Bisexual Awareness Week (#biweek) Press Kit www

Bisexual Awareness Week
(#biweek) Press Kit
www.bisexualweek.com
About
In celebration of the 15th anniversary of Celebrate Bisexuality Day, held every September 23rd, GLAAD,
BiNet USA and other bisexual organizations are launching Bisexual Awareness Week.
Bisexual Awareness Week (#biweek) exists to help draw attention to the public policy concerns
of bisexual people while also celebrating the great resiliency of bisexual culture and
community.
Bisexual Awareness Week will utilize a social media campaign that provides daily themes to
keep changing hearts and minds about bisexual people, and bi lives. Themes will focus on the
history, culture, community and current policy priorities of bisexual communities.
Themes and Hashtags
In addition to the usual hashtags (#bipride, #bisexual, #BiDay, and #BiVisibilityDay), the following
hashtags will be used on given, corresponding days during #biweek:
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Sunday 9/21 #BiHistory – Post, status update and tweet about important moments in bisexual
movement history and/or the names and images of famous bi* people throughout history
Monday 9/22 #BiFacts – Post, status update and tweet facts about being bi* e.g., stories and
statistics about bi* health, safety/security, quality of life, or funding and social disparities
Tuesday 9/23 “My #bisexuality looks like…” – Post, status update and tweet “My #bisexuality
looks like” finishing the sentence to express bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer and fluid pride and
experience
Wednesday 9/24 #BiMedia – Post, status update and tweet the names and images of your
favorite bisexual blogs, films, tv shows, authors, artists, cultural workers, and thank them for
their work
Thursday 9/25 #RecognizeBiMen – Post, status update and tweet selfies of bisexual men. Allies
can post, status update and tweet selfies with bisexual men in their lives or holding up an image
of the book Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men
Friday 9/26 #BiTrans – Post, status update and tweet affirming statements and images about
being bi* and trans*
Saturday 9/27 #BiAllies – Post, status update and tweet selfies of bisexuals with people that
love, support and champion them
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Why We Use Bisexual
BISEXUAL HAS A HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE BISEXUAL COMMUNITY
Bisexual is a Community Identity Label (similar to “lesbian,” “gay,” “straight,” or “queer”).
Many bisexuals use Personal Identity Labels that serve a vital function in describing differences
while giving each individual a space to be unique.
Personal Identity Labels can include (but would never be limited to): fluid, multisexual, nonmonosexual, pansexual, polysexual, pomosexual, and omnisexual.
The internal conversation between bi, pan, fluid, queer community members about labels
should not be used as a rationale for not serving the needs of the same community.
“Bisexual or Pansexual?” can be considered the bisexual equivalent to internal community
conversations many gay and lesbian people have regarding personal approaches to
identification (e.g. “masculine,” “butch,” “femme,” or “queer”). Some older bisexuals only
prefer bisexual, some younger folks only prefer bi, and some only prefer using a personal
identity label like non-monosexual or pansexual. All identifications are equally valid so don’t
“identity police” but DO spend time acknowledging the diversity that exists within the “B in
LGBT”. Read more: http://www.bisexualweek.com/why-bisexual/
Public Policy Priorities
Bisexual people have been a driving force in the LGBTQ community since before Stonewall and continue
to be leaders within local, regional and national organizations and issue-based campaigns. Every day,
bisexuals work side by side with the larger LGBT community to effect change and equality. For more on
the important issues facing Bisexual Americans please check out Movement Advancement Project’s
Understanding Issues Facing Bisexual Americans report.
What does it mean to be bisexual? Renowned gender and sexuality advocate Robyn Ochs puts
it this way: “Bisexuals are people who acknowledge in themselves the potential to be
attracted—romantically and/or sexually—to people of more than one gender, not necessarily
at the same time, not necessarily in the same way, and not necessarily to the same degree.”
Statistics show quite clearly that bisexual people report higher levels of physical and mental health
disparities, sexual and domestic violence, and poverty than gays and lesbians. Often these disparities
can be attributed to bisexual discrimination and anti-bisexual bias. Wendy Bostwick’s study on
microaggressions against bisexual people points out that many of these negative interactions are
initiated by lesbian and gay people, so it is not surprising that Pew research has shown that bisexual
people report much lower levels of feeling connected to the LGBTQ community. Read more:
http://www.bisexualweek.com/publicpolicypriorities/
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Co-Partners
Working collaboratively BiNet USA, Bisexual Resource Center, The Bisexual Organizing Project and
GLAAD wrote the “Open Letter Supporting Bisexual Awareness Week”. We asked that LGBT service
providers, organizations and media outlets join us during #biweek by agreeing to:
 Write blog posts by bisexual, pansexual, fluid or non-monosexual identified writers sharing their
pride
 Write blog posts by allies sharing their support for bisexual communities and bisexual culture
 Post on Twitter, Facebook and other social media engagements that visibly affirm, celebrate and
support bisexual people
 Host an event to celebrate Bi Pride Day on September 23rd or another day during the awareness
week
Bisexual Awareness Week co-partners have also committed to having their staff trained in bisexual
cultural competency by the end of 2015.
