April 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine., The Village Voice.
  4. ↑ "Lesbian Life About Bisexuality".
  5. ↑ "We Have Some Bones to Pick About the end of Angela and Roxie". Archived from the original on 2010-07-05.
  6. ↑ "Queers United".
  7. ↑ "Task Force Report On Bisexuality". Archived from the original on 2014-02-16.
  8. ↑ "HRC article on bisexuality".
  9. ↑ "GLAAD TV Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-19.
  10. 1 2 Maria, September 24, 2009. "How Far Have We Come?", Bi Social Network
  11. ↑ "Thirteen On House". Archived from the original on 2013-01-02.
  12. 1 2 "Among LGBT Americans, bisexuals stand out when it comes to identity, acceptance". Pew Research Center. 2015-02-20. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
  13. ↑ Adrienne Williams, September 23, 2009. Bi Social "Network Celebrates Bisexual Day: Moves into Activism" Archived 2010-04-30 at the Wayback Machine., Bi Social Network
  14. ↑ "Bi Social Calendar". Archived from the original on 2010-04-30.
  15. ↑ "BinetUSA writes about biphobia".
  16. ↑ Maria, May 7, 2009. Bisexuals, the Hetero-Privilege Myth Archived 2010-06-01 at the Wayback Machine., Bi Social Network
  17. ↑ "BiCon UK".
  18. ↑ "Because Conference".
  19. ↑ "Bi Camp USA".
  20. 1 2 "The Fence". Archived from the original on 2016-05-18. Retrieved 2018-09-11.
  21. 1 2 "Bi Women Boston".
  22. ↑ "Binet USA".
  23. ↑ "Bi Resource Center".
  24. ↑ "Bi Magazine".
  25. ↑ "Bi Social Network".
  26. ↑ "Bi Community News UK".
  27. ↑ "Bi Community Netherlands".
  28. ↑ "Bi Writers Association". Archived from the original on 2009-12-19.
  29. ↑ "Bi Media".
  30. ↑ Robyn Ochs
  31. ↑ Maria, August 11, 2009.Micah Kellner, New York's Openly Bisexual Assemblyman Archived 2009-09-25 at the Wayback Machine.,BiSocial News.
  32. ↑ "Bi Mental Health Group".
  33. ↑ "BinetUSA Group link".
  34. ↑ "BinetUSA Media".
  35. ↑ "Bipride LA". Archived from the original on 2009-08-02.
  36. ↑ "Bipride NYC".
  37. ↑ "Yes, 23 is everywhere. Here are 23 examples in the GTA". Toronto: The Planet Star. February 15, 2007.
  38. ↑ "Autostraddle".
  39. ↑ "Autostraddle".
  40. ↑ "Pinknews".
  41. ↑ "Gettin' Bi (YouTube)".
  42. ↑ "Rose By Any Other Name".
  43. ↑ "Fencesitter Films".
  44. ↑ "From Out Bi Director Kyle Schickner".
  45. ↑ "Real World DC".
  46. ↑ "Real World Bisexuals".
  47. ↑ "Show me your bisexuals".
  48. ↑ "Emily Schromm talks".
  49. 1 2 "Mike Manning Metro Weekly".
  50. ↑ "Mike Manning Bi history and controversy".
  51. ↑ "Bi Now, Gay Later".
  52. ↑ "Bi/Pan March Contingent". Archived from the original on 2013-01-11.
  53. ↑ Maria, October 15, 2009. "My Experience at the National Equality March", Bi Social Network
  54. ↑ "Amy Andre to head San Francisco Pride".
  55. ↑ http://archive.oaklandlocal.com/article/sf-pride-40%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
  56. ↑ Adrienne Williams, October 19, 2009. Interview with Amy Andre: New Bisexual Executive Director of SF Pride, BiSocial Network.

Further reading

General

  • Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out by Loraine Hutchins, Editor & Lani Ka'ahumanu, Editor ISBN 1-55583-174-5
  • Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World by Robyn Ochs, Editor & Sarah Rowley, Editor ISBN 0-9653881-4-X
  • The Bisexual Option by Fritz Klein, ISBN 1-56023-033-9
  • Bi America: Myths, Truths And Struggles Of An Invisible Community by William E. Burleson, ISBN 978-1-56023-478-4
  • Bisexuality in the United States: A Social Science Reader by Paula C. Rodriguez Rust, Editor ISBN 0-231-10226-7
  • Bisexuality: The Psychology and Politics of an Invisible Minority by Beth A. Firestein, Editor ISBN 0-8039-7274-1
  • Current Research on Bisexuality by Ronald C. Fox, Editor ISBN 978-1-56023-288-9

Magazines

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