September 19-26  is Bisexual Awareness Week, first celebrated in 1999.  Friday, September 23rd is Bisexuality Day started by three U.S. bisexual rights activists: Wendy Curry of New Hampshire and President of BiNet USA, an American National bisexual civil rights organization, Michael Page of Florida and Gigi Raven Wilbur of Texas.

Recognized in the United States as well as other countries, it is celebrated with teach-ins, poetry readings, concerts, festivals, parties, and picnics, under the umbrella of a multi-color flag:  pink to signify same-sex attraction, blue for opposite attraction, and purple for attraction to both sexes. Bisexual Awareness Week targets attention to the public policy priorities of bisexual people and celebrates resiliency of the bisexual culture and community. Bi people and their allies learn about history, culture, community,

Bring Attention to a Silent Invisible Group

Co-founded by GLAAD, a U.S. non-governmental media monitoring organization founded by LGBT people in the media, Bisexual Awareness Week aims to accelerate acceptance of the bi community. This community makes up more than fifty percent of the LGBT community that perceives “bis” as either straight or gay.  Yet, only a third of bisexuals are out.

Bisexuals are misunderstood.  They are accused of “sitting on the fence,” unable to decide which sex they are attracted to.  They are called promiscuous, “greedy” for sex in a world that wants them to decide on one gender.

But bisexual is a legitimate term; it is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to males and females, especially with regard to men and women.  It’s not just a choice of Hollywood movie stars.

Why We Need Bisexual Awareness Week

Did you know that:

• Bisexuals have a disproportionate levels of suicide, eating disorders, and substance abuse.
• Bisexual women have a 46% chance of being raped as opposed to 17% of straight women and   13% of lesbians.
• Bisexual women have higher rates of sexual assault, intimate partner abuse and stalking. http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/9/21/here’s-why-we-need-bisexual-awareness-week