Celebrate Bisexuality Day

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Celebrate Bisexuality Day
Bisexual Pride Flag.svg
Bisexual pride flag
Official nameCelebrate Bisexuality Day
Also calledBisexual Pride Day, Bi Visibility Day, CBD, Bisexual Pride and Bi Visibility Day, and Bisexuality+ Day
Observed byBisexual people along with their families, friends, allies and supporters
TypeCultural
Observances Teach-ins, poetry reading, concerts, festivals, parties, picnics
Date September 23
Next timeSeptember 23, 2024 (2024-09-23)
FrequencyAnnual
First time1999
Related to Bisexual Awareness Week, LGBT Pride

Celebrate Bisexuality Day (also called Bisexual Pride Day, Bi Visibility Day, CBD, Bisexual Pride and Bi Visibility Day, and Bisexuality+ Day) is observed annually on September 23 [1] to recognize and celebrate bisexual people, the bisexual community, and the history of bisexuality. [2]

Contents

History

A precursor to the first official observance came when the oldest national bisexuality organization in the United States, BiNet USA, was founded in 1990. [3] It was originally called the North American Multicultural Bisexual Network (NAMBN) and had its first meeting at the first National Bisexual Conference in America. [4]

This first conference was held in San Francisco in 1990 and sponsored by BiPOL. [3] More than 450 people attended from 20 states and 5 countries, and the mayor of San Francisco issued a proclamation "commending the bisexual rights community for its leadership in the cause of social justice" and declaring June 23, 1990, as Bisexual Pride Day. [3]

First officially observed in 1999 at the International Lesbian and Gay Association Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, [5] Celebrate Bisexuality Day [6] is the brainchild of three bisexual rights activists: Wendy Curry of Maine, Michael Page of Florida, and Gigi Raven Wilbur of Texas. [7] Wilbur said:

Ever since the Stonewall rebellion, the gay and lesbian community has grown in strength and visibility. The bisexual community also has grown in strength but in many ways we are still invisible. I too have been conditioned by society to automatically label a couple walking hand in hand as either straight or gay, depending upon the perceived gender of each person. [8]

This celebration of bisexuality in particular, as opposed to general LGBT events, was conceived as a response to the prejudice and marginalization of bisexual people by some in both the straight and greater LGBT communities. Wendy Curry said:

We were sitting around at one of the annual bi conventions, venting and someone – I think it was Gigi – said we should have a party. We all loved the great bisexual, Freddie Mercury. His birthday was in September, so why not Sept? We wanted a weekend day to ensure the most people would do something. Gigi's birthday was Sept 23rd. It fell on a weekend day, so, poof! We had a day." [9]

On September 18, 2012, Berkeley, California, became what is thought to be the first city in the U.S. to officially proclaim a day recognizing bisexuals. The Berkeley City Council unanimously and without discussion declared September 23 as Bisexual Pride and Bi Visibility Day. [10]

Tel Aviv-Yafo City Hall lighted with the colors of the bisexual flag on the bisexual visibility day, September 23, 2019 TLV city hall on the bisexual visibility day 2019.jpg
Tel Aviv-Yafo City Hall lighted with the colors of the bisexual flag on the bisexual visibility day, September 23, 2019

In 2013, on Celebrate Bisexuality Day, the White House held a closed-door meeting with almost 30 bisexual advocates so they could meet with government officials and discuss issues of specific importance to the bisexual community; this was the first bi-specific event ever hosted by any White House. [11]

On September 23, 2013, in the UK, government minister for Women and Equalities Jo Swinson MP issued a statement saying in part, "I welcome Bi Visibility Day which helps to raise awareness of the issues that bisexual people can face and provides an opportunity to celebrate diversity and focus on the B in LGB&T." [12]

A statement from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf recognizing September 23rd, 2021 as Bisexual Pride Day. TomWolfBisexualPrideDayStatement.webp
A statement from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf recognizing September 23rd, 2021 as Bisexual Pride Day.

