Bisexual Awareness Week and Celebrate Bisexuality Day

Bisexual Awareness Week (#BiWeek) takes place every year from September 16th – 23rd and culminates in Celebrate Bisexuality Day, which is always on the 23rd and was first celebrated in 1999 by the International Lesbian and Gay Association Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa and has been an annual celebration for the Bisexual community ever since.

Bisexual Awareness Week was founded by GLAAD and BiNet USA to highlight Bisexual people’s specific challenges and promote understanding within both heterosexual and the LGBTQ+ communities. It's is a time for Bisexuals to feel a sense of community and for other LGBTQ+ people and allies to show solidarity. This can be achieved through education and engaging with bi-led events.

It's also a great opportunity for businesses to implement positive changes in their workplaces, to ensure that Bisexual employees feel seen and respected. Bisexual Awareness Week is particularly important to those Bisexuals who may be perceived as straight because they’re currently in a straight-presenting relationship. It is a reminder that there is no one idea of what a Bisexual person can look like, and that their identities should be honoured in the workplace and in society in general.

Corporations can use Bisexual Awareness Week as a time to prioritise diversity and inclusion training through educational events and activities, and to show their Bisexual employees of all genders that their issues matter.

Despite the prefix “bi” meaning two, Bisexuality does not in any way reinforce the gender binary. The definition of Bisexual has evolved over time. Historically, when gender was understood as a binary, Bisexual meant an attraction to both men and women.

But as the concept of gender binary has been consigned to history, Bisexuality is now defined as attraction to more than one sex or gender. For example, Bisexual Resource Center board member Gabrielle Blonder’s definition of Bisexuality is “attracted to genders like mine and genders different from mine.” This inclusive definition validates the existence of those identifying under trans or the non-binary umbrellas.

Non-bi people often confuse Bisexuality with Pansexuality, and many Bi people do use the two terms interchangeably, but Pansexuality is seen as an attraction to people regardless of their gender, whereas Bisexuality is the attraction to multiple genders, and in many cases bi people may have a gender preference.

It is important to respect the history and evolution of the Bisexual identity - which was introduced in the 1970s by activists to distinguish themselves as a group from lesbians and gay men – and that many of these activists were powerful supporters of trans and gender non-conforming people. Language is constantly evolving; the important thing is that Bisexuals and those identifying outside of the gender binary should support each other and co-exist within the LGBTQ+ community.

According to a recent Gallup poll, over half of all LGBTQ+ people identify as Bisexual. So the community is huge. And yet there is still so much ignorance of what it means to be Bisexual. So promoting awareness is critical.

Bisexual people face specific problems compared to other groups in the LGBTQ+ community. For example, many people accuse Bisexuals of just “going through a phase,” that they are really gay or straight. One of the worst tropes that Bisexual people have to deal with is that they are being “greedy”, “promiscuous” or that they’ll “always be unfaithful” to their partner. All of these are completely untrue.

It’s an uncomfortable fact that Bisexuals don’t just face discrimination from heterosexual people, but from within the LGBTQ+ community too. Stonewall’s Bi Report shows that bi people often report not feeling welcome in LGBTQ+ spaces. In fact, 43% of bi people have never attended an LGBTQ+ space or event, compared to 29% of gay men and lesbians.

Unlike lesbians and gay men, Bisexual people can experience erasure or straight-washing when in heterosexual-presenting relationships. Bisexual erasure can affect men and women differently, with Bisexual men tending to be perceived as gay, and Bisexual women as straight.

So Bisexual awareness is crucial to help recognize the issues faced and reduce stigma in straight and gay communities alike.

Many people use Bisexual Awareness Week to come out or publicly show their Bisexual pride. But it’s important to note that not every Bisexual or queer person feels comfortable to be open about their identity.

For them, Bisexual Awareness Week can be a useful tool to see widespread support and feel inspired to share their story, or even just see how their friends and family feel about the topic.

In a political moment in which right-wing governments are taking away LGBTQ+ rights, the need for Bisexual Awareness is more palpable than ever.

Frida Kahlo (1907 – 1954)

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her self-portraits and magical realist style. Her work has become iconic and beloved around the world. She was a Communist and fought passionately for women’s rights and racial equality. She was open about her romantic and sexual relationships with men and women.

She once said: “Take a lover who looks at you like maybe you are magic.”

You can find in-person events in your local area, for example talks about Bisexuality, Bisexual themed movie nights or book clubs. You can participate in social media, for example sharing anything from educational content to just fun selfies to show your authentic Bisexual experience.

If you are Bisexual, this week is all about celebrating yourself and the community. If you’re an ally, you can use this time to share enlightening resources and appreciate the Bisexual people in your life. You can uplift Bisexual voices and activism by reposting and retweeting, or showing up to events. You can sign petitions for Bisexual equality and rights.

If you’d like to post about Bi issues on social media use the hashtags #biweek and #Bisexualawarenessweek and #BAW23.

Make sure your workplace knows about Bisexual Awareness Week and even arrange events or talks with bi people or Bisexual advocates, to educate others about these important issues.

You can wear clothing, accessories or pin badges with positive bi messages or pride flags to show your support and start a conversation.

There are lots of other ways that you can support your Bisexual friends, not just this week, but every day.

• Learn about Bisexual identities by reading the books listed above or by seeking out online resources that tell you first hand accounts of the challenges Bi people face. 
   
• It’s important to uplift the voices of Bisexual people, so talk to Bi friends or acquaintances and listen properly to their stories about their lived experiences.
   
• Follow, like, and repost the Bisexual people you encounter on social media.
   
• At work make sure you support Bi colleagues and vocally advocate for Bisexual supportive policies and practices.

Bisexual Real Talk

Bisexual Brunch  

The Bisexual Agenda