Bi Community News (BCN) UK bisexual magazine summer 2016

Issue 137 Summer 2016 ISSN 1757-6938

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Bi Community News

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Issue 137 Summer 2016

Time for a sharp Brexit?

What will voting to leave the EU mean for UK bis?

On June 23rd the UK voted to leave the European Union - by a slender 4% margin, which the ‘leave’ campaign had argued would not be a large enough margin of victory to be respected had it gone the other way.

However as we go to press that looks like enough of a margin that ‘Brexit’ will go ahead. What might it mean for bi and wider LGBT+ rights in the UK? Over the past twenty years the UK’s position in the EU and as part of other European institutions has been a key driver of LGBT equalities. Europe, rather than Westminster, enabled us to equalise the age of consent back in the 1990s and to end the ban on bi and gay people serving in the armed forces. It gave us legal equality in the workplace, even if the legislative change is only part of that battle.

Civil partnerships and same-sex marriage may have started here, but other rights were achieved through a combination of UK and European work.

In recent times the EU has been the focus of getting mutual recognition of same-sex partnerships between nations, and enabling families who move from one member state to another to have things like parenting rights respected. While progress with some member states is frustratingly slow, achieving such mutual recognition outside the union will most likely be even slower.

Just two years ago it was the European Court of Justice that ruled bi and gay asylum seekers should not be expected to produce photo or video

evidence of same-sex sexual activity to prove their claims.

Cover: Jude & Ellie from CoverBis at BiCon, photo by Mat

It’s unlikely we will see a roll-back of the legal equalities we have achieved so far. The cross-party consensus on things like same-sex marriage is made even stronger through the growing number of openly bi and gay people in political life - as a proportion we have more out MPs than any other country, and the Scottish Parliament elections in May were notable for the Labour and Tory leaders both posing for the press with their same-sex partners on polling day.

Future BCN Copy Dates: #138 August 19th, 2016 #139 October 10th, 2016 Please note that these dates are always subject to change!

More likely in the short term are cuts to services or the erosion of general workers rights that we now have regardless of sexuality in the face of a likely new recession, when we were scarcely over the last one. As more government spending will have to go to servicing the national debt, expect less for everything else.

Given how bi people are more likely to be on low incomes or suffer health problems, changes like those would not be anti-LGBT in intent or framing but would disproportionately affect us.

But for the longer term, losing the European dimension is likely to slow the pace of equalities.

And a potential loss of freedom of movement within the EU could mean that if you meet the love of your life at EuroBiCon it becomes that much more difficult to stay with them.

For now, we mostly just can’t tell. It’s all too soon. But it’s more likely to make things worse than better.

Disclaimer, Credits & Contact Info The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, publishers or printers.

Responsibility cannot be taken for the accuracy of statements made by contributors or for verification of material sent in. Nothing in this publication should be taken as implying anything about the sexuality of any person. © 2016 Copyright of all material reverts to author. We will publish news, articles and letters. We reserve the right to edit, and not to include work. Note: BCN back issues are published online, which means that it is accessible by search engines. Please make sure you use a pseudonym if you want to avoid the possibility of your name being found.

Postal address: BM Ribbit, London WC1N 3XX. Website: www.bicommunitynews.co.uk Submissions, letters etc - email: editor@bicommunitynews.co.uk Moved house? Tell us by emailing: subs@bicommunitynews.co.uk Editor & Layout: Jen Yockney Finance: Katie M Contributors this issue: Emily, Holly, Jen, Jen Y, Kirsti, Lynsey.

They’re all wonderful.

We’d like more contributors to spreasd the load, though, so please do get writing (also cartooning, photographing & more!)

Newsbites Bi Lambda Books

In the excitement of the Bi Book Awards last issue we missed their LGBT counterparts, the Lammys. Bi category winners this year were: Bisexual Fiction: The Life and Death of Sophie Stark, by Anna North, published Penguin Random House/Blue Rider Press Bisexual Nonfiction: Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham, by Emily Bingham, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Post BiCon Brunch Coming back down from BiCon can be a bump, and the same goes for Pride. So Leeds Bi Group will host a post BiCon and Pride brunch on Monday 8th August from 930-1230.

Leeds Pride is the same weekend as BiCon this year. More info: www.leedsbigroup.org.uk

European Divide The Council of the European Union has passed a paper on advocating LGBTI rights for the first time. This should pin down that our rights are inherently human rights and so protected in member states.

However it proved controversial in pro-equalities circles though due to the inclusion of a clause arguing that such rights should be delivered while “fully respecting the Member States’ competences, national identities and constitutional traditions”.

It won’t take much for a traditionalist government to claim that bisexual erasure, transphobia, or “marriage is for one man and one woman” are part of their national identity and traditionally a constititional postition.

So perhaps just a small step forward.

Calling Derbyshire

Bi Gong The Queen’s Birthday Honours List included Bi Community News editor and longstanding bi grassroots volunteer Jen Yockney.

Jen receives an MBE for her contribution to the bisexual community over the past two decades - it’s the first time an honours citation has been specifically for “B” rather than LGBT. Mx Yockney’s work, including taking the helm here at BCN for more than a decade, includes leading the UK’s longest-running bisexual group BiPhoria, and the bi history project.

As well as breaking new ground for recognition of bi work it’s also believed to be the first time the title Mx has appeared on the twice-yearly Buckingham Palace missive.

Derby Friend want to help start up a local bi group. But they need bis to make it happen! Could it be you... Email SuzanneFM@derbyshirelgbt.org.uk

Playing The Sterotype Card Remember a how 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"?

Last summer it was the turn of Demi Lovato, whose “Take me down into your paradise / Don't be scared cause I'm your body type” prettied up bisexuality in much the same way.

It may be becoming an annual affair. This year it’s Alicia Champion, whose “I’m so bi” song explains “I’m so bi / I want them all / The girls and guys”.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a bit of lecherous promiscuity, for myself. But this is just playing the insatiable so-horny-I’ll-even-do-this stereotype.

Whatever happened to the cool positive bi songs?

Bi MediaProperly Watch BiTV! Our BiMediaWatch column is often wading through television to find the hint of bisexuality and wonder whether the word will actually get used (hello Orange is the New Black). So it was a pleasant change when Mentorn got in touch about making a short for digital TV station BBC Three about bisexuality, which came out this spring. A programme about bi life!

And thanks to the iPlayer and social media, it’s still out there to watch: four minutes long so nicely bitesized for a social media audience. Look for Things Not To Say To Someone Who's Bisexual or find it via the BCN website at www.bicommunitynews.co.uk/4868/ The show presented an assortment of ‘ordinary bi people’ talking about being bi, about working out you’re bisexual, and interacting with the rest of the world as a bi person. Its format is friendly discussion in pairs, rather than the more sensationalised reports we’ve seen from other quarters over the years, which was a welcome change.

BCN caught up with the producer Lucy Allan, who told us: “People who are bisexual are in a unique position where they experience discrimination not only from straight people, but also from the gay community.

“We wanted to give them a voice, and make a funny and insightful film about what it's like being bisexual.

Hopefully it will encourage everyone, including the LGBT+ community, to get a little better at "respecting the B".”

Fab. More of this sort of thing, please Auntie!

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Sense8: Merie Wallace / Netflix

Sense8 is a science fiction series made for Netflix by the Wachowski siblings (who brought us The Matrix) along with BAFTA-nominated screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski (who created Babylon 5 and wrote The Amazing Spider-Man comic book series), which won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series this year.

