Omniamory

[nycindie]

Originally Posted by nycindie

I think perhaps it would have been more correct to refer to either a bisexual culture or a bisexual rights movement.

My point was that the word "movement" implies a kind of activism and fighting or petitioning for a cause, and I thought it odd when BU mentioned a "bisexual movement" rather than "bisexual rights movement," since a movement usually stands for something (or fill in the blank: bisexual ___ movement." If there is a "bisexual movement" - what does that mean, that the movement wants everyone to be bisexual? I mean there are plenty of people who are bisexual and just living their lives, not part of any movement. So, in that sense, I posited the term "bisexual culture," in case that's what she was referring to, meaning a group of people who were following certain agreed-upon standards of acceptance in order to belong to that group. I didn't mean to say whether there was or wasn't any of those.

I cringe in the same way when people say things like the "poly movement" as if everyone who lives poly is now supposed to be marching together. I mean, in the 1960s, my great-grandmother had her boyfriend living with her and my great-grandfather. Was she part of a poly movement? Of course not. I just think that some people tend to want to jump on a bandwagon and they assume everyone else wants to, too.

[Magdlyn]

Originally Posted by nycindie

My point was that the word "movement" implies a kind of activism and fighting or petitioning for a cause, and I thought it odd when BU mentioned a "bisexual movement" rather than "bisexual rights movement," since a movement usually stands for something (or fill in the blank: bisexual ___ movement." If there is a "bisexual movement" - what does that mean, that the movement wants everyone to be bisexual? I mean there are plenty of people who are bisexual and just living their lives, not part of any movement.

I just think there needs to be a lot more awareness amongst heteros and those that are definitely gay or lesbian that bi people do exist and we are not just "greedy" or "on the fence" or "need to pick a side." This kind of black/white thinking can be hateful, is dangerous, and causes confusion and fear, leading to abuse and ostracism.

[AnnabelMore]

Originally Posted by NeonKaos

I did that for a year or two. I happened to be in love with a female so i say i " thought i was gay". But i didn"t realize i was trying to fit in, not with a gay community, but just into the world around me as a gay person, whatever the hell that was supposed to mean... I am sure this was as ridiculous then as it sounds now.

I did the exact same thing way back, it's made me that much more determined to be bi and out and proud now so that maybe other people won't think everyone has to be "one way or the other."

[BlackUnicorn]

Originally Posted by AnnabelMore

I did the exact same thing way back, it's made me that much more determined to be bi and out and proud now so that maybe other people won't think everyone has to be "one way or the other."

Ditto, and also, being involved with a man as I am, it would be a bit of a put down to say "You know, ACTUALLY I'm gay". In that book I referenced, several writers pointed out (this was back in the 90's) that there was a surprising frequency of reported sexual contact with men among women who self-IDed as lesbians, and not just prior to coming out. So at least back then, there was a large group of lesbians who slept with men and didn't want to talk about it, and the authors put this down to biphobia (argh, THAT word again ).

As to Indie's original snark, I think "bisexual inclusion/recognition movement" or "movement for bisexual inclusion/recognition" would be closest to the mark, understood as a subset of the gay rights movement.

Bi Pride!

[AnnabelMore]

I recently put a bi pride flag (big pink stripe, thin purple stripe, big blue stripe) on my car. It was a big step for me since I usually don't use my vehicle to advertise personal identity stuff, but in this case I thought the issue of visibility was important enough to make it worth it... despite the fact that most people aren't yet familiar with the bi flag, maybe curiosity will make them track it down when they see it on my car, who knows.

[TruckerPete]

Originally Posted by AnnabelMore

I recently put a bi pride flag (big pink stripe, thin purple stripe, big blue stripe) on my car. It was a big step for me since I usually don't use my vehicle to advertise personal identity stuff, but in this case I thought the issue of visibility was important enough to make it worth it... despite the fact that most people aren't yet familiar with the bi flag, maybe curiosity will make them track it down when they see it on my car, who knows.

Are bi people even familiar with this?? :P

[AnnabelMore]

Originally Posted by TruckerPete

Are bi people even familiar with this?? :P

Well maybe a few more are now if they read this post. :P

Anyways, I got the sticker at my city's pride fest, and while certainly not everyone had it multiple vendors had multiple styles of the bi flag, so it can't be *entirely* underground. They wouldn't stock it if there was no demand whatsoever. So there!

[TruckerPete]

Originally Posted by AnnabelMore

So there!

Hehehe.

[Minxxa]

Originally Posted by Magdlyn

I just think there needs to be a lot more awareness amongst heteros and those that are definitely gay or lesbian that bi people do exist and we are not just "greedy" or "on the fence" or "need to pick a side." This kind of black/white thinking can be hateful, is dangerous, and causes confusion and fear, leading to abuse and ostracism.

My two experiences from the pride weekend this summer (which I had a FABULOUS time at by the way!).

Went dancing with a group of bisexual women I know (meet on a meetup group a few years ago). We met up and had drinks and dinner, then mosied down the street and hit one club (mostly guys) early on our way to the other club that had the hot chick go-go dancers. My girls were sitting down and I went up to the bar to get a drink and a guy comes up to me and says "Did you realize this was pride weekend?"



"Ummm, yeah, thanks I did."

Because I apparently looked too hetero...

Then we got to the dance club and had a ton of fun, but one of the girls with us was this cute little newer girl, never met up with anybody before, married, younger (I think early-mid twenties). She was dancing with a girl and the girl asked her about herself and she said she was bisexual and married. The girl turned around and walked away.



Poor thing. She was so excited to be there and to meet other women. And that kind of thing happens all of the time to most of the bi women I know.

Ah well...

[River]

Yup, us bi folk often get unfriendly reactions from both gay/lesbian and straight folks.

"The girl turned around and walked away."

That's certainly no way to treat a human being!