Another EXCLUSIVE extract from British Bi Guide Purple Prose
Biscuit has been given a sneak preview of Purple Prose, a guide to the bisexual community from indie publisher Thorntree Press now crowdfunding over at Indigogo. The book is billed as “a guide to the bi community in the UK, and an exploration of the issues facing bisexuals everywhere”.
In the second exclusive extract Biscuit editor Libby gives us a brief overview of the role of allies in the bi community:
“Not every person you find in bisexual spaces, either in real life or online, falls under the bisexual umbrella. Monosexual-identified people people who are invited into our spaces and communities might be our friends, partners or members of our families, or someone with a professional interest in bisexuality, like a health worker or researcher. They might even be someone who is just curious to learn more. People with a supportive interest in bisexuality are usually called allies.… Continue reading
BiCon 2015, in tweets
As the last remaining delegates slowly dribble out of the university of Nottingham, it is time to look back on the packed weekend of classes, workshops and merry-making general and specific. And since we drank the bar dry of vodka, we’re going to need a little help remembering.
Nicole Kristal: "Why I created the 'Still Bisexual' campaign"
“I’m still bisexual.” It’s the phrase we utter to our friends and lovers, our families and co-workers, year after year, until we’re blue in the face. It’s difficult to accept that reminding people of our bisexuality is both necessary and never-ending, so some of us abandon it altogether out of tedium or to avoid the scoffs and disbelief our orientation often inspires.
In the short-term, it seems easier if we’re partnered to just let people assume we are straight or gay. We let our bisexuality slip into our silent pasts just to make our boyfriends, girlfriends, wives and husbands feel more comfortable. But making everyone else more comfortable is coming at a tremendous expense to our own health and happiness. And it needs to stop. We need another way.
Going to the trouble of reminding people we are still bisexual is about choosing truth over convenience and… Continue reading
Bisexual Orashia Edwards denied asylum
Following a Judicial Review, Orashia Edwards has again been denied asylum in the UK, Radio Aire is reporting.
Edwards lost his primary campaign against the institutionally biphobic UK asylum system in December 2013, after a lengthy battle in which he was accused of dishonesty by a court that believes that because Edwards has a child he cannot be bisexual. Edwards has previously told the press that he “would rather die than get on a plane”. Jamaica’s notorious Offenses Against the Person Act criminalises acts of ‘gross indecency’ between men in public and private, and anal sex between any genders.
In March this year, video emerged of a gay man being stoned to death by a homophobic mob in Montego Bay. Biscuit has chosen not to link to this graphic content, which can be found online.
Edwards moved to Antigua at the age of 16 and married an older woman in an attempt to veil his sexuality. His wife exposed his sexuality online, causing concern as to his safety should he return to his country of birth.
In 2011, he fled to the UK to be with his family in Leeds.
It is grimly ironic that since publicity surrounding Edwards case has increased, so has the risk he faces should he return to Kingston.
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You Didn't Hear it from Us (4/04/15)
Here’s a round-up of some of the news, blogs posts and comment we missed this week.
- Autostraddle gave us the lowdown on how bisexual women can take care of their health
- Afterellen quizzed The 100 writer Kira Snyder of bi favourites Clarke and Lexa
- Center Bi, the only bisexual organization that is hosted at a BLGT centre in the US is urgently seeking donations
- A study by Australian mental health charity Beyondblue found homophobia in teenage boys is at alarming levels
- An anonymous poster at the couple connection spoke candidly about what it’s like to be bi in a ‘lesbian’ relationship
- Vanessa Celis wrote about the similarities, and differences, between bi- and pansexuality
- Porn all-rounder, sexpositive feminst and generally awesome person Nina Hartley vlogged about the stigma of male bisexuality at sex parties, and for some reason MSN categorised it under ‘food and drink’.
- The Guardian published a… Continue reading
Booking for BiCon 2015 is now open!
The wait is finally over. Booking for the biggest event for bisexual people in the UK is now officially open. With prices starting from just £20 for a one day pass, or three days with accommodation and meals from £124, it one of the most affordable BiCons of recent years.
This year, BiCon will be held at the Universty of Nottingham. It promises an exciting programme of workshops, talks, discussions and social spaces where bisexual people, their friends, partners and allies can get together in a safe and understanding environment where they can truly be themselves.
Visit the BiCon 2015 website to book your place. But don’t dawdle – places are limited and they’re going to go fast!
Biscuit will be there with bells on. We really hope to see you too!
10 things to never say to a bi who hasn't tried it…
Bisexuals are constantly being forced to “prove” and justify our identities. Nobody gets this worse than a bi “virgin”. Biscuit interviewed some bi folk who’ve never done the deed with more than one gender and compiled a list of annoying things people have said to them…
- “So how do you know, then?”
- “You’re not bi until you’ve actually slept with more than one gender.”
- “Can’t you just go out and get it over with?”
- “Doesn’t it upset you that now you’re married you might never get to try it?”
- “Isn’t your girlfriend worried that you’ll cheat because the curiosity gets too much?”
- “Maybe you’re not bi, you just think you are.”
- “You’re just saying it to be cool – you find the idea of actually going down on a woman icky, admit it.”
- “Why do you even need to tell people if you’re not active?”
- “You’re an insult to real… Continue reading
Past the look: What is demisexuality?
I have recently been doing some research on the asexual (ace) and aromantic (aro) communities that are included within the LGBT+ umbrella but are very often ignored. One main difficulty the ace community faces is people rebranding the “A” in LGBTQIA as being for allies and not asexuals. This erases them even further as they are replaced by non-queer representation, which is exactly, not, the point.
The problem with LGBT+ spaces being hypersexualised means that queer ace people could feel uncomfortable or unwelcome in queer spaces due to the heavy focus on indulging in casual sexual behaviour, which is totally fine and awesome if you are into that sort of thing, but if you aren’t it leaves you in the cold as to where to find queer spaces and likeminded queer individuals. This oversexualisation of queerness and queer spaces also means that asexuals get forgotten and are sometimes not seen as being “queer enough” to be part of the community. Which is something that to bisexuals sounds strangely familiar…
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