Bi Visibility Day and politics
Posted inbi ldb

Bi Visibility Day and politics

It's fab to see that once again bi activists were invited to a roundtable debate at the White House this Bi Visibility Day.But what about here?I took to twitter to see the engagement from political groupingsLib Dems: Now a long time ago - in the 90s I ...
BiCon 2015Inclusivity has always been at the heart of my values….
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BiCon 2015Inclusivity has always been at the heart of my values….















BiCon 2015

Inclusivity has always been at the heart of my values.  I’ve felt like I don’t belong, been actiely erased, dismissed and ignored for years.  BiCon, and the Bi’s of Colour group has helped combat the loneliness and isolation and otherness I’ve felt in a big way.  It’s why BiCon is the highlight of the year for me and so many others.

This year I gave a presentation with two other bisexuals of colour on what we have been up to as a group for the last five years, since the group’s formation.  It was wonderful to see how things had changed, and how much more of an accepting place BiCon has become.  But more needs to change.  During the weekend, I was spoken to in a really harsh manner by a few people who treated me like a research subject, instead of a human being.  The middle-class, white, academic bias many attendees have ingrained in their psyche, was something I found disappointing.  This came to the fore, both in casual meetups over lunch and dinner, and also in a few workshops (especially the nonbinary gender one).

There were some wonderful things that eclipsed the bad this year: there were 19 bisexuals of colour in attendance at the Bi’s of Colour session.  We raised £190 for the Bi’s of Colour History Project www.gofundme.com/bochistory , and the Steven Universe Sing-along was one of the most enjoyable sessions I’ve taken part in!


BiCon 2015 took place in Nottingham University.

BiCon 2016 will be at the University of Preston.

My speech at Leeds Pride
Posted inbi invisi-bi-lity lgbt visibility

My speech at Leeds Pride


I had the delight of being among the speakers on the main stage at Leeds Pride yesterday.  Here's  what I had to say to the crowd:

"Hello Leeds!  Are you having a good Pride?

​"​My first Pride was in London in 1993, and in those days it was called Lesbian and Gay Pride. I thought: I'm not a lesbian, I'm not gay, I'm bisexual and genderqueer, am I wanted and included in this?  I went along and hoped bisexual would be "gay enough". I didn't know it back then but Pride was invented by a bisexual woman, Brenda Howard, so if you're still in any doubt about the bisexuals being here - at this party, we're definitely on the guest list.

​"​I'm delighted to be here on behalf of Leeds Bi Group, which celebrates its first birthday this month having been formed at the national bisexual festival BiCon a year ago.  If you're bi and in or around Leeds join us at Mesmac, 7pm the second Wednesday of every month.  They say bisexuals want to have their cake and eat it, which is a strange slur, but if you want to bring us cake we're good with that.
​
"​Pride can be an exhilarating event, and I remember the tears I cried at my first one just being surrounded by so many other queer people for the first time.  But it's just one day.

​"The rest of the year there are groups all across the country like Leeds Bi Group making a space where it's OK to be bisexual - in a world that still wants us to fit a simple box of gay or straight.
​
"And we sadly need it. Half of gay and lesbian people think they can't be out about their sexuality at work.  Bi women are only half as likely as lesbians to feel they can be out at work.  For Bi men that falls to just one in eight.

"We may have nearly-equal marriage but in mental health, in experience of violence and more, we have so much still to do. Bisexual, transgender, lesbian or gay, we still die younger than our heterosexual cisgender friends, and that has to change.

​"But that's the fight for tomorrow and the rest of the year. Be proud and have a wonderful Pride today."
Sighing for the Summer
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Sighing for the Summer

Remember how a few years back Katy Perry earwormed everyone for a couple of months with the titillating "try-bi" fluff that was "I kissed a girl and I liked it / hope my boyfriend don't mind it"?It seems we're there again with a hyped new single from D...
#BiVolunteer
Posted inbi ldb

#BiVolunteer

Last week was Volunteers' Week. I was being a "bad volunteer" as some I know see it - too busy being ill, and in bed for a couple of days, so I didn't do much beyond day job, eat and sleep that week.  Oh, I ran a bi social/support group for an evening.  I knew there was something.

But I tweeted:
#ivolunteer with projects working on issues around #bisexuality like @BiPhoria @BiCommunityNews as they're things I needed when coming out
— Jen Yockney (@jenyockney) June 2, 2015
I could have named more projects and expanded on the theme a little but, y'know, 140 characters and all that.

I prefer "bi volunteering" to "bi activism" as a phrase at the moment. It sounds a bit more... accessible?  Anyone can be a volunteer, but activists must have sekrit superpowers.

The main lesson I've learned on volunteeringy activist doodah was from Natalya, whose wisdom is that you should do the volunteering that you enjoy and find least taxing. It is the one you are most likely to still want to do when doing it involves the equivalent of standing in the sleet at a bus stop on an evening in January when you could be warm and dry at home.

What bi volunteering would you like to do?
200
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200

BiCon 2015's bookings have just passed the 200 mark with 11 weeks to go. Rah rah them, etc.But it does take me back to the first time I ran a BiCon, in 2000. When we hit the 200 mark, which in round numbers was about a month out, we had to drop the rem...
2015 saw the 6th year of Big Bi Fun Day.  A suny day in…
Posted inbi bisexual bisexuality leicester lgbt

2015 saw the 6th year of Big Bi Fun Day.  A suny day in…











2015 saw the 6th year of Big Bi Fun Day.  A suny day in Leicester saw over thirty people enjoying this relaxed, family-friendly event.  There was picnics on the grass, games to enjoy and even some free jewellery in the quiet room!

Hannah has taken over the running of this annual event, as Sanji, the original organiser has moved out of the area.  I am really happy that this great day will continue.  So next year, why not come along to Big Bi Fun Day?  It really does live up to its name!

I have a range of zines available on Etsy….
Posted inAgeing bi bisexuality body positive gender nonbinary polyamory vegan

I have a range of zines available on Etsy….



I have a range of zines available on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ApplestoZines?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Subjects include 

Gender questioning,

Vegan and Gluten free cooking (with TWO vegan erotic stories included)

Body Image, fatness and blackness

Surviving Child Abuse

Polyamory Love poems

Ageing as a bisexual person.


All of these zines are at a low price.  I can post out all over the world!