The series focuses on a group of eight characters from different cultures around the world who are drawn together when they all see a vision of a woman’s violent death. This turns out to be Angelica who dies to protect the eight “sensates” (yes, the title is a play on words) from being discovered by Whispers, who is unveiled over the twelve episodes as a sensate turned sensate hunter and a very bad man! Through seeing this vision, the eight realise that they are connected both mentally and emotionally and that they can communicate with each other and utilise each other’s language and skills. As the series progresses, this turns out to be very handy indeed!

Riley (Tuppence Middleton), a cop from Chicago named Will (Brian J. Smith), Capheus (Aml Ameen) the Nairobi matatu driver, Sun (Doona Bae) a Seoul-based businesswoman, Kala (Tina Desai) a chemist from Mumbai who is about to get married, and Wolfgang (Max Riemelt) the German thief and safe cracker.

As well as being a science fiction show, Sense8 explores subjects which have typically not had as direct a profile in other science fiction shows – AIDS, religion, politics, identity and sexuality all feature throughout the series, in our own world rather than through allegory. The show isn’t a “traditional” science fiction show by any means – the characters are normal people going through their daily lives, who are psychically linked together. The “rules” of how the characters are linked and interact are almost deliberately confusing, and it takes some time to figure out how it all works. That’s one of the best (or worst!) things about the show, though – you aren’t being handed the answers on a plate, you have to work to understand who can see who and what interactions are possible between the eight. A little hint of insight into the world of the “sensate” is given in episode two, but it’s not until episode four that there is a significant explanation of what it means to be a “sensate”.

Although there are no overtly bi characters yet, a variety of actors were filmed kissing each other during Sao Paulo Pride in late May, so I have high hopes for some bi recognition in series two which is due to air around Christmas time. If you want to see an introduction trailer for each character then you can find some really good ones at http://crum.pl/meetTheSense8 The screenwriters have mapped out a five year

Sense8: Murray Close / Netflix

The first three episodes focus on building the story and may seem a bit confusing at first as you are bombarded with new characters and story lines. This was a deliberate plot by the writers as they felt the confusion of the main characters should be felt by the audience too. There are a number of LGBT characters in Sense8 but as the series is written by two trans women that is to be expected. Firstly there is Nomi, played by Jamie Clayton. A trans woman who was told by her parents that there was “something wrong with someone like me”, she is a blogger and hacker living with her girlfriend Amanita (Freema Agyeman) in San Francisco. Lots of people have suggested that Amanita is bisexual, but that hasn’t been explicitly stated – yet. You also have Lito (Migueal Angel Silvestre) who is a closeted gay telenovela actor and his boyfriend Hernando.

The other characters include London-based DJ

Bi Media

plan for the show, including the final episode of that final series – I can’t wait for series two to return next year.

Lynsey Over on Channel 5 Person of Interest reached its fourth season, with one more to go before it all wraps up. Like Sense8 this is a nearly-currentworld sci-fi show, exploring what might happen if anti-terrorist intelligent databases were put to other uses.

It’s high on shootouts and espionage and low on romance as a show, so it was a bit of a surprise when episode 11 opened up the potential romance between Root (Amy Acker) and Sameen (Sarah Shahi). Be warned though, this show looks like it is going to bounce around the worn story of samesex love being tragic with at least one of them winding up dead.

As we go to press the new season of Orange is the New Black just went live on Netflix. OITNB has a complicated track record: quite a bit of behavioural bisexuality but nary a mention of that awkward ‘b’ word. Let’s just say it’s more of the same. Still, good fun often-queer telly.

Also on Netflix we at last have Glee-like comedy Crazy Ex Girlfriend airing in the UK. Or whatever the on-demand equivalent is called. Notable for a remarkably positive depiction of a bisexual man working out his sexual orientation.

Over in the inky print media, Out magazine reported that Whitney Houston's ex husband Bobby Brown has been talking about how Whitney had an affair with her assistant Robyn Crawford.

This one puzzled me as news: I could have sworn it was all over the press about twenty years ago.

Perhaps it was because of an interview with Out she gave in 2000 where she said, "If I was gay, I would be proud to tell you, ‘cause I ain’t that kind of girl to say, 'Naw, that ain’t me.’ The thing that hurt me the most was that they tried to pin something on me that I was not. My mother raised me to never, ever be ashamed of what I am. But I’m not a lesbian, darling. I’m not."

Of course, assuming she was bi, that was not a word of a lie. Hardly her fault that a journalist

didn't ask the appropriate follow-up question.

Meanwhile the Guardian met Desmond Tutu's daughter, Mpho Tutu van Furth, whose same-sex marriage cost her her vocation as a priest.

"My father campaigned for women’s ordination, and so every time I stand at the altar I know that this is part of his legacy. And it is painful, a very odd pain, to step down, to step back from exercising my priestly ministry,” she told them.

While same-sex marriage is legal in South Africa, where she lives, the Anglican church there holds to one of the many historic definitions of marriage, determined that it be a mixed-sex affair.

Married to a man she met a woman with whom she slowly fell in love. She makes an interesting case as a reluctant user of the word bi though: “It was a matter of realising I was in love. If I have to wear a label, and if it makes a difference to wear a label, then maybe I’m willing to wear the label of being bisexual.

“But I almost wear the label under protest because it makes sex the centre of our relationship. Sex is not the centre of our relationship although it is significant – I’m not trying to pretend that I’m celibate, but for us it’s not the defining aspect of our relationship.

“What defines our relationship is that we love each other, that we enjoy each other’s company, we are mutually respectful, mutually supportive. It’s those things that really matter the most in the relationship – and in any relationship.”

It's an interesting question about bisexuality; barring "bi" as shorthand, we lack a neat non-sex word akin to gay or lesbian. Is that part of what puts people off?

Jen

Sarah Shahi in Person of Interest courtesy Channel 5

Watch

Square-eyed and proud, our ongoing quest to find good bi representation in the media...

After Orlando Holly writes on the morning the news broke of the Orlando LGBT club shootings I’ve done some amateur research on bisexuality and mental health. I feel like I’ve said a million times that bisexuals experience worse mental health than lesbian, gay or straight people.

This morning I feel like I’m contributing to that statistic.

Lots of people are saying the victims of Orlando’s queer nightclub shooting died because of who they love. don’t just love love. love queens & bulldykes & trans people who don’t pass. love is unkillable, but humans? we need that support to survive — (((Jay Rachel))) (@RaeBeta) June 13, 2016 My parents know who I love. (Well, they don’t know everybody I love, but that’s less to do with being bi than being poly.) But they don’t know how tough a few days this has been for me and mine.

never know what a great talent she has for ominous e-mail subject lines.) And it’s not like the little bubble of understanding and pain and grief and love I’ve coccooned myself in over the past few days. It’s small declarative sentences that, as always with this rural-Minnesota Guess/Offer culture, don’t seem harsh or difficult in themselves…but in which as a native of that culture I read guilt and accusation.

And it’s all too much and I crumble.

I started crying, not really about the e-mail but about loss and pain and despair and loneliness and whitewashing and gaywashing and ciswashing and all the secondary traumas. I cried because I couldn’t tell my parents this, I cried because I can’t tell them I’m bi and most of my friends are queer. I cried not because they don’t know who I love but they don’t know who I am.

This is what being bi is. It’s not threesomes or cheating or fancying everyone or being greedy or indecisive. (Of course, some bisexuals will do and be those things, but so will plenty of straight or gay people!) It’s not even about who I love.