In 2021, Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf became the first governor in the United States to issue a statement recognizing Bisexual Pride Day. [13]

Many individuals and organizations, including GLAAD, currently refer to this holiday as Bisexuality+ Day, with the inclusion of the "+" sign intended to include the broader bi+ community of people who prefer to use terms to describe their sexual orientation such as pansexual, polysexual, omnisexual, fluid, or queer. [14]

Bisexual+ Awareness Week

In 2014, BiNet USA declared the days surrounding Celebrate Bisexuality Day to be Bi Awareness Week, also called Bisexual+ Awareness Week. [15] The week begins on September 16, culminating on Celebrate Bisexuality Day. [16]

According to co-founding organization GLAAD, the goals of Bisexual+ Awareness Week include accelerating acceptance of the bisexual+ community, drawing attention to the experiences of this community, and celebrating the resiliency of the community. [17] Both allies and bisexual+ individuals are encouraged to spend the week learning about the "history, culture, community, and current policy priorities of bi+ communities". [17] Bisexual+ Awareness Week can also potentially be an important opportunity for bisexual+ individuals to help fight feelings of isolation, create more visibility for others who may be exploring their sexuality, meet other bisexual+ people, and become an integral member of the bisexual+ community by coming out or sharing their personal experiences. [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pansexuality</span> Sexual attraction to people regardless of sex or gender identity

Pansexuality is sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction towards people of all genders, or regardless of their sex or gender identity. Pansexual people might refer to themselves as gender-blind, asserting that gender and sex are not determining factors in their romantic or sexual attraction to others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bisexual flag</span> Pride flag

The bisexual flag, also called the bisexual pride flag, is a pride flag representing bisexuality, bisexual individuals and the bisexual community. The pink stripe represents attraction to the same gender, while the blue stripe represents attraction to the opposite gender. The purple stripe, the resulting "overlap" of the blue and pink stripes, represents attraction to all genders, including non-binary people and those of other gender identities.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">BiNet USA</span> American nonprofit organization

BiNet USA was an American national nonprofit bisexual community whose mission was to "facilitate the development of a cohesive network of bisexual communities, promote bisexual visibility, and collect and distribute educational information regarding bisexuality. Until 2020, BiNet USA provided a national network for bisexual organizations and individuals across the United States, and encouraged participation and organizing on local and national levels." They claimed to be the oldest national bisexuality organization in the United States. In 2020, all of the content on BiNet USA's website was replaced with a statement that the BiNet USA president, Faith Cheltenham, now identified as Christian conservative and was walking away from progressive politics entirely.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bisexual Resource Center</span> Nonprofit organization

The Bisexual Resource Center (BRC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, that has served the bisexual community since 1985. Originally known as The East Coast Bisexual Network, it incorporated in 1989 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and changed its name to the Bisexual Resource Center in 1993.

The bisexual community, also known as the bi+, m-spec, bisexual/pansexual, or bi/pan/fluid community, includes members of the LGBT community who identify as bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, polysexual and sexually fluid. As opposed to hetero- or homosexual people, people in the bisexual community experience attraction to more than one gender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendy Curry</span> American bixesual rights activist (born 1966)

Wendy Curry is an American bisexual rights activist and animal rescue advocate.

Bialogue, a portmanteau of the words bisexual and dialogue, is an American activist group that started in New York City, working on issues of local, national, and international interest to the bisexual, fluid, pansexual, queer-identified communities and their allies. Bialogue's mission is to dispel myths and stereotypes about bisexuality, address biphobia and bisexual erasure, educate the public on the facts and realities of bisexuality and advocate for the bisexual community. Its slogan is "Taking Action not just Offense".

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bisexual Awareness Week</span> Annual observance, September 16–23

The Bisexual Awareness Week, also known as #BiWeek, is an annual celebration held from September 16–23. It is an extension of Celebrate Bisexuality Day, held annually on September 23. The celebration promotes cultural acceptance of the bisexual community, as well as attempts to create a platform for advocating bisexual rights.

<i>Bi Women Quarterly</i>

Bi Women Quarterly (BWQ) is a grassroots publication that works in affiliation with the Boston Bisexual Women's Network in Boston, Massachusetts. Started in September 1983, it is the oldest running publication for bisexual women.

BECAUSE is an annual, national conference for the bisexual community and other bi+ people that takes place in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. It was founded in 1992. It has been organized by the Bisexual Organizing Project since 1999. The conference is "dedicated to building an empowered bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer, and unlabeled (bi+) community." It is the longest-running and largest conference for bi+ people in the United States.

