Bi, Bi, Bi! Encourage Visi-Bi-lity By Celebrating Bisexuality Day!

Thursday, Sept. 23 (and events the following weekend) will mark the 19th annual Celebrate Bisexuality Day (CBD).

Supporters and friends are encouraged to use this occasion to celebrate with activities to encouarge visi-Bi-lity and show their pride while fundraising for national, regional, and local bi/pan/fluid organizations.

Did you know there's a bi pride flag? It's true! You can see it in the picture, and find our more about its history here. The pink color represents sexual attraction to the same-sex (gay and lesbian), blue represents sexual attraction to the opposite-sex (straight), and the resultant overlap color purple represents sexual attraction to both sexes (bi).

Bisexuality is often unfairly dismissed in the gay community as an interim label (sort of a midway point used by people who are in the process of coming out as simply gay but too scared to entirely give up the relative safety of self-identifying as straight). It's not, and it's importance for us to realize this.

While gay visibility has increased over time, bisexuality has remained fairly invisible - people tend to automatically label a couple as either straight or gay depending upon the perceived gender of the people involved. It's easy, but it's not always accurate (as we all know!).

Bisexuality is, of course, quite real, and is simply an attraction to others regardless of gender. Increasingly, though, bi-folks also self-identify as "fluid," "omnisexual," "pansexual," or eschew labels completely (let's call them "free-identifiers" :-) ).

CBD was created as a response to the marginalization of bisexual people by others in both straight and gay communities.

Here are some useful resources for finding out more about our bi brethren and sistren:

• BiNet USA
• BiNet USA on Twitter
• BiNet USA's Facebook Group
• Find Bisexual Groups in America
• American Institute of Bisexuality (AIB)
• Bisexual Resource Center (BRC)
• Bi Magazine

Let's take this opportunity to celebrate and affirm the diversity of identity and expression of all LGBT folks, family, and friends, regardless of labels.