It’s a friend of mine and her different-gender partner getting biphobia at a vigil last night for being perceived as a straight couple intruding on a queer event. It’s being told I “pass” for straight or have “straight privilege” for being married to someone of a different gender, as if being forced back into the closet is a privilege instead of a harm to my mental health. I can talk to my parents about who I love (they always ask about him anyway, if they haven’t talked to him first), but I can’t talk to them about the rest of what being bisexual is like.

I don’t know what they learned about the shooting from TV news; I don’t know what they think about it.

If the news is really as keen as people are complaining about it being to erase the LGBT+ identities of the people shot, if they’re really making it all about Isalmophobia, that’ll probably work on my There are no employment protections in the state of Florida for LGBT people, nothing stopping the mom, at least. survivors of the weekend’s attack from being fired on But I know that when they bug me to talk on Skype Monday. This isn’t just about how they love, it’s about and I make excuses, or when they call and I’m not jobs and housing and everything that it’s okay to here because I’m holding hands with strangers (which deny people.

I really liked! holding hands is something so practical you make little kids do it when you’re going to cross a I always tell people who say I can’t be bi and married road, and something so affectionate that it’s felt like that they can be gay (for some reason it is usually crossing some kind of threshold in nascent romances gay men who tell me this, though it’d work as well with “straight” here of course) and single. We are who when I was younger) and then that I’m in the pub we are all the time, not just when we’re crushing on with my friends and even if we’re talking about someone, or shagging them, or dating them. politics and work and partners like usual, we’re all There’s a lot of rhetoric about people being unfairly particularly in need of hugs and company this targeted because of “what genitals they like” or “who evening. The unspoken agreement on this makes it they love,” but it’s about much more than genitals feel different, even if we’re not outwardly behaving and even more than love. And this is actually any differently. enshrined in a UK legal judgment! In a 2010 asylum And I pick up my phone this morning to check just case, the expectation that gay men could return to how unnaturally early I’ve woken up (5:37) and my Iran or Cameroon and be safe from persecution as phone also tells me I’ve got an e-mail from my long as they “lived discreetly” was acknowledged to parents, subject line “You.” (My mom will probably

For an IDAHOBIT stall this year, Leeds Bi Group decided to have an interactive poster with the Kinseyish Scale on it.

The idea was to get people to think about where on the scale they feel they are and which label(s) they use for themselves.

We tweaked Alfred Kinsey’s well known scale slightly by taking out the numbers and changing the wording to “exclusively attracted to same gender/exclusively attracted to different gender”. We did this to try and make it as open to interpretation as possible and to help generate discussion.

different labels for what may seem to be the same thing.

You can be bisexual and homoromantic, asexual and biromantic, you can be all the way at one end of the scale and be gay or nudge your way along the scale acknowledging the potential for attraction to a different gender and still be gay. You can also be at that same, not quite end of the line spot (say a Kinsey 5.5) and identify as bi.

We saw a range of people in the middle section, those who in our interpretation identify as being attracted to more than one gender.

The poster worked well as a talking The labels they choose included a point and helped encourage people number of “bi”, a few “pansexual”, “a bit wibbly wobbly” and to engage with our stall. It was great to discuss the different types “everyone is beautiful”. There were also two people, “unlabelled” and of attraction such as sexual and “bi – regardless of gender” that romantic and you might be at felt they did not want to link their different parts of the scale label to the scale. depending on the type of attraction. How labels are personal Now, we know this is not a quality labels are and the same space on piece of research; if it was we the scale can have different labels, would be declaring only one in 35 even those that might be people in our city identify as conflicting. And how people use straight! Clearly this is not true, be a form of persecution itself. One of the judges in the case, Lord Rodgers, said In short, what is protected is the applicant’s right to live freely and openly as a gay man. That involves a wide spectrum of conduct, going well beyond conduct designed to attract sexual partners and maintain relationships with them. To illustrate the point with trivial stereotypical examples from British society: just as male heterosexuals are free to enjoy themselves playing rugby, drinking beer and talking about girls with their mates, so male homosexuals are to be free to enjoy themselves going to Kylie concerts, drinking exotically coloured cocktails and talking about boys with their straight female mates.

I’m in no way insinuating that my parents not knowing I’m bi leads to anything like the same kind of discretion as living in a country where my life would be in danger for it, yet it helps me to know that people recognize “living discreetly” amounts to a

but hopefully we managed to provide an interesting discussion for some and a little education for others.

It was great to talk to people who identify similarly to myself but use different labels, or no labels at all.

This is something that seems to be on the increase and though I worry slightly that the political standpoint of “bisexual” may become confused or diluted with the use of different labels, it is great to see diversity and a range of people who are confident about their orientation.

Some people worry about “label wars” and I think there is some good that can come out of such debates. Personally, the only time that this seems to be a problem is when we try to impose our labels on others.

In an ideal world, I would love to see more role models identifying as bi and an increased use of the Bisexual Index’s definition of bi as “someone who is attracted to more than one gender” within the media instead of the binary “attracted to men and women” that is often used.

Emily

kind of persecution itself.

It’s an insidious one, too, because it has to be constantly self-monitored. You end up with a little model of biphobia (or homophobia) running in your head all the time. Such hyper-vigilance is well-known to be a detriment to mental health. And when it becomes a habit to anticipate potential threats in order to be able to control one’s reaction to them, it’s both mentally and emotionally exhausting. Your brain gets so good at this, sometimes it can think of ways to hate, criticise, or police yourself that your enemies would never dream up.

I think this is part of the reason why bisexuals overall experience more mental health difficulties than gay, lesbian or straight people.

“Love is love” is deeply upsetting.

Trans / queer people don’t face violence simply because of who we love.

— VIVEK SHRAYA (@vivekshraya) June 12, 2016

BiCon & Prides It was a good opportunity to share ideas about where we can go for funding. For example I didn’t know, you can actually ask the European Union for funding, it's knowing where to look. Also networking on things like sharing resources and equipment, rather than separate prides all owning their own PA equipment for instance. One company or one lot of travelling stuff could help keep the costs down.

Can the wider bi scene take anything from it?

I was involved with the Wolverhampton bi group and maybe bi groups can learn from that collective buying kind of thing too.

We caught up with Andre from Wolverhampton, Android fanboy, sex educator (amateur class), sometime local bi group organiser - and the bi rep to a national conference on LGBT Prides.

Hello Andre! So what’s this Prides conference all about?

Two things I raised - the first bisexuality obviously but the other was people of colour and different faith groups, because a lot of Prides are organised by a small group of people, often white gay people, and people - bi, people of colour, the trans community can feel forgotten. In some areas that's not reflecting the local queer population which is more diverse, and how to get that in there, in the marketing, and in who shows up. It’s not like I want quotas but bearing in mind the queer community is more diverse than the organising team.

Hi there. It was a kind of Prides networking event in Manchester - which I came to be involved in through BiCon volunteering. It all started at last year's BiCon when I volunteered for the 2017 team. Since then I’ve For me as a black person who is queer, it's a challenge had to drop out but even so I was asked if I would - I often say I’m a minority in a minority in a represent BiCons at this conference. minority. It can be quite scary, like the only black So who else was there? person in the village. Often people don't want to be The big prides - Manchester, London, Leeds, but also a the pioneer, the first person who will get more lot of small ones like Cumbria all sorts - plus regional trouble. But I know, I don’t want to have the prides and a delegation from trans pride event Sparkle responsibility on my shoulders as a person of colour to be the mouthpiece for the whole bi community but as well as myself for BiCon. I think it's important to speak out, to say we exist The idea of the day was to have all the big and small and we have needs and desires too.

