My Bisexual Anthem for Bi Visibility Day
By Jacqueline…

My Bisexual Anthem for Bi Visibility Day By Jacqueline…



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My Bisexual Anthem for Bi Visibility Day

By Jacqueline Applebee

Bisexuals.

We’re not straight or gay.

Not a silent B

After this great day.

We’re out and proud,

Clothed in purple hues;

Smashing fences down

With our New Rocks boots.

Bisexuals.

Going all the way.

Not invisible.

Neither straight or gay.

Bisexuals.

Let your voices shout.

LGBT

Don’t dare leave us out!

Bi Visibility Day is here

Bi Visibility Day is here

BiCon is, we all know, Bisexual Christmas. We who celebrate it travel all over the country to go and see loads of people we never see the rest of the year, old friends, new members of the extended family, some of them drive us up the wall, one or two w...
The updated bingo card for hanging out with geeky/nerdy white…

The updated bingo card for hanging out with geeky/nerdy white…



The updated bingo card for hanging out with geeky/nerdy white folks.  Still quite British, but now 20% more clueless, privileged and racist!

The original bingo card is here

I’m still bisexual.  I’m still hanging around with geeky/nerdy white folks. I love my friends most of the time, but they also manage to piss me off on a regular basis.  Hence the extended bingo card.  It is still my major resource to surviving interactions with them with my brain intact. And without being incredibly lonely.

 

I’m going to concentrate on the centre four squares, because I actually have a job, and it ain’t this.  No further explanations of the outer boxes will be given.  Please don’t ask.

 

Game of Thrones

This show manages to tick every single box of what it is like to be on the outside of popular culture, watching horrified at the world around you.  It manages to be racist, misogynistic and triggering to survivors of violence and/or abuse.  http://smokeandstir.org/2013/06/22/game-of-thrones-racism-and-white-saviors/ 

So many white geeky/nerdy folks love this show, and will not shut the hell up about it.  Dare you complain about any of this, and you will encounter the next square on the bingo card.

 

No other black people around

You’ll probably notice how alone you are if you try to speak up about anything.  Not all white folks are racist, but the cluelessness and privelige that many have can leave you flummoxed.  Get used to explaining why things are hurtful, insulting and racist, because that will be your major contribution, whether you like it or not.

 

Steampunk

Or what happened when Goths discovered the colour brown.  Never mind that steampunk is a fictional concept, it’s a case of history repeating itself and ignoring people of colour.  Do an internet search of “Steampunk images of people” and try to find more than three people who are black.  Scroll down a good few pages.  Go on, I’ll wait for you to come back.  Not much luck?  Yeah.  I thought so.

 

Racism Apologists

I wish this wasn’t on here.  I wish I didn’t have to encounter this in almost every conversation I have with white geeky/nerdy white folks.  But I do.  Some examples I’ve personally had to grit my teeth through…

“X isn’t racist, it’s artistic.”

“X isn’t racist, it’s an accurate portrayal of the time period (even if it’s set in the future)

“X isn’t racist, because Islam isn’t a race.” (seriously, do not get me started on this one)

“X isn’t racist, because Scottish/Welsh people get called names too. Nobody starts a riot about that.”

 

Gah.

Things that didn’t make the card: Esperanto, Torture Garden club night, Richard Dawkins.

Things I removed from previous card: Slutwalk, Referencing the Guardian newspaper.

And lastly…

Bitcoin.  Seriously?  Everyone has way too much time on their hands.

Give Bi Visibility Day a little plug?

Give Bi Visibility Day a little plug?

In a little over five weeks' time it will be Bi Visibility Day.   I made a little linky graphic for the BiMedia and Bi Community News websites to highlight Bi Visibility Day and act as a link image to take people to the hub webpage about what's ha...
Vote Bi in the Gay Awards!

Vote Bi in the Gay Awards!

Please help give bisexual visibility a boost from your armchair by voting for me in this year's Homo Hero awards!

The shortlists for the annual awards have been revealed, and I'm delighted to have been shortlisted for LGB Role Model of the Year. It was all a bit of a surprise really, I knew one person had put in a nomination for me but didn't think it would go anywhere.


Why me?  Well, y'know, I've done a thing or three for the bis.  Editing a print magazine for over ten years, running a regular local social-support group for over fifteen years, organising networking and visibility at LGBT and mainstream conferences and prides, championing Bi Visibility Day, doing silly and sensible outreach and visibility work from Getting Bi to the Bisexual Recruitment Army. Being an out & proud genderqueer bi person in so many lesbian and gay focused LGBT meetings, giving neat binaries a little wobble with judicious use of the word "and" when confronted with too much of the word "either".

The Homo Hero awards are run by the Lesbian & Gay Foundation, which is the UK's largest LGB health charity, yet which doesn't have a B in its name. I'm amused at the idea of bi-ing the gay agenda of a "homo" awards do, so please help me.  It'll take a few clicks and an email address.

You can go and vote here at the Homo Heroes webpage. Role model is the third category down, where you'll find a lovely picture of me with my hair all blue and blonde.

21 people or organisations are nominated across 7 categories - you can vote for some or all of the categories, so you can just vote for me or vote in other sections too.  Two years ago there were three bi community activist nominees shortlisted - me, Natalya and Marcus - and one bi project, BCN, but last year none made the list.
I had a wonderful time at Nottinghamshire Pride.  It was the…

I had a wonderful time at Nottinghamshire Pride.  It was the…


Kat Gupta, Maryam Bibi Din & El Dia, three of the four organisers of the Community stage.


Bi badges from Uncharted Worlds. http://www.uncharted-worlds.org/identitybadges/


Pagan Pride http://www.paganpride.org.uk/pagan-pride-2013/


My British Sign Language signer was a patient soul!


Love this badge!


Two presenters from Nottingham's Trent Sound radio station


Kat enjoying the music at Nottinghamshire Pride.

I had a wonderful time at Nottinghamshire Pride.  It was the first pride festival where I performed my work.  I read my Biphobia story and my Personal Ad hell poem (I was asked to do non-smut!) on the Community stage.  It was certainly daunting to look out at all the people having picnics on the grass as I read out loud.

This was only my second time at Nottinghamshire Pride.  I got totally lost in Nottingham, but some friendly goths helped me find my way.  I felt really welcomed the whole day, which was great.

I read my pieces in the afternoon, so I had a lot of time to enjoy all the other acts including a brililant dance troupe, soulful Single Bass, and some spoken word from Seattle’s El Dia, whose Dragon Lady tune blew me away.  Maryam Bibi Din did a mythbusting piece on Queer Muslims that would have made the entire day worth it.  There was just so much to enjoy!

In memory of Harvey Milk – defending principles, fighting prejudice

In memory of Harvey Milk – defending principles, fighting prejudice

Yesterday evening, my partner and I watched the 2008 film Milk, which tells the story of the political career of San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk, America’s first openly gay elected public official. Milk was an inspirational figure who overcame prejudice and even violence during his campaigns to be elected, but was ultimately assassinated in […]