Happy Bi Visibility Day
23rd September is Bi Visibility Day, a time for bisexual people and our allies to stand up and celebrate an identity often erased and invisible in both straight and LGBT circles.
Bisexual means a person attracted to people of more than one gender. It’s also used as an umbrella term for all polysexual identities:
Tips on How to be a Bi Ally
DON’T
- say or imply that bisexuality isn’t real, doesn’t exist, or is a just phase
- say or imply that bisexuals are greedy, promiscuous, confused, indecisive, attention-seeking straight people or closeted gay people
- ask us to ‘pick a team’
- assume that we no longer identify as bi because we are in a monogamous relationship with a person of a particular gender
- ask for ‘proof’ of our identity in our current dating behaviour or past experiences
- say or imply that monosexual (straight or gay) identities are more valid.
DO
- respect people’s identities when they share them with you
- recognise that bisexuality is a spectrum, and includes a range of identities
- know that some us identify somewhere on the Kinsey Scale, and others find it outdated, binary and not reflective of our diverse identities
- call out biphobia whenever you encounter it
- inform yourself about the higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide among bisexual people and the higher rates of sexual violence and domestic abuse experienced by bisexual women
- read up on bisexual inclusion research
- take the Monosexual Privilege Checklist test
- make us a nice cup of tea.
To mark Bi Visibility Day, we’ve launched our Tackling Biphobia: A Guide for Safety Services factsheet today- check it out for information on how to approach biphobia and biphobic hate crime.
Our services:
Our hate crime casework service can give you advice, support and help if you experience homophobia, transphobia or biphobia. Click for more
Domestic abuse is any kind of threatening behaviour, violence, or abuse between people who have been intimate partners or family members. Click for more
Galop provides confidential and independent advice and support for LGBT+ people who have experienced sexual assault, abuse or violence. Click for more