Prides getting together to share ideas and discuss the Did you get to teach as well as learn through the future of Prides as well - where we are going. I was course of the day? kind of the token bisexual.

In this age of austerity a lot of Prides have lost some Yes - I was surprised how receptive different pride of their funding from local authorities, and so more so organisers were to bisexuality. I gave a bit of a speech in the Q&A session about the importance of can be competing against other prides for bisexuals in LGBT pride. I gave my two cents about sponsorship. So for instance Birmingham might sign up a corporate sponsor to make up for loss of council the use of gay as an overarching label for pride funding, but then that might mean its harder for say calling it “gay pride” and because of that it being read as gay men or gay men and lesbians. It’s all Walsall or Wolverhampton. So part was building about interpretation but I think it’s important to say connections and part trying not to do harm to each that we’re welcome at Pride. other and find access to funds.

I think it’s important to realise other things within Also we talked about what Pride is, a protest, a the LGBT the BT is still a bit of an afterthought, in celebration, a bit of both, about visibility or what. planning stages and at pride. Its important they know And trying to put the B into LGBTQ as well. we exist and in fairness that it’s not easy as the bi

community can be very underground. I appreciate not every pride can guarantee representation from every corner and nor should it do or most pride events would never happen. But they need to know we exist and I found they were very receptive to that.

One thing you mentioned - the range of Prides from Carlisle to London. Were there areas we can learn from them for BiCon in its role as almost Bisexual Pride.

I think it'd be useful to have some continuity at our end, to keep being involved with this pride networking event if it keeps going so we are there to keep pressing. It might have costs but one or two people being there year after year.

Its a tough one, a bit of a chicken and egg paradox for the bi community - until more of us are open and visible its hard for Pride to reach and engage us or to have the impetus to feel they have to. It's a bit like, growing up I didn't see many black queer people Its interesting, BiCon is a conference, a dedicated growing up, so I assumed they don’t exist. To get group in a dedicated space. Whereas Prides tend to be more people out and confident you needed more more public, even if in community centres and pubs. people out and confident.

Should, could, BiCon have a parade in a host city or So it could be from the Pride end, the pride organisers reach out to local media and do things beyond the working to get them on board. But it will be hard campus where its based? I think the visibility is work. It may be a challenge, but I see so many young important bit. But how we would do it I don't know. people at prides - with bisexual and pansexual flags It would be good if the host city, the community or things are changing for the better. queer community there were reached out to and to But there is biphobia, and people in committed know that it was happening. BiCon is here, in your relationships, for example in what to the outside town. looks like a gay couple, where maybe a bi partner is Where does it go from here? pressured not to connect with bi groups or be openly bi.

There's another such event coming up soon to progress the ideas from the first one but the problem Thanks so much. Keep pressing them for us! is that some prides are constituted, some aren’t, organisers come and go.

Bringing Is it just for people from the EU? (And if so, as the UK has just voted to leave are we still allowed in!?)

Brexit is not Bixit. EuroBiCon is still for Ahead of the third Europe-wide conference on everyone interested from every corner of the bisexuality, we caught up with EuroBiCon team world. If you're exploring your sexual and gender member Hilde - who was also on the team for the identity, want to feel at home in a mainly nonfirst EBC back in 2001. binary and gender diverse zone, this should be a safe space for you. For the future of bi activism Its been a long time since EBC in Dublin - 13 in Europe we focused on representatives from European groups and other initiatives. It might years! - what prompted bringing EuroBiCon be possible that if we succeed in obtaining back? subsidies from the European Union someday, for EuroBiCon is back, thanks to our friends from example for peer education and other training Amsterdam Pride. They were very eager to win goals, there might be limitations for attendees. the EuroPride 2016 bid from Barcelona and to But for now: feel welcome everyone, Join our take this awesome multi-week LGBT+ festival to VisiBility!

Amsterdam. Irene Hemelaar, the Director of How many people are you expecting?

LGBTQ+ content for Amsterdam Pride is aware of We expect about 200 attendees. Hopefully even diversity issues and invited the Dutch Bisexual Network to suggest a bisexual programme, so to more. Many people can't afford the travels, a place to stay and the fee for a conference. Lack say to ‘put the B in LGBT*’. of financial resources is the main reason of When I heard Amsterdam had won, back in absence that I heard from bisexuals, LGBTQ+ September 2013, I rang Erwin Heyl, who wrote activists and other interested people who'd just the bisexual part in the bid. It's a go, have you love to attend. seen it, it's a go! OMG - I was so emotional. I knew we would face a lot of work. But we Is it mostly for activists who organise bi decided to team up for better and for worse. So things in their own corner of Europe or for here we are and the EuroBiCon is really 'ordinary' bisexuals? happening.

So activists are extraordinary? Sounds like extra It's quite soon now. Is there a final date terrestrial *laughs*. The programmes of both the when people need to book by, or can they EuroBiReCon and EuroBiCon will attract all kinds just come along on the day and register then? of people. The best selling ticket is the combination of both events. So the academics Bookings are still open. Maybe the might have to adjust their language to people EuroBiResearch Conference will announce some who are interested in research methods and limitations at the end, because otherwise the results, but who are not used to attending such rooms they've booked at the University will presentations. The workshops during EuroBiCon become too packed, but not EuroBiCon itself. are very diverse. We have non-binary tantra, but You can just come along and buy your ticket. We also the brainstorm Bisexuality in Europe Vision have multiple days tickets, day tickets and 2020. We have To Vlog or Not To Vlog, but also tickets for the EuroBiCon Party.

Bi Europe Together

Flashback to EuroBiCon 2001: right, workshops; far right, an imposing podium for the opening speaker; above, organising team close the event

discussions about the intersections between bisexuality and transgender.

What are some of the sessions or speakers you're most looking forward to?

I'm looking forward to so many sessions! The health one on bisexuality and addiction, the one on bisexual asylum seekers, the outcome of the workshop in which attendees make a positive affirmative video on bisexuality, the panel Putting the B in LGBT* with bisexuals from five different, European countries telling and showing their view on successful bi projects...

So many of them look so sparkling promising!

It's impossible to attend them all. Choice stress ahead!

In who is coming and the subjects that will be addressed, is it mostly UK / Germany / Netherlands or more of a mix from across the continent?

This is a mix from across the continent.

Workshop hosts are mainly Dutch, but their topics are without frontiers.

If anyone's thinking that it would be great to bring EuroBiCon to their city or country what do they need to do?

Join or gather bi, pan and other people who love more than one gender, and start a cooperation. The people who join are at best when they know what they are doing, and are willing to learn. So please find people who are in the top of their powers in their expertise.

Before you start volunteering in such a big project, it would be wise to know why you are doing this. For with all the differences among the members of a core committee, you might get blown away by emotions of all kind, that happen in the heat of the moment during organising.

Self knowledge about your own goal in this project is needed to get back on track after an emotional rollercoaster.

Thanks Hilde! Good luck, we’re looking forward to it...

Hilde Vossen is #StillBisexual. Co-founder and Coordinator of the European Bisexual Network for Activists (EuroBiNet). Co-producer of the first and the third European Bisexual Conference. Bi News Editor for the Dutch Bisexual Network (LNBi). Coordinator of the local LGBT + QIAP drink Queer aan Zee in The Hague. Loves to bring people together to make them as happy as they can be.

Sexed-up Report Two dollops of news from the Terence Higgins Trust this month.

