#DoBetterBiUs manifesto
Do Better Bi Us is a campaign to call out biphobia and bi-erasure and provide clarity on how the gay and straight communities can better support the bisexual community.
It was started by activists Lois Shearing at the start of 2018. Currently, it has existed as a hashtag on twitter, appeared in articles, and even been one of the rallying cries used in the First Bi Float project, which organised the first bi pride float to ever appear in London Pride.
Why a manifesto?
The Do Better Bi Us manifesto aims to clearly lay out ways in which anyone can help to combat biphobia and bi-erasure. It offers practical steps that anyone can and should take in their daily life to make the world a better place for bisexual people.
The bisexual community is facing many critical threats to our health, well-being and safety, including; higher rates of sexual violence, higher rates of mental illness, high rates of poverty, and lower coming out rates. The manifesto outlines how and why we need allies to help us combat these issues.
The manifesto
The bisexual community is currently facing many serious issues and threats to our existence, including; worse mental health statistics than gay or staight (monosexual) comunities, an increased likelihood of living in poverty or going hungry, and bisexual women (cis and trans) are more at risk of sexual violence than monosexual women.
Double discrimination (discrimination from both heteronormative society and from within the rainbow community) and marginalisation are both at least partial causes of all these issues.
To counter the discrimination and isolation the bisexual community experiences, we as representatives of the bisexual community, are putting forward these demands.
We demand funding for bi-specific resources. Including:
- Specific funding for the 61% - 75% of bisexual women who are survivors of rape and intimate partner violence
- Funding for training resources and materials specific to bisexual issues, especially in mental health, rape crisis, and survivor support services
- Funding for bisexual refugees, who are disproportionately affected by the government’s current LGBT+ refugee policy
- Employing and fairly compensating bisexual people (especially trans bisexuals and bisexuals of colour) to create resources/articles/art/etc on themes of bisexuality by those in positions to do so
We demand acknowledgement of bisexuality as its own distinct community, with unique needs. Including:
- Separating bisexuals from heterosexuals/homosexuals in research whenever possible
- Specifically including biphobia alongside homophobia/transphobia in codes of conduct/resources/discussion and all other relevant instances
- Acknowledging bisexual-specific issues, including double discrimination, in articles, publications, and resources on LGBT+ issues
- Acknowledging in all relevant discussions/articles/resources/books that bisexual people and bisexuality have always existed and been a part of LGBT+ culture, history, and struggles even before the popularisation of the term
We demand the use of bi-inclusive language, especially from LGBT+ organisations and others claiming to represent the community. Including:
- Avoiding erasing bisexuality in your language by using phrases like ‘different-gender relationship/marriage/union’ and ‘same/similar-gender relationship/marriage/union’ in place of ‘straight/heterosexual’ relationship/marriage/union’ or ‘gay/lesbian relationship/marriage/union’.
- Avoiding using binary language like ‘gay or/and straight’ when you are referring to ‘heterosexual or/and non-heterosexual’
- Avoiding using ‘gay’ as an term to describe the whole LGBT+ community
- Never using terms like “gold-star lesbian/gay”, “at least bisexual, if not gay”, “has had gay/lesbian relations in the past but is not married to a [different gender partner]” - as these all infer bisexuality is less queer/valid than homosexuality
We demand acknowledgement that bisexuality has always existed across communities of all genders, classes, races, and backgrounds. Including:
- Always using definitions of bisexuality put forward by reputable bisexual organisations/individuals such as;
- Attracted to two or more genders
- Attracted to similar and different genders
- Attraction beyond gender
- Acknowledging that bisexuality isn’t now and never has excluded people of non-binary genders
- Acknowledging that many trans and non-binary people identify as bisexual
- Acknowledging that many bisexual-identified people are also asexual
- Acknowledging that bisexual people in different-gender relationships/marriages are still part of the LGBT+ community and should be welcome at all LGBT+ events/spaces
We demand real, actionable solidarity. Including:
- Calling out biphobia and bi-erasure when you come across them
- Reaching out to, and working with bisexual organisations/individuals to make your space/event/company/etc actually accessible, safe, and welcoming for bisexual people, especially, spaces/events/companies that represent the LGBT+ community
- Making sure to include bisexual people/bisexuality in all media about the LGBT+ community
- Making sure bisexual people/bisexuality are fairly and positively represented at all Pride events
- Acknowledging bisexuality in all relevant discussions, but particularly in regards to bisexual celebrities/activists
- Calling out when bisexual people are held a higher standard of queerness, by being asked/demanded to prove our credentials/dating history
Overall, we demand respect for our identity, history, culture and solidarity in empowering and uplifting our community. We demand an end to biphobia, bi-erasure, and monosexism.
Biphobia kills. You can help combat it.
Acknowledgements
The Do Better Bi Us Manifesto was written and created by Lois Shearing, Founder of the Do Better Bi Us campaign, with contributions from:
- Pip Williams, bisexual activist
- Libby Baxter-Williams, Director of Biscuit
- Sally-Anne Williams, Doctoral researcher in sexual violence against bisexual women
- Stephanie Farnsworth, editor in chief of Stand Up mag
- The Bisexual Survivors Network
Further reading
Articles
- Bisexual women are more likely to face abuse – and no one is asking why
- Why Bisexuals are Way Less Likely To Come out of The Closet than Gays
- Young bisexual men are the least likely to have come out, triple j survey finds
- Legally Bi: Bi Erasure in LGBT-Rights Litigation
- Legally Bi: A Brief History of Bi Erasure in LGBT Political Discourse
- Bisexual people have higher risk of developing mental health issues, says report
- Bisexual people have higher risk of developing mental health issues, says report
- Bisexuals more likely to live in poverty or have poor health
- STUDY: Bisexuals Have Worse Health Than Gay, Lesbian, or Straight People
- Bisexuals Lack Support — and It’s Literally Killing Us
- Are Bisexuals Shut Out of the LGBT Club?
- It may not 'get better' for bisexual teens
Reports
- Report of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
- The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey
- Women most at risk of experiencing partner abuse in England and Wales: years ending March 2015 to 2017
- Invisible Majority: The Disparities Facing Bisexual People and How to Remedy Them
- The Bissexuality report
- Kaleidoscope Trust: "Specific experiences of lesbian and bisexual women rendered invisible"
- Bisexuals need not apply: a comparative appraisal of refugee law and policy in Canada, the United States, and Australia
- Bisexual asylum seeker facing imminent deportation from UK to Jamaica
- INVESTIGATING THE BRITISH ASYLUM SYSTEM FOR LESBIAN, GAY AND BISEXUAL ASYLUM - SEEKERS: THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL PERSPECTIVES ON FAIRNESS
- A New Piece of the Puzzle: Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Physical Health Status
Webpages
- Bisexual Health Awareness Month: Mental Health in the Bisexual Community
- HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG BISEXUAL PEOPLE
- Supporting and Caring for our Bisexual Youth
- What is Biphobia?