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Poorer mental health in UK bisexual women than lesbians

Poorer mental health in UK bisexual women than lesbians: evidence from the UK 2007 Stonewall Women's Health Survey
J Public Health (2015)
doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdu105
First published online: January 13, 2015
Lisa Colledge, Research Assistant, Ford Hickson, Lecturer, David Reid, Research Fellow and Peter Weatherburn, Senior Lecturer

http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/01/07/pubmed.fdu105

( Read more... )

Picked up so far by Bi Community News:
http://bicommunitynews.co.uk/2942/new-report-highlights-bi-womens-health-challenges/

and also:
Daily Mail - ‎Jan 13, 2015‎

Medscape

Jewish Business News

Science 2.0

Medical Daily

International Business Times AU

Medical Xpress

The HealthSite

6 Minutes (AU)

West an online newspaper aimed at providing the latest breaking news on welfare policies

Free Press Journal (IN)

Science Codex

Press release at EurekAlert

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Photos from the Southwark Bi-Visibility talk

Photos from the Southwark Bi-Visibility talk http://www.absolutqueer.com/photos/index.php?/category/403 videos here: vimeo.com/channels/821654 comments

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Photos from the Southwark Bi-Visibility talk

Photos from the Southwark Bi-Visibility talk http://www.absolutqueer.com/photos/index.php?/category/403 videos here: vimeo.com/channels/821654 comments

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Bi-Visibility to Bi-Inclusion

I was at "From Bi-Visibility to Bi-Inclusion: A Discussion" Hosted by Gracey Morgan at Southwark council with lots of support from the local LGBT network.The basics of what I said: What we are aiming for: pretty much for bi people to have good lives re...

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Bi-Visibility to Bi-Inclusion

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101 bi community things to have done

Courtesy of a double expresso: Some bisexuality project stuff from my head:

1. Baby BiCon: a look back at the younger people's Bi event, ask young bis if they would like something similar, if so, find a couple of youth workers to facilitate?

2. Bi youth: resource for youth workers / teachers etc?

3. Bi bus: touring bisexuals in a big bi bus visiting a town or village near you

4. The anon: whisper / secret / Experience Project etc. online and in sex spaces around the country bi people make themselves known anonymously. Who are they and what if anything would they like to have a happier life?

5. Discreet meetup: a lunch or after work meetup could allow people who don't want to be out to meet other bisexuals in a "normal" environment.

6. Bi music event: there are some excellent bi musicians and bands with bi followings. We could have a concert / gig / album

7. Connecting via music: We could have a radio programme / podcast of bi relevant music through the years

8. Bi books: the same thing, books important to bisexuals; meet at the library

9. Zines: so many bi zines and difficult to find older ones.

10. Bi TV / films: Film festival? Gaps for a new one?

11. Bi theatre: BiCon the Opera anyone?

12. Bi art of other types: sculpture? Paintings? Photography?

13. New bi book: already happening!

14. New music: any good bands out there doing bi relevant stuff?

15. New film / video: recording is cheap for basic stuff. Who writes screenplays or wants to get some facts across?

16. Where do we search, what do we find? Do we contact assorted "communities" of bis online? What do searches find?

17. Fundraising: let's do some?

18. International BiCon: It has been a while. How about organising mostly remotely? site? Travel funds?

19. EuroBiCon: Happening! Do we want a travel fund to get people from every European country?

20. Crossover: disability (people in both, being bi in disabled communities / scenarios, being disabled in bi spaces – access, prejudice)