First the trust has warned of a ‘sexual health crisis’ unless the government and local authorities do everything they can to fully fund sexual health services and make sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing as simple and accessible as possible.

Dr. Michael Brady, Medical Director at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: ‘We’re concerned to see alarming inequalities in the distribution of STIs across the population. Young people, and men who have sex with men, are still bearing the brunt of STIs and poor sexual health, with people under the age of 25 accounting for 65% of all new STI diagnoses last year.

‘Meanwhile men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected by STIs accounting for 79% of all syphilis diagnoses, and 55% of all cases of gonorrhoea – both of which have risen sharply. This is increasingly worrying as we are starting to see a strain of gonorrhoea which is resistant to one of the two antibiotics used to treat the infection.

‘We’ve also seen that chlamydia continues to be the most common STI in England, particularly affecting young people. It is therefore concerning to see that testing for chlamydia is on the decline, particularly in community settings.

Which leads us to the THT’s newly published report looking at current experience of teaching on gender, sexuality and relationships in schools.

about sex ed in schools is reminiscing about a time when teachers had good reason not to be good at it due to laws like section 28 preventing open discussion.

The report argues that sex and relationship education should now be covering safe sex, sex and pleasure, consent, teenage pregnancy, the contraceptive pill, the morning after pill, condoms, STIs and oral sex.

Well, the old clause may be long gone but the news from under-25s is not as good as it surely should be. Whatever they were taught about the physical side of sex, only one in four said they had ever touched on the issue of consent.

Barely one in twenty reported they had been taught about ‘LGBT sex and relationships’ and around one in fifteen learned anything about being transgender.

One in three took away some kind of learning about HIV, and one in nine said they had learned about sex in the context of pleasure as opposed to simple mechanics.

Read the report in full at tinyurl.com/shhnotalking

Shh... No Talking is fascinating, perhaps moreso for those of us old enough that talking

Your bi press needs you!

B

C N

Write-ups of bi and related events - Clippings, TV news and quotes for the Bi Media Watch pages - News from around the UK bi scene - How BiCon or EuroBiCon was for you - Photos - Cover Bis - Your joys and rants It’s the journal of (y)our community. Shape it.

To contribute to BCN, email: editor@bicommunitynews.co.uk

Fixation

Bi Short fiction

part six

The following weekend, round at Robbie's flat, I was just plucking up the courage to tell him what had happened between me and Arabella when I was thrown off course by the leisurely emergence of an unashamedly tousle-haired woman from Robbie's bedroom. I raised an eyebrow at him. He just smiled back in his infuriating way, so I decided to push my luck.

'Did you, you know?' I mouthed, my back to the guest as she took a seat on the sofa.

Robbie wrinkled his nose. 'Don't be ridiculous,' he said, as I snorted, unable to pretend I was serious any longer. Of course they hadn't, I knew that, but she certainly seemed to have slept over.

'Yasmin,' he said, raising his voice, 'this is my sister, Morgan, who seems to have forgotten her manners.'

'Hiya! Great to meet you!' She patted the sofa cushion next to her. 'Come and talk to me while Robbie makes us lunch.'

Yasmin turned out to be cheerful and bubbly, without being annoyingly so, and as much as I wanted to dislike her, the way Robbie seemed to have taken against Arabella, I found I couldn’t. We chatted about her job in retail – although she didn't tell me, then, where exactly she worked, which somehow didn't strike me as odd – and my parttime, unpaid occupation as a sorceress's apprentice.

It turned out she'd met Robbie when she'd popped out on her lunch break and found 'this cute guy ahead of me in the queue', she said, before apologising and acknowledging I probably found it a bit weird to hear her talk about my brother like that. They'd bonded over the selection of vegetarian sandwiches, and agreed to meet up later for a drink.

I smiled and nodded, genuinely pleased and undeniably nosy about this woman who'd made her way into Robbie's bedroom and probably, perhaps unfortunately, into his heart.

Over lunch, the conversation turned to the absent guest.

'Where's Pop? What does xe actually do with xemself?' I asked, wondering whether xe'd continue to be welcome if Yasmin became a more regular fixture in the flat.

'Dunno. Xe's not exactly forthcoming,' said Robbie. A loud rapping on the door interrupted him.

'Speak of the devil.'

Pop wandered in, looking slightly spaced out, as ever. Xe removed xyr hat, and swept a grand bow in our direction.

'How would all of your good selves be inclined towards a short voyage through the ether?' xe asked. Xyr faux old-fashioned accent was starting to grate on me, and I wasn't sure how this supposed trip would work. I'd given up on the idea that Pop worked in film promotion, or family fun days, and now suspected xe was just a bit out of it. Although that didn't explain the spangly special effects from the day xyr ship had landed.

'Sure, sounds like fun,' said Yasmin, who seemed to have been briefed about Pop. 'Where are we going? Or should I say when? I don't mean when are we going,' she added hurriedly, 'I mean when are we going to?'

'The glorious era of the Knights of the Round Table?' I suggested. 'Or the future, to the age of cheap commercial space travel and colonisation of the moon?' I tried not to sound too sarcastic. I suppose where I actually wanted to go was the world depicted in Robbie's inked designs, the world of swashbuckling high seas and smartphones, yo-hoho and all mod cons.

'Whichever you like, my good people. Only first, we must find the central widget from the ship's calibrometer.'

I sighed. Clearly the offer had been too good to be true, and might be mysteriously forgotten about once we had tracked down the whatever-itwas. I recalled Robbie's drawing: half star, half wheel, with a piece of gold chain attached.

'We should first investigate the site of the unfortunate marooning of my ship,' xe continued.

I made my excuses and left, reluctantly accepting that the chance to quiz Robbie about his new friend had gone.

New? Catch up on past installments on www.bicommunitynews.co.uk/fixation

All the latest research This month’s first set of new bi statistics come from the USA where researchers at Columbia University have been pondering why bisexual men might stay in the closet.

203 behaviourally bi men were interviewed, all over 18 and living in the New York area. All reported having had male and female sexual partners within the previous twelve months.

Many BCN readers will be able to guess and often empathise with the reasons they gave for not being out to all the people in their lives. à Previous negative reactions to coming out à Negative attitudes to homosexuality / bisexuality expressed by family, friends and partners à (Similarly) negative attitudes in the cultural or religious backgrounds of those people à Expected negative responses: coming out will only cause trouble à Anticipated impact on relationships This last reason was found to be mainly relationships with female partners, however since bi people are statistically likely to be in mixed-gender relationships, it’s not clear if that is simply due to the pattern of relationships among people being interviewed.

“the current findings provide new insights into why non-disclosure could result in greater emotional distress.”

Full research paper: psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/201234986-001/ Meanwhile the dating app Her polled 3,000 users about Pride festivals. With three quarters saying there was a local Pride in their area and nine out of ten thinking the events are important, more than half had no intention of attending.

While a little over a third of the sample said they didn’t feel like they were welcome at Pride, or that they didn’t feel they were represented at Pride, that rose to 47% of queer-identifying and 57% of biidentifying women.

This is US research again. Lots of bi groups run stalls or wave banners at pride events around the UK. Does that mean we’re foolish to take bi presences into prides, or that doing so helps change them for people who have not yet been put off?

And analysis of the US’s National Health Interview Survey showed bi people have worse health than gay or straight people. The JAMA Internal Medicine journal looked at 67,150 respondents comments with a little over 500 apiece of those identifying as gay, straight and bi.

Interestingly among respondents - and against the “confused bisexual” stereotype - it wasn’t about being uncertain of their real attractions or having a strong belief in being ‘heterosexual really’.

