With biphobia impacting many bisexuals' mental health, Bi Visibility Day is shining a spotlight on the harmful effects of discrimination
How is it that bisexuality still gets a bad rap? All too often labelled ‘greedy’ or facing daily assumptions about whether bisexuals prefer men or women, almost half of bi men and a quarter of bi women confess to feeling they can’t be open about their sexual orientation to friends and family.
Whether it’s through the lens of negative stereotypes or the lack of belief that bi people even exist, a huge proportion continue to face the harmful effects of biphobia. A recent report by Stonewall indicates 72% of bi women and 56% of bi men have battled anxiety over the last 12 months.
‘Bi people are often the forgotten part of the LGBT community’, says George Alabaster, Stonewall’s Digital Officer. ‘Our experiences are commonly assumed to be the same as lesbian and gay experiences, and our identities are frequently made invisible or dismissed as something that doesn’t exist, by people both inside and outside of this community.’
On top of this, adequate representation on screen has still a long way to go. Despite UCLA’s Williams Institute reporting bisexuals make up 52% of the LGBTQ+ community within the States, bisexual characters make up only 26% of the LGBTQ+ characters on prime time TV.
That’s why Bi Visibility Day is vital. Launched twenty one years ago, every September 23, Bi Visibility is an annual celebration of bisexuality aiming to highlight negative misconceptions fuelling biphobia. By dispelling damaging stereotypes and having more open conversations, Bi Visibility Day is all about creating safer spaces and ending discrimination.
Bi Visibility Day: how to get involved
We can’t join together IRL this year but there’s still a lot going on online this September 23.
1. Bi Visibility Day with Bi History
Join the Glasgow Zine library as it hosts Mel Reeve, founder of the Bi History project, to give a talk about the history of the bisexual community and the role of bisexual activism.
Time: 6pm – 7pm
Grab your ticket here
2. Celebrate Bisexuality Day
This discussion on being Bi and Muslim, hosted by a panel of volunteers from Hidayah, is set to explore issues of discrimination and the importance of visibility.
Time: 7pm – 8pm
Grab your ticket here
3. The Online Bi Pride Quiz
Put your Bi pride knowledge to the test by tuning into HouseProud’s Bi Pride quiz, for a fun and competitive way to meet other members of the Bi and Pansexual community.
Time: 5.30pm – 7pm
Grab your ticket here
4. Battle of the Bis: Bi Representation in Pop Culture
To combat the grim lack of representation of bisexuals in popular media, the LGBT foundation are hosting the tournament ‘Battle of the Bis’, to discuss the most iconic bi characters in film and television.
Time: 7pm – 8.30pm
Grab your ticket here
5. Bi Visibility Day 2020: Bi Basics
Bisexual activist Jen Yockney, who received an MBE in 2016 for Services To The Bisexual Community, will be hosting an online talk about bisexual life – open to anyone who is Bi or simply wants to learn a bit more.
Time: 2pm – 3pm
Grab your ticket here
* Another fantastic way to get involved with Bi Visibility Day is by supporting LGBTQ+ mental health charities, such as MindOut and Stonewall, both are working flat out to create a safe space from biphobia.
Words by Maya Coomarasamy
The post It's Bi Visibility Day and there are shocking reasons why it's more important than ever appeared first on Marie Claire.
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