Co-partners of Bisexual Awareness Week include:
GLAAD
Center Bi
National Black Justice Coalition
Equality Michigan
The Human Rights Campaign
Bi Community News
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
The Los Angeles Bi Task Force
Huffington Post
Bi Women's Quarterly
Movement Advancement Project
BiMedia
San Francisco Human Rights Commission
bisexual-books.tumblr.com
Pridelines Youth Services
Bisexual Index
Alliance of Multicultural Bisexuals of Metro
DC
Transgender Violence Tracking Project
Center for Culture, Sexuality, and Spirituality
BiRequest NYC
BiMagazine.com
Transgender Human Rights Institute
Nehirim
Boston Bisexual Women's Network
Bay Area Bisexual Network
The BiCast
Download the Open Letter Supporting Bisexual Awareness week here. To join us as co-partners please
email [email protected].
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Major Events Seeking Coverage
Washington D.C.
SAGE DC/Center Bi BiPride Event
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/sage-dc-bipride-event/
Bisexual Cultural Competency Training at The Task Force
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/bisexual-cultural-competency-training-task-force/
HRC Foundation Report and Panel Discussion to Address Issues Facing Bisexual Youth
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/hrc-hrc-foundation-report-and-panel-discussion-to-addressissues-facing-bisexual-youth/
Black Bisexuals Out On The Hill (NBJC OOTH)
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/black-bisexuals-out-on-the-hill/
Center Bi Happy Hour in DC
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/576/
Michigan
The Biggest Island: Biphobia and the Importance of Bivisibility
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/the-biggest-island-biphobia-and-the-importance-of-bivisibility/
Bi and Trans Inclusion: The Overdue Overhaul of the Gay Policy Agenda
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/bi-and-trans-inclusion-the-overdue-overhaul-of-the-gay-policyagenda/
Boston
Celebrate Bisexuality Day & Recognize Book Launch – Boston
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/celebrate-bisexuality-day-book-launch/
San Francisco
BiVisibility Day Happy Hour and Karaoke at The Mint! BABN
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http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/bivisibility-day-happy-hour-and-karaoke-at-the-mint-babn/
New York
S.i.S.T.A.H. Presents: “Identity vs. Behavior: Miscommunication between Lesbian & Bi Women, Myths &
Truth”
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/s-i-s-t-a-h-presents-identity-vs-behavior-miscommunicationbetween-lesbian-bi-women-myths-truth/
Los Angeles, CA
NLGJA-LA “Bisexuality in the Media” Panel co-sponsored by ONE Archives, LA Bi Task Force, and BiNet
USA.
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/bisexuality-in-the-media-panel/?instance_id=91
LA Bi Arts Fest 5th Annual Bi Arts Fest featuring the Spectrum Artist Collective!
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/5th-annual-bi-arts-fest-featuring-the-spectrum-artist-collectivehosted-by-los-angeles-bi-task-force/?instance_id=100
Chicago
Celebrate Bisexuality Day Chicago Panel Discussion
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/celebrate-bisexuality-day-chicago-panel-discussion/
Celebrate Bisexuality Party 2014! Hosted by Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/celebrate-bisexuality-party-2014-hosted-by-bisexual-queeralliance-chicago/
Minneapolis
Celebrate Bisexuality Day! Hosted by Bisexual Organizing Project-BOP
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http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/celebrate-bisexuality-day-hosted-by-bisexual-organizing-projectbop/
Portland
Portland KBOO OUTLOUD with Cameron Kude and Lynnette McFadzen
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/portland-kboo-outloud-with-cameron-kude-and-lynnettemcfadzen/
Portland BarBar Takeover
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/530/
Toronto
Celebrate Bisexuality & Bi Visibility Picnic - Toronto
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/celebrate-bisexuality-bi-visibility-picnic/
Celebrate Bisexuality ~ NYC 2014
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/celebrate-bisexuality-nyc-2014/
ONLINE
Campus Pride Google+ Hangout
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/oin-campus-pride-for-a-special-google-hangout-forbivisibilityday-featuring-eliel-cruz/
Bisexuality in the Workplace – Out & Equal Workplace Advocates Virtual Town Hall
http://www.bisexualweek.com/event/bisexuality-in-the-workplace-out-equal-online-town-hall/
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Bisexual Awareness Week Resources
All materials are available on www.bisexualweek.com
Story Ideas
http://www.bisexualweek.com/story-ideas/
Best reporting Practices
http://www.bisexualweek.com/reporting-best-practices/
Printable Downloads
Pamphlets, handouts and flyers like the one below on Mixed Orientation Marriages
http://www.bisexualweek.com/printables/
Memes
www.bisexualweek.com features 200+ bisexual related memes curated by The BiCast
http://www.bisexualweek.com/memes
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Icons, Images and #hashtags
Facebook Cover
Logo
Twitter Icon
#Hashtags
#bipride, #bisexual, #BiDay, #BiVisibilityDay, #biweek, #BiHistory, #BiFacts, #Bisexuality, #BiMedia,
#RecognizeBiMen, #BiTrans, and #BiAllies
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Bisexual Subject matter experts
Press inquiries
Alexandra Bolles, GLAAD
www.glaad.org
[email protected]
Available for interview
Dr. Herukhuti, Center for Culture, Sexuality and Spirituality
http://sacredsexualities.org
[email protected]
Faith Cheltenham, BiNet USA
www.binetusa.org
[email protected]
Ellyn Ruthstrom, Bisexual Resource Center
www.biresource.net
[email protected]
Lynnette McFadzen, The BiCast
http://www.thebicast.org/
[email protected]
Loraine Hutchins, author, Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out
www.lorainehutchins.com
[email protected]
Paul Nocera, NYC’s BIRequest
http://www.birequest.org/index.php
[email protected]
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