17% of the heterosexual men had at least moderate psychological distress, which rose to 26% of gay men and 40% of bisexual men. For female respondents that went from 22% straight to 28% of lesbians, but 46% of bi women.

Researcher Eric W Schrimshaw commented that “Our results clearly identify the need for public education campaigns to dispel myths about bisexual men—that bisexual men are not gay, do not have HIV, and are not necessarily non-monogamous.”

Nashville-based researcher Gilbert Gonzales told Reuters Health that the health disparities were most likely due to the stress of being a minority, in turn among bisexual people, who may not be accepted by gay or ‘LGBT’ communities and spaces.

Schrimshaw’s previous research has suggested that bi men’s higher levels of poor mental health may be a result of keeping their sexual orientation private and the emotional energy spent doing that. He observes,

With the growth in bi visibility and reduction in legal discrimination through things like same-sex marriage we can hope for the gap to slowly reduce.

Bookish?

It’s a well-paced story, and even having followed the bill quite closely - read each press release, watched many hours of Commons and Lords debates - there were still plenty of things in the book I didn’t know about or had only been able to guess at during the long legislative process.

because of a troubled childhood and abuse. It doesn't excuse his behaviour but does go some way to explaining it. He is a heavy drug user so consider this if that is a trigger for you.

He has the dilemma of “These homosexuals will be sorry who to date when he finds himself drawn to they started this,” declares a Equal Ever After Ariana, an American representative of the Evangelical designer on holiday in

by Lynne Featherstone Alliance early on, convinced that marriage will be a step too far that Spain but also to Jakob, This is the book of the story of a Danish chemical the same-sex marriage bill. Think alienates the general public. Yet engineer. of it as kinda the book of the film. once things are forced to a vote in Everything you remember, a couple the Lords the heart goes out of the Most of the book is believable at a of subplots you totally missed, and anti campaign; they fight almost to stretch but the couple of scenes the end but after the first vote on involving Ariana when she goes some explanations of bits you a wrecking amendment they know back to her hotel room and the didn’t quite understand at the they will lose by a country mile. hospital afterwards are completely time. It’s told by the junior inconceivable. If you experienced minister who piloted the bill into You’ll probably enjoy the Lords law, so this is pretty much the debate exploring whether Baroness that in real life (no spoilers here) definitive insider behind-theStowell could marry George Clooney then there is no way that you scenes tale. and what would happen if either of would be casually talking about meeting up for drinks in the future them then jumped into bed with Same-sex marriage had been as if nothing had happened.

Lord Alli. mooted for a long time, but this story picks up the plot just before It’s remarkably generous in sharing I'm a writer of fan fiction and I know that it can be hard to write the 2010 General Election with around the credit for what was sex scenes without resorting to PinkNews interviewing the major achieved, but being told from a party leaders and asking what they Westminster bubble it sadly blanks clichés and trite descriptions of thought of same-sex marriage. out the parallel stories in Northern genitals and what the characters are doing with said genitals but They were each at least not hostile Ireland and Scotland completely. to the cause, and so when There’s the odd mistake but in the Fox doesn't seem to try to avoid unexpectedly thrust from thirdround the story is being told soon this. Perhaps this is the vibe to the party spokesperson to junior enough after the fact for myth and story that Fox was going for, but I prefer my sex scenes written minister Lynne saw the opportunity forgetfulness not to creep in. As to push something through and books go it’s a little bit niche, but without cliché and more accurately. plug one of the big remaining gaps at the same time a great telling of At times I found myself thinking “no, that just wouldn't work like in LGB equality legislation. how we got very near equality in that!” which meant that the There are fights inside and outside marriage just when we were least enjoyment I got from reading the government, between the coalition expecting it. book was mainly through my parties and with the opposition, Jen increasing incredulity as the story and exploration of what a minister progressed.

Toby by Fox Emerson can and can’t get away with. By All in all Fox has written a readable relating the pressures for and Toby is the third book from Fox story but I couldn't get past the against we are shown where the Emerson and is the story of the fact that the only character with large, well-funded but poorly titular character and his any depth, and therefore likeable, directed anti campaign C4M shot escapades as a bisexual sex was Jakob. The idea for the story is itself in the foot. The rise and fall worker in Barcelona. Toby from good but it hasn't been executed of the prospect of changing UK the outset isn't a likeable character well here, which is a shame. civil partnership law is woven into but as the story progresses you this tale as well.

Lynsey find out that he acts like he does

Easy bi volunteering

To some people, “bisexual activism” sounds hard, something for a confident few.

It’s part of why I’ve tried to stop calling it that and calling it volunteering instead: after all most bi stuff in the UK is all about unpaid efforts for the wider good! And it’s not so difficult to get involved in bisexual volunteering.

I’ve picked up two bits of - I think - good advice.

The first is to ask yourself how much time you really have to spare for this; the other is to pick things you’ll enjoy doing, as you’re more likely to be able to motivate yourself to carry on doing those than things that you don’t enjoy but feel a sense of obligation.

So suppose you had ten minutes to spare to help the bi movement, not every day or every week, just now and again… what could you do? * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Come out to someone Put up a poster Email a newspaper Write a short blogpost (or share someone else’s!)

Talk to a friend Donate to a bi organisation Read a web forum or mailing list Make another activist a cuppa Make a badge Sign a petition Take & tweet a photo of something bi-related Talk to people at work Steal someone else’s idea

* Put on a bi t-shirt or badge * Request a bi-related book at the library * Proof read something * Drop off flyers en route somewhere * Introduce yourself to another bi volunteer and ask how you can help each other next time you have ten minutes to spare OK, suppose you could spare an hour or so, perhaps every couple of months… so just a few times a year… * Attend something – bi group, LG group etc * Read BCN * Blog or write something substantial - say a writeup of BiCon or EuroBiCon - and send it in for the next BCN * Write a short article or a press release whether for BCN, the L/G or wider press * Engage in a discussion on a web forum * Make a few dozen badges * Other craft activity e.g. making bi-flag coloured friendship bracelet * Drop off flyers * Write to your MP or council(lor) on a bi issue * Be the out bi person at a meeting

“Help Us Give Better Advice”

Another print run of popular coming-out guide Getting Bi In A Gay / Straight World is planned, and BiPhoria would like your thoughts on how to improve it.

The booklet is based on the questions people most often ask when they first get in touch with bi groups and support projects.

Over 15,000 copies of the pocket-sized publication have already found homes. If you’ve never seen it take a look at tinyurl.com/gettingbi2011 and send any feedback on how it might be improved via the website www.biphoria.org.uk To give you a flavour of it, below is the page on who to come out to...

Suppose you had a bit more time than that and could give over a day, once every few months…. * * * * * * *

Write a longer article Attend a BiFest Go on a flyering run of likely venues Run a workshop at a group or event Make posters, flyers or teeshirts Go on a Pride march Run a stall at Pride or something non-LGBT like a local international women’s week event * Work with others on making a bi banner Say you get hooked by the change-the-bi-world bug and decide that you can give it a day or a night once each month…. * Attend or run a local bi group * Design, then print, then distribute, a new poster campaign * Do lots of the things that take ten minutes or an hour! * Be a bi rep at a non-bi organisation * Work on a chapter for a book * Maintain a bi website * Research bi history * Translate resources into another language you are fluent in * Put on a fundraising event for a bi organisation * Do a photo shoot for online / printed resources * Co-ordinate other people’s activism eg by taking turns to write a column for a local gay paper Email us with your other suggestions!