Lesbian Visibility Week is an annual observance in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries dedicated to increasing the awareness of lesbian women and their issues. It was originally celebrated in July in 1990 in California, and more recently in April, starting with Lesbian Visibility Day on April 26. It has been celebrated in England and Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of bisexuality</span> Aspect of bisexuality history

The history of bisexuality concerns the history of the bisexual sexual orientation. Ancient and medieval history of bisexuality, when the term did not exist as such, consists of anecdotes of sexual behaviour and relationships between people of the same and different sexes. A modern definition of bisexuality began to take shape in the mid-19th century within three interconnected domains of knowledge: biology, psychology and sexuality. In modern Western culture, the term bisexual was first defined in a binary approach as a person with romantic or sexual attraction to both men and women. The term bisexual is defined later in the 20th century as a person who is sexually and/or romantically attracted to both males and females, or as a person who is sexually and/or romantically attracted to people regardless of sex or gender identity, which is sometimes termed pansexuality.

References

  1. ↑ "International Celebrate Bisexuality Day". www.timeanddate.com. Archived from the original on February 24, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2018.; Coutis, Marilaine (September 23, 2004). "Celebrate Bisexuality". gauntlet.ucalgary.ca. Archived from the original on May 20, 2007. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Press Release". Egale Canada. September 1, 2004. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2015.; "TBN: Bi Culture". torontobinet.org. Toronto Bisexual Network. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "BiNet USA". BiNet USA. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  4. ↑ "All About BiNet USA including the Fine Print". BiNet USA. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2012.; Summers, Claude J. (October 20, 2009). "BiNet USA". glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. glbtq, Inc. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Bisexuality Day Celebrated". Long Beach Post News. September 23, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  6. ↑ Bi Community Celebrates. Bay Windows; September 25, 2003, Vol. 21 Issue 41, p3-3, 1/4p
  7. ↑ Scene Around Town. Bay Windows; September 28, 2000, pN.PAG, 00p
  8. ↑ Wong, Curtis (September 24, 2013). "'Celebrate Bisexuality Day' Exists Because Of These Three LGBT Activists". The Huffington Post . Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
  9. ↑ Br. Michael C. Oboza (ret.). "Our Fence" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2015.; "A Brief History of the Bisexual Movement". BiNet USA. June 30, 1990. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Berkeley Lawmakers Recognize Bisexual Pride Day". Mercury News. The Associated Press. September 18, 2012. Archived from the original on May 18, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  11. ↑ Hutchins, Loraine (November 1, 2019). "Making Bisexuals Visible". In Crawford-Lackey, Katherine; Springate, Megan E. (eds.). Identities and Place: Changing Labels and Intersectional Communities of LGBTQ and Two-Spirit People in the United States. Berghahn Books. pp. 43–44. ISBN   978-1-78920-480-3.; "In Historic First, Bi Activists Gather at White House". bilerico.com. September 25, 2013. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2013.; "White House to hold closed-door session on bisexual issues next month". The Washington Post . August 22, 2013. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  12. ↑ "UK equalities minister welcomes Bi Visibility Day". bimedia.org. September 23, 2013. Archived from the original on August 31, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  13. ↑ "A New Bisexual Tradition? - Bi Women Quarterly". January 9, 2022. Archived from the original on January 9, 2022.
  14. ↑ "#BiWeek 2017: Celebrate Bisexuality+". GLAAD. September 11, 2017. Archived from the original on March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Bi Brigade presents: Bisexual Awareness Week! – Proud Queer (PQ Monthly – Daily Online)". PQ Monthly. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link); "Second annual Bisexual Awareness Week to held Sept. 20 – 26; events across U.S. and online". LGBT Weekly. February 14, 2011. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  16. ↑ Valenski, Alicia (September 16, 2020). "9 Things You Shouldn't Say to a Bisexual Woman in a Relationship with a Man". Elite Daily. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  17. 1 2 "#BiWeek 2017: Celebrate Bisexuality+". GLAAD. September 11, 2017. Archived from the original on March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  18. ↑ Zane, Zachary. "The 'B' in LGBT: Why Bisexual Awareness Week Matters". OUT Magazine. Here Publishing, Inc. Archived from the original on March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
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