21. Crossover: race / ethnicity

22. Crossover: Age

23. Crossover: Gender reassignment

24. Crossover: Marriage and civil partnership

25. Crossover: Pregnancy and maternity

26. Crossover: Class

27. Crossover: Religion and belief – for each and for none

28. Crossover: Gender - sexism in the world and in bi spaces

29. Crossover: Sexual orientation – biphobia, homophobia by and to us

30. Mapping privilege – where are we on the pyramids? How do we measure this? How to change?

31. Bi history – preserving and selecting from now, preserving older stuff, learning from and being entertained by it.

32. Science! What causes sexuality, fluidity, homophobia, biphobia – what do we know, what do we want to know?

33. Other crossovers? Where are we? BDSM, academia?, queer DIY? SF? Poly? Goth? Bears?

34. Stuff we do that isn't bi but we do a lot of: poly, some anti-oppression – transferable skills

35. Help? Helplines, centres, therapists, friends..

36. Language: words we use, changes, want, non-verbals

37. Languages: UK, Euro, world -‘terps and translators

38. Infrastructure: Good pop-up events with minimal admin?

39. Innovation: support and train and safety net the next set of ideas

40. Bi businesses?

41. Bi in the workplace – corporations, charities, civil service, voluntary, unions

42. Bi and mental health – disorders, experiences (I'm doing some of this one)

43. Looking in depth into worries about bi life

44. Looking in depth into dreams and utopias: what we want the world to be like

45. Longer term campaigning? What would we work on for years, decades?

46. Bi and queer and pan and omni – working out community connections / arguments

47. Bi academia – what are you doing? Informing whom?

48. What evidence base do we need? How do we justify our group needs?

49. Testing our assumptions: checking myths etc. of our own.

50. BiFests: thoughts and reflections

51. How do we measure how well our stuff goes? Cost / benefit?

52. Most annoying things in bi life? To fix.

53. Most happy things in bi life? To celebrate and do more of.

54. Mediation and group dynamics. How do we do conflict?

55. Professional help – what could we fund bis to do or buy in?

56. Diversity: What are we missing?

57. Why are we (individually) doing organising and participation?

58. Humour – where are good bi jokes?

59. Dating, sex, relationships: how to find others, make connections, navigate relationships

60. Bi Groups: could / should / do we want to / does anyone want to have more, fewer, different?

61. Not having martyrs – asking, passing on, dropping, pausing, 2nd level support for busy bisexuals

62. BCN: Been going a while. Thoughts and reflections?

63. BiCon: We already talk about this a lot.

64. Politics: Do we have space within community for political debate? Rules of engagement?

65. Lobbying: who and why?

66. Big Bi Fun Day: Reflections. Similar elsewhere too?

67. Online "community" – where and how do we want to keep in touch?

68. Prides

69. Students (working with NUS, local universities, internationals)

70. Schools – what do we want taught (formally and informally)

71. Threats (SWAT) and paranoia where threats are in fact mild

72. Mainstream, fashion, cool stuff and how we interact with it

73. Niche places: how we interact with non mainstream unfashionable and uncool

74. Books: are bi books on the shelves in homes, libraries and bookshelves

75. Journal of bisexuality: How is it? Much UK involvement?

76. BDSM bisexuals: been two, probably will be more. Thoughts and reflections and budded off projects

77. IDAHO(BBIT): International anti biphobia

78. ILGA

79. EU / UK initiatives

80. Diasporas and travellers and migrants

81. AIB etc. other bi orgs in other countries

82. Bi.org, bimedia, bicon websites control or contribute a lot too: refresh, keep, delete?

83. Bi Continuity: Our charity and company. Next steps?

84. UK regions: Belfast, Aberdeen, Exeter - where do we rarely if ever go in any organised fashion?

85. News – do we have any or any comments on it?

86. New media – bis on whatever the cool new thing is. Gaming say.

87. Stopping stuff: What do we want to stop doing or have others cease and desist?

88. Enemies / misguided friends: interventions and strategies

89. Our own place: Do we want something with a bit of permanence? A holiday home, a club, our own castle?

90. Our bi myths and traditions – amusements, cliques, history, desire for some?

91. Bi other things: biracial etc. picking up on themes from the first bi books

92. Visitors and connectors: shall we send a delegation? Should we invite excellent people to visit UK?

93. Good health – smoke, cars, fitness?, alcohol, other drugs

94. Being happy! Do it, show it

95. Outsiders and outcasts, what do we reject / hide? Scapegoating

96. Bi style, fashion, signifiers.

97. Being sold to advertise? Capitalism and the bi.

98. Being objectified? Exotic? Nice to be wanted but... How do we deal with?

99. Commercial sex: what do we do as sexworkers or clients?

100. Generations: parent, grandparent, mentor, elder roles? Needing more care. Death?

101. Celebrating bisexuality / noticing the bis day. Coming up soon. What about next year?

Perhaps I should chill out and stop doing this sort of list and thinking and just enjoy life?

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101 bi community things to have done

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British Queer History book

Anyone read "British Queer History: New Approaches and Perspectives" by Brian Lewis?http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/cgi-bin/indexer?product=9780719088940There being nothing for bisexuality in the index didn't fill me with hope. comments

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British Queer History book

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Class and bisexuality

Whenever we look at protected strands, for example code of conduct, BiCon guidelines and feminism or anti-racism discussions we seem to mention class. Most recently I've often seen words like intersectionality and privilege. I’m liking the feeling of trust I have with so many people that we are trying to be expressive and supportive and practical.

Intersectionality absolutely makes sense to me. We are part of many overlapping groups and all have a place in the unequal power landscape in each of the protected characteristics. Part of my learning is spotting my own place and that I’m in there and can label that and not just be the “normal” and others are “ethnic “ or old people or some labelled group. It makes sense that each of our personal environments are combinations and some things come to the fore in some places. I’m used to this happening being the “cyclist” or the “vegetarian” and the “bisexual”

I am a bit wary of this stuff. Partially I’m dealing with my own discomfort around being in the power-over position and acting following my prejudices and biases and harming other people. I need to go deal with that and certainly not expect people I am channeled to punch down towards to use their energy supporting me.