NO-ONE You don’t have to tell anyone. If now’s not the right time, it can wait.

YOURSELF Take your time, explore your feelings, don’t feel you have to make any sudden life changes. You’ll still be bisexual in the morning!

YOUR PARTNER They may already have noticed signs, but choose a time and way of telling them

YOUR FAMILY As with partners – they might already have a clue.

The people you see every day.

WORKMATES AND FRIENDS if you don’t make a big deal out of it, there’s a good chance neither will they.

Still plenty of

Prides

ahead this year!

Pride Calendar

Some LGBT Pride festivals have bi presences already lined up. Here are some where you’re likely to find other people already waving the bi flag...

Sheffield Pride is under new management and on July 30th. Local group BiSocial will be along with a stall full of bi goodies. On the same day it’s Nottingham Pride which thriving local group BiTopia will be along at.

Liverpool Pride is also on July 30th.

Their local group had a busy stall last year so check the stalls area out! The same day is Pride in Oldham and in Stockport which might mean the Manchester bis are a bit stretched.

Brighton is on the 5-7 August.

Frustratingly for a lot of us that clashes with BiCon. Cardiff Pride on 13th August - Bi Cymru/Wales are aiming to have a presence, see twitter.com/biwales Manchester Pride is the weekend 2629 August with the parade on 27th.

See www.biphoria.org.uk for parade plans and there’s a bi info stall running on the 27th, 28th and 29th.

Bolton Pride starts on September 23rd, Bi Visibility Day, and they’re expecting to have a bi stall in the town centre as part of the programme.

Events carry on all weekend.

Chester Pride is on October 1st with a bi stall lined up.

Campaigning In the “is Pride a celebration or a protest” stakes there are still plenty of LGBT issues to campaign on.

Pride London saw a first-ever coalition of groups marching together under a banner of access to HIV prevention medication PrEP on the NHS. Terrence Higgins Trust, National AIDS Trust, GMFA, METRO, 56 Dean Street, Positive East, Positive 21, Positively UK, London Friend Counselling, Naz, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Spectra, CliniQ, Barts Health NHS, HIV i-Base, and UK Community Advisory Board (UK-CAB) all appeared as one campaigning bloc.

The daily pill slashes the chance of contracting the virus and, alongside condom use, could have a major impact the epidemic among high-risk groups, including men who have sex with men and trans women.

However, after 18 months of delays and u-turns in the battle to see PrEP made available on the NHS to people at high risk of HIV, the NHS has now denied responsibility for funding the treatment.

Instead, it has launched a review and a pilot which will make PrEP available to just 500 men over two years.

Message for the masses

for the first time recognised in London Pride’s official title.

Twenty years on we are still here, out and proud.

Whether we identify as bi, Ed Lord of research network queer, pan or in any other way, BiUK spoke from the main to stage of London’s LGBT+ Pride we stand here shoulder shoulder with our LGBT+ as Deputy Chair of Pride’s siblings fighting against Community Advisory Board, homophobia, biphobia, and representing bi people and transphobia. communities.

That is what Pride is all about.

This is what Ed said: “It is twenty years since I first Celebrating together; got involved in Pride in the Fighting together; capital.

Loving together.

And it was in that year, 1996, Have a great day everyone. that bi and trans people were Happy Pride.”

Pride Calendar II

Every LGBT Pride could do with a splash of pink, purple and blue.

Maybe you could be the one to make it happen?

We don’t yet know of bi presences at these ones... But there’s still time!

* Warrington - 13 August. facebook.com/warringtonpride2016 Doncaster - 20 August. www.doncasterpride.co.uk * Glasgow - 20 August www.pride.scot Warwickshire (Leamington Spa) 20 August. www.warwickshirepride.co.uk

Ones marked with a * have nearby * Walsall 27 August. bi groups who may be attending, www.walsallpride.org so check the listings in the back of Herts (Hemel Hempstead) - 3 the magazine.

Sept. www.hertspride.co.uk * Weston Super Mare - 30 July. * Reading - 3 Sept. www.wsmpride.com www.readingpride.co.uk Leeds - 7 August.

Cumbria (Carlisle) - 17 Sept. www.leedspride.com www.cumbriapride.org Plymouth – 13 August.

Lincoln - 24 Sept. prideinplymouth.org.uk www.lincolnpride.co.uk

Starting a new group?

Local Groups/Meetups Remember to let us have any changes to existing groups info, or new listings!

BATH B-Squared. Launched October 2015, on hiatus from February 2016. Contact via: www.twitter.com/bsquaredbath BIRMINGHAM Bi Coffee Every 4th Sunday from 13:30 onwards. Downstairs, Coffee Lounge on New Street: look for the lion! Follow @BrumBiCoffee on Twitter for latest news, updates etc.

Birmingham Bi Group - meeting 2nd Tues of each month. At LGBT Centre, 38/40 Holloway Circus B1 1EQ from 7.30. brumbigroup.wix.com/birminghamuk BRIGHTON Brighton Both Ways - monthly social coffee meets, and Talky Space meets at community centre venue. See facebook group “brighton bothways”, phone or text 07505 385094, or see www.brightonbothways.org.uk UPDATED BRISTOL BiVisible - meet 2nd Weds of month at Hydra Books, 7pm. Follow @bivisbris on twitter or see www.bivisiblebristol.co.uk CARDIFF Bi Cardiff meets 1st Thursday every month, 6:30pm, Quaker Meeting House, Charles Street. Open socials from 7.45pm in The Prince of Wales (Wetherspoons), St. Mary's Street. For details contact bicardiff@yahoo.co.uk, text: 07982 308812 or join us on facebook.

DUBLIN Dublin Bi Group / Bi Irish - see www.facebook.com/DublinBiIrish EAST MIDLANDS East Mids Bi Network - email network, with social meet-ups arranged through the email list - to join send a blank email to embn-subscribe@yahoogroups.com EDINBURGH Bi & Beyond - meets 9 Howe St, on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month 6:30pm. facebook.com/biandbeyond UPDATED GLASGOW Bi Glasgow - 1st Tuesday of month, 7pm9pm, at THT, 134 Douglas Street. wordpress.biscotland.org HAMPSHIRE BiWessex - Regular social meet-ups

around Hampshire, see facebook.com/BiWessex or email biwessex@yahoo.co.uk LEEDS Leeds Bi Group - 2nd Wed of month, 7pm at Mesmac centre. See fb.com/leedsbigroup or www.leedsbigroup.org.uk

Bi Community News can offer you a variety of support in getting a new local bi community group off the ground. a We can include notices in the body of the magazine or flier inserts targeted at those subscribers in your catchment area a We can act as an anonymous postal address for your group (so your posters have the contact details “Anytown Bi Group, BM Ribbit, London WC1N 3XX” and we forward it to your personal address) a We will list you here in the community pages of BCN to help draw new people in to your group when they move to the area a Our website includes an “A to Z of running a bi group” which has advice from people who’ve been there about some of the things you need to consider in getting a group up and running. See www.bicommunitynews.co.uk/resources Just let us know you need help!

LIVERPOOL Liverpool Bi+ liverpoolbis.wix.com/livbis

READING Bi Group - 3.30-5.30pm, second Sat of LONDON & SURROUNDS Bi Coffee London - bi.org/bicoffeelondon - month, at the Support-U centre, 15 Castle Street. meet 1st Sat of the month, 3-6pm, Leon cafe, Spitalfields Market nr Liverpool SHEFFIELD Street Station. Twitter: @bicoffeelondon Sheffield BiSocial - meets at new local Bi Meetup - 4th Thurs, a regular pub meet once a month in a Soho pub. Web: lgbtfriends.meetup.com/145/ Bi Underground - monthly bis and friends pub night. Second Tuesday of each month from 6pm. For more info see www.bisexualunderground.com Over 50s - meet on the third Monday of each month from 6 to 8pm at Opening Doors, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9NA MANCHESTER Bi Brews BiPhoria’s coffee meet third Sun 1pm at Vienna Coffee House, Mosley St. Look for the lion.

