Bridging the gap between bi+ men and gay men.
Did you know that bi+ people make up more than half of the LG&B community? Or that only around 25% of the 'out' bi+ people are men?
Bi+ people exist. And despite the concept of multi-gendered attraction being around since pretty much the dawn of time, there’s still so many misconceptions about it, with a lot of bi+ folks encountering biphobia, stigma and discrimination far too often.
In an effort to dispel some of the myths and start a discourse about bi inclusivity, our Ambassadors Steve Spencer, a bi+ man living with HIV and Simon Dunn, a gay man and ally to bi+ people and people living with HIV, got together for a candid conversation about all things bi+.
Video:
A coming out story
When I first started going out way back in 2002, I came out as bi. I was told by all the gay guys I was building friendships with that I “had to choose” and that I “wasn’t really bi”. They all believed that being bi was just a step on the journey to being 'fully gay'.
So, being a baby faced 19 year old with a desperate need to belong, I believed them, denied my bisexuality and began to identify as gay. The fear of not being accepted and ‘fitting in’ was terrifying.
Things may have been different if I had found the community that exists today when I was younger, had friends like Simon Dunn that are allies and Bicons like Steve Spencer to look up to.
Where am I at today?
I sit somewhere on the spectrum of sexuality and prefer not to identify. Being in a wonderful, loving relationship with a man, I often find myself identifying as gay. But that’s not truly all I am.
And for me, these days it doesn’t matter so much because I’ve found my tribe of people and they love me for who I am, not who I’m attracted to or sleep with.
But I know that for many, it matters a lot.
So it's up to us to change the narrative. When someone says they’re bi (or any other sexuality), I just support them to be who they are. Because I've been in the position of my sexuality being questioned and joked about. It's not fun.
There's plenty of room in this rainbow community for all of us. We all belong as we are and no one has the right to take our identity away from us.
Happy Bi Visibility Day!
The Bi+ Community
There is a vibrant, colourful and proud community of bi+ people to reach out to and become a part of:
Sydney Bi+ Network: https://sydneybiplusnetwork.org/
Melbourne Bisexual Network: https://www.melbournebisexualnetwork.com/
