Tag Archives: bisexuality

Bi’s of Colour Bisexual of the Year!

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We at Bi’s of Colour have known Andre for years, and have been impressed with his activism, his positivity, and his ability to keep going with a smile on his face.  We are all proud to have Andre as our first ever Bisexual of the Year!

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My name is André Lawson-Walters, and I’m a proud black bisexual from Wolverhampton, UK. I have been advocating for bisexuality for over five years.
Previously, I have been the Group Facilitator and Lead Campaigner for Brum Bi Group (Birmingham, UK) and the Group Facilitator for Third Way Bi Group (Wolverhampton, UK), both of which are bisexual support and social groups. As well as a being a Volunteer Outreach Worker with Terrence Higgins Trust.
I believe that advocating for bisexuality is crucial because even though roughly half of the LGBTQ+ community identifies as bisexual, we’re seldom represented.  This often leaves many bisexuals to feel invisible and alone. Especially if they are a Person of Colour. Nevertheless, I hope that by being so visible and open about my own bisexuality will help others (especially POC) to embrace their bisexuality.
Twitter: @BlaqueBohemian

Reporter looking for bisexual folk to interview

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Email: rachel.savage@thomsonreuters.com

Comment: Hi there,

I’m a reporter with Thomson Reuters Foundation and our LGBT+ news site Openly, covering LGBT+ issues. We’re making a film to mark the 50th anniversary since the Stonewall riots, featuring stories from around the world of the ongoing struggle for LGBT+ rights. So far we have stories from Honduras, Tanzania and Taiwan, and we’re considering adding another from the UK. We’re interested in potentially featuring a bisexual person who has a powerful personal story, whose struggles are indicative of the continued barriers for bi people in 21st century Britain but also the nuances and the positives too. If you know anyone who you think may fit that description and would consider having an initial chat with us, please do let me know.

Best wishes,

Rachel

LGBT+ People of Colour are the Canary in the coal mine.

It’s long known that when it comes to the hierarchy of the LGBT+ acronym, queer POCs are the bottom of the barrel.  This goes double for asexual, trans and/or bisexual women and femmes of colour.  In 2016, London LGBT pride let the racist hate group UKIP march as part of the parade, because UKIP has a gay group as part of a movement. https://www.buzzfeed.com/patrickstrudwick/ukip-have-been-allowed-to-march-at-pride-and-some-lgbt-peopl?utm_term=.vfvnrbdeJ7#.umGRmMaEzg

  This year London LGBT pride let a Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) group lead the parade after they pushed themselves to the very front. https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/07/07/anti-trans-group-allowed-to-lead-pride-in-london-march-after-hijack/

Now, we are rightfully disgusted that this was allowed to happen.  The TERF group shouted transphobic slogans during the parade, which is supposed to be welcoming to Transgender people.  

HOWEVER

London LGBT Pride showed their hand years ago in 2016, but it was quickly forgotten and mostly ignored by the majority of pride attendees because UKIP hate is mostly aimed at POCs.  Jacq A was part of the Community board for Pride London that year, and resigned when they realised what was happening.  But no other member of the board stood up for LGBT People of Colour.  And now we see another vulnerable group treated in a terrible manner with Trans folk being targeted.  It seems the warning from the canary in the coal mine went unheeded until it affected (mostly) white people.

We at Bi’s of Colour chose back in 2016 to no longer work with or take part in London LGBT Pride.  We have known for some time that London Pride is far from its roots as a protest – it’s simply a corporate party for affluent cisgender lesbians and gays.  The Armed Forces, the police and airlines that regularly deport LGBT People of Colour have more of a presence at Pride than bisexual, trans and asexual groups – the cost of participating is often a major factor in that, but the unwelcoming atmosphere doesn’t help either.

Bi’s of Colour stand with our Trans and Nonbinary folk.  We are sorry that they have been treated this way.  London Pride is not a safe place for us, and it hasn’t been for some time.  Pride is a PROTEST!

On Sunday 8th July 2018, UKBlack Pride https://www.ukblackpride.org.uk will be happening at the pleasure gardens in Vauxhall, London.  For the first time in their history there will be TWO bisexual stalls!  Both Bi’s of Colour  http://bisofcolour.tumblr.com and BiPride UK https://biprideuk.org will have stalls present.  Please come visit us both and pick up some badges, info sheets and bright, bisexual smiles.  To top off your day, go to CaBiRet https://www.facebook.com/events/1758324607521315/ for some bisexual entertainment!

It is with regret that the Bi’s of Colour Book will no longer be happening.  Despite extending the submission date, and opening the call out to the whole Bi of Colour world, we didn’t get enough contributions (Those who had already submitted their work have been paid).

We will share the submissions we did receive either in the form of blog posts, or in another medium.  Bi’s of Colour are still going strong – we are & always will share the stories and experiences of bi/pan folk of colour; whether online or off.

Regards

Bi’s of Colour Collective