BiPhoria! - bi social/support group, meets 1st Tues monthly, 7.30pm, at LGBT Foundation, 5 Richmond Street, Manchester M1 5HF. Write: BiPhoria!, c/o LGBTF, 5 Richmond St, Manchester M1 3HF. Email: info@biphoria.org.uk; web: www.biphoria.org.uk Twitter: @biphoria Bi Drinks BiPhoria’s pub meet third Tues 8pm at the Waterhouse. Look for the lion.

BCN magazine - meetings and stuffing nights for the mailouts are in the city.

Join us? editor@bicommunitynews.co.uk NOTTINGHAM BiTopia meets 2nd Thursday of month at 7:30pm in the Lord Roberts pub, see twitter.com/NottmBiTopia Nottingham Bi-Women email list groups.yahoo.com/group/nbwg/ or call Margret on 0115 956 8810

LGBT Centre. On facebook, see fb.com/groups/242100959262106/ SOUTHAMPTON Soton Bi Group - meetings back from hiatus at last. For latest news about the group see twitter.com/SotonBiGroup SWANSEA Bi Swansea - meets 3rd Tuesday every month, 7:45pm, front bar, Mozarts, Walter Road. Ask for Ele at the Pagan Moot in the main bar. Coffee meets last Sunday monthly, at The Kindercafe (except bank holidays), 12 noon -2pm, families welcome. Email: BiSwansea1@yahoo.co.uk Text: 07982 308812; or join us on Facebook.

TELFORD Bis Around The Wrekin. Facebook page www.tinyurl.com/wrekinbis WALES Bi Cymru / Wales – the all-Wales social support network for bisexual people and those who think they may be bi. Also runs campaigns, training on bi issues for organisations in Wales, events such as BiFest Wales. Email: bicymru@yahoo.co.uk Text: 07982 308812. Email list: uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/biwales/ Post: c/o Diverse Cymru, 3rd Floor, Alexandra House, 307-315 Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, CF5 1JD. WOLVERHAMPTON Third Way is on hiatus. Contact LGBT Network c/o Martha 01902 425 092. www.facebook.com/thirdwaybigroup

UK Bi Listings BCN Online W: bicommunitynews.co.uk T: @bicommunitynews F: facebook.com/bicommunitynews

Organisations NATIONAL BI ORGANISATIONS

HEALTH & SAFER SEX

UK Bi Activist Network UK bi activists network, organises away weekends, compares notes on current bi issues and projects we’d like to work on groups.yahoo.com/group/uk-bi-activism

Metro Centre - resource/advice centre for bisexuals, lesbians and gay men, SE London. Local safer sex outreach; national advice line now open Mon-Thurs, 7-10pm: 020 8265 3355

The Bisexual Index - a collective of UK Bi activists working together to fight bisexual erasure & biphobia, and promote bisexual visibility and clearer understanding of bisexuality. For more details, posters, leaflets and t-shirts see www.bisexualindex.org.uk BiUK formerly the Bi Research Group.

For bi academics and those interested in conducting or analysing bi research www.biuk.org BiCon - National Bisexual Conference permanent web & email addresses. Note the BM BiCon postal address has been closed. web page: www.bicon.org.uk; email: general@bicon.org.uk Bi History Project See bisexualhistory.wordpress.com or twitter.com/bisexualhistory Bis of Colour - a welcoming and supportive group for bisexuals nationwide who identify as Black Minority Ethnic or Mixed Heritage.

Email bis.of.colour@gmail.com Twitter @bisofcolour Tumblr: bisofcolour.tumblr.com NON-BI-SPECIFIC ACTIVIST GROUPS Consortium of Lesbian Gay and Bisexual Voluntary and Community Organisations.

Unit 204, 34 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 0RH. Tel: 020 7064 6500 Web: www.lgbconsortium.org.uk information@lgbtconsortium.org.uk Equality Network Scotland LGBT campaigns group, publications include the Complicated? bi report. See www.equality-network.org Pride London - write: London LGBT Community Pride CIC, PO Box 71920, London NW2 9QN. Web: www.PrideInLondon.org email: info@PrideInLondon.org

National AIDS helpline - 24 hour HIV/AIDS information and help. Tel: 0800 567123 Project LSD (Literature & Services on Drugs) - are you bisexual/lesbian/gay and want help with drug issues? We provide the following free, confidential services:- Counselling, Complementary Therapies and Drugs Helpline every Weds 6 - 9pm on 020 7439 0717

Publications of interest Getting Bi in a Gay / Straight World Glossy colourful 24-page pocket guide to getting and staying out as bi, published by BiPhoria on paper and online. Now also available in Spanish. www.issuu.com/biphoria/docs/ getting_bi_web_2014_a6 Both Directions - forerunner of Getting Bi... BCN’s guide to the bi community: covers what is out there for bis, our UK bi movement’s history, bi issues and mythbusting. Read or download as a PDF from www.bicommunitynews.co.uk/resources Bike Immunity News - bisexual humour zine.

Issue 18 (Summer 2015) now out, and all back issues still available for £1.50 each including postage. Buy through Paypal or email for details to neiljameshudson@fsmail.net

Terrence Higgins Trust Helpline HIV/AIDS info available daily, noon10pm; tel: 020 7242 1010

Journal of Bisexuality - USA book-sized academic quarterly, for details & subs rates see www.haworthpressinc.com

PARENTS Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays Also gives support to people who have found out a family member is bi or trans. www.fflag.org.uk

Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World is an international anthology with 220 essays from 42 countries. www.biresource.net

SPIRITUALITY Metropolitan Community Church LGBT positive Christian movement with Churches around the UK. 01225 837499 Email european.district@virgin.net or see www.mccchurch.org for listings of churches and www.ufmcc.com for more information about the denomination.

Quaker Lesbian and Gay Fellowship bi-positive organisation. Write: Roy Vickery, 9 Terrapin Court, Terrapin Road, London SW17 8QW. Web: www.qlgf.org.uk LGB&T HELPLINES London 0300 330 0630 daily 10am11pm Manchester 0345 3 30 30 30 10am10pm (staffed - automated info system out of hours) Scotland 0300 123 2523 Tu/We 129pm

A-Z of Running a Bi Group - 26 things to consider before you start a local group. Can be downloaded from our website: see www.bicommunitynews.co.uk/resources Bisexuality & Mental Health - service users perspectives to help inform NHS practice.

Mostly an educational resource. See www.biphoria.org.uk under ‘publications’.

Diary Dates EuroBiCon 2016 (& EuroBiReCon) July 28-31 Amsterdam European bi gathering. See www.eurobicon.org BiCon 2016 August 4-7 Preston See 2016.BiCon.org.uk - please note the early booking deadline this year for staying on-site.

Bi Visibility Day Worldwide, 23rd September every year.

Sometimes known as International Celebrate Bisexuality Day. Lots of events are listed on www.bivisibilityday.com Big Bi Fun Day 2017 May 13, Leicester Family friendly bi afternoon out. See bigbifunday.topbit.co.uk for details

Bi Visibility Day