I’m aware of previous anti-oppression arguments and more importantly styles and (mis)representations. I’m aware of stereotyping and ridiculing of say radical feminists and how those conversations, newspapers and cartoons probably shape what I think of as history. I find myself avoiding aligning myself with a ridiculed group and thus are separated from them and we are divided. Humour can also sharply make great points, particularly about ourselves.

I then don’t want to expose my ignorance. I also have the unearned privilege of being able to choose not to spend my time correcting my historical understanding. Right now I’m choosing to focus on the present and future. I am OK being challenged on that choice.

I hope this will be a space to open up a little about my ignorance because it will help me work out how to change it and perhaps give a view into the process of change that others can analyse. I hope that people make an informed choice whether to read this and I do not take up space from the less privileged to muse over my privileged position.

So, in my ignorance I spot the term “multiple oppression” and it sounds a bit dated. Again, “dated” is a dismissal in my aim towards being modern. I know this isn't a thought out position and that is a problem. That noted, I’ll still say it rather than ignore it because it is a bit embarrassing and so perpetuate it. I also note the term “oppression bingo” and give it no more space than that.

I think that modelling lots of axes of oppression can be done to try to understand and change it (kyriarchy, My Gender Workbook spring to mind) and can also be good to get away from compartmentalising everything and losing cross domain learning and solidarity and ignoring intersections and so losing people in the gaps who are most hurt by this stuff.
I also wonder with any model to what extent it models reality, what it is for: what aspects of the world are we highlighting and comparing and putting together or differentiating and why. Is this pyramid supposed to correctly model everybody’s experience? If not, whose does it model and who is not included? Where’s the evidence of fit to the world? Does it fit for me and those I interact with? Also, is my mathematical and sciency tendency towards graphy models the best way to look at this stuff. It certainly isn't the only way and human social interactions can be described in prose and poetry and meditated over without words and form the powerful stuff of art and music and drama and fiction. The science white coat isn't the only thing to wear and I’m aware it is more embraced or more rejected by some as true.

I’m aware some people are more affected by some prejudices than others. Some seem to cause more harm at times than others and to different people. People have differing levels of knowledge and focus. I don’t want to pull energy from other fights for my struggles of personal interest. I am aware everyone has limited resources. I’m also aware my resources come partially from a history of oppression and unearned privilege and may be gained and used every day in ways that harm others.

I’ll admit right here that the word “privilege” passes my eyes and ears many days and doesn't engage with my brain. Partially that happens to any commonly used word: under/over definition as general semantics would say (a big part of how I interpret the world)

I reject single radix politics: that every problem comes down to one fundamental thing.

I read of that single root idea mainly from Marxism – that oppressions come from a more basic class struggle and capitalism is named. I find a certain brand of communist activist, while aligned with my thinking in some ways and when our aims intersect, really boring. I’m also highly critical of the idea that things not being right should be allowed or encouraged to build up to a sufficient head of steam to power a revolution. I and my world are not your cannon fodder. That said, I don’t think the economic and class status quo is OK, particularly for queers. Neither do I have a clear idea of how to fix that.

I’d like to know more about anarchist and feminist and Quaker and non-violence and other methods of building change so the ends and the means both do good and not harm.

So: the thing I was trying to get to when I started this: CLASS.

I hear class highlighted when we look through the lens of official protected characteristics and it isn't there. I hear it rejected with gusto both by people who reject socialism and people who want to keep an apolitical position and not take up term that favour the left.

I read older bi texts and there is an affinity with certain political parties. Then I read of accessibility and wanting a broad community and welcoming all. Then I read of important differences and oppressions being glossed over for the sake of unity or drama avoidance or the unacceptable being thrown under a bus for the rights of the already slightly more powerful. Then I read of history of homophobia from all parties and support from all and the struggle to rewrite and selectively highlight history to favour a favourite political position. Then I hear politics and think of pointless student posturing and then I think of politicians: Then I get angry and distracted or turned off an bored and I don’t want to so…

Back to CLASS.

I hear it strongly attached to race in US and international context.

I hear it from working class folks and people who work with them.

I know some of the places I've been and places I go are very class based. I probably get manipulated all of the time by advertisers trying to play on my class desires and fears.
I ask every now and then about reading on class and get few suggestions outside of Engels or blogs which are interesting but very US context based and also are blogs, not a collected and structured resource or marshalled teaching or argument like a good book. I also wonder if I’m making excuses not to engage.

I’m aware my own class background is a bit weird. I’m generally wary, and with good reason, of being labelled by others and so I’m also wary of asking others to tell me what class I am and what that means.

I've read Watching the English.

I want to read more and understand this more and talk about this more and understand my position in the landscape of class and what that means I do and have done to me and what I might want to change about all that.

What do I do now?

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