Celebrate Bisexuality Day
Encyclopedia
Celebrate Bisexuality Day is observed on September 23 by members of the bisexual community
and their supporters.
This day is a call for the Bisexual community
, their friends and supporters to recognize and celebrate bisexuality, bisexual history, bisexual community and culture, and the bi- and pansexual people in their lives.
First observed in 1999, Celebrate Bisexuality Day is the brainchild of three United States bisexual rights
activists: Wendy Curry
of Maine, Michael Page of Florida, and Gigi Raven Wilbur of Texas. Wilbur said,
This celebration of bisexuality in particular, as opposed to general LGBT
events, was conceived as a response to the prejudice
and marginalization
of the bisexual persons by some in both the straight and greater LGBT communities.
In its first year, an observance was held during the International Lesbian and Gay Association
, which occurred during the week of the 23rd. While at first it only took hold in areas with an extremely strong bisexual presence, it is now celebrated worldwide.
It features events such as discussions, dinner parties and dances in Toronto and a large masquerade ball in Queensland
, Australia. At Texas A&M University
, the week featured discussion panels and question-and-answer sessions. It has also been celebrated in Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Bisexual community
Bisexual community is a term used to describe members of the LGBT community who identify as bisexual, pansexual, "fluid", and queer-identified, as well as their allies...
and their supporters.
This day is a call for the Bisexual community
Bisexual community
Bisexual community is a term used to describe members of the LGBT community who identify as bisexual, pansexual, "fluid", and queer-identified, as well as their allies...
, their friends and supporters to recognize and celebrate bisexuality, bisexual history, bisexual community and culture, and the bi- and pansexual people in their lives.
First observed in 1999, Celebrate Bisexuality Day is the brainchild of three United States bisexual rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activists: Wendy Curry
Wendy Curry
Wendy Curry is an American bisexual rights activist and animal rescue advocate.- Career and civil rights work :She is currently the President of BiNet USA, the American national bisexual civil rights organization, a position she assumed in 2006. Previously she had previously served as the...
of Maine, Michael Page of Florida, and Gigi Raven Wilbur of Texas. Wilbur said,
This celebration of bisexuality in particular, as opposed to general LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
events, was conceived as a response to the prejudice
Biphobia
Biphobia is a term used to describe aversion felt toward bisexuality and bisexuals as a social group or as individuals. People of any sexual orientation can experience such feelings of aversion...
and marginalization
Bisexual erasure
Bisexual erasure is the tendency to ignore, remove, falsify, or reexplain evidence of bisexuality in history, academia, the news media, and other primary sources...
of the bisexual persons by some in both the straight and greater LGBT communities.
In its first year, an observance was held during the International Lesbian and Gay Association
International Lesbian and Gay Association
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association is an international organization bringing together more than 750 LGBTI groups from around the world. It continues to be active in campaigning for LGBT rights on the international human rights and civil rights scene and...
, which occurred during the week of the 23rd. While at first it only took hold in areas with an extremely strong bisexual presence, it is now celebrated worldwide.
It features events such as discussions, dinner parties and dances in Toronto and a large masquerade ball in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia. At Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, the week featured discussion panels and question-and-answer sessions. It has also been celebrated in Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
External links
- UK Events to mark Bi Visibility Day
- Celebrating Bisexuality by Wendy CurryWendy CurryWendy Curry is an American bisexual rights activist and animal rescue advocate.- Career and civil rights work :She is currently the President of BiNet USA, the American national bisexual civil rights organization, a position she assumed in 2006. Previously she had previously served as the...
in BiWomen Vol. 17 No. 6 Dec 1999/Jan 2000 - What's in a Name? by Wendy CurryWendy CurryWendy Curry is an American bisexual rights activist and animal rescue advocate.- Career and civil rights work :She is currently the President of BiNet USA, the American national bisexual civil rights organization, a position she assumed in 2006. Previously she had previously served as the...
in Curried Spam September 2007