How did Bisexuality Awareness Day originate?
In the early 1990s, various bisexual organizations began to form, especially in the United States. However, the international day was established in 1999 at the annual conference of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), thanks to the initiative of three bisex activists: Wendy Curry, Michael Page and Gigi Raven Wilbur.
The date was chosen because on September 23, Freddie Mercury was born, a singer whom activists admired and who seemed to them to make bisexuality visible with great force. Also, that day was Gigi Raven Wilbur's birthday.
However, Wilbur stated that there is still a long way to go before the bisexual community is recognized.
“Since the Stonewall rebellion, the gay and lesbian community has grown in strength and visibility. The bisexual community has also grown in strength, but in many ways we remain invisible. I have also been conditioned by society to automatically label a couple who walk hand in hand as heterosexual or gay, depending on the gender I perceive in each person,” he explained to ILGA.
Myths about the bisexual community
It's just a phase or stage
It is true that some gay or lesbian people may go through a period of transition to their sexual orientation, but this is not the rule: it does not happen in all cases. Bisexuality should not be overridden and not confused with the sexual curiosity that anyone may have at some point in her life.
Bisexual people are lesbians or gays with a fear of accepting their homosexuality
Within the LGBTIQ community, many bisexual people experience situations of discrimination, as they are thought to be confused or do not want to reveal their sexual orientation. However, they may have attraction towards their gender and others, and it will not always be in the same percentage for each one, since in some cases the attraction fluctuates over time.
The bisexual person ceases to be bisexual if they have a relationship with a person of the opposite gender
This biphobic stereotype is rooted in the idea that bisexuality is a stage of experimentation before returning to heterosexuality. However, it is possible to maintain a relationship with the opposite gender and each maintain a different sexual orientation.
There are times when people decide to keep quiet about their bisexuality when they are in a heterosexual relationship for fear of discrimination or rejection that they may face if their partners or family know their sexual orientation.
Why does bisexuality deserve to be respected?
Bisexuality is a sexual orientation just as valid as the others. It is not a stage or it represents confusion and each one lives it in a unique way. It is important that these stereotypes are demolished so that their rights are recognized and more people are encouraged to express themselves without fear.
