how to be an

Learn More What is Bi+?

Bisexual Resource Center The BRC uses “bisexual” and “bi+” as umbrella terms for people who recognize and honor their Brochures, handouts, links to research, find bi+ potential for sexual and emotional attraction groups: to more than one gender (bisexual, pansexual, www.biresource.org omnisexual, fluid, queer, asexual, and other free- identifiers). We celebrate and affirm the diversity Bisexual Health Awareness Month of identity and expression regardless of labels. to a bi+ person Learn about bi+ health disparities at www.bihealthmonth.org Our Vision The Bisexual Resource Center envisions a world Bi Women Quarterly where love is celebrated, regardless of sexual Read essays, fiction, poems, and see visual art from orientation or gender expression. Because bisexuals bi+ women around the world: today are still misunderstood, marginalized and www.biwomenboston.org/newsletter discriminated against, the BRC is committed to providing support to the bisexual community and Still Bisexual raising public awareness about bisexuality and Watch videos of people telling their own bi+ bisexual people. stories: www.stillbisexual.com How to Support Us The BiCast A bi+ podcast: www.thebicast.org The BRC is primarily funded through the generosity of our donors. There are many ways you can give. BiNet USA Website: www.biresource.org/donate Learn more about this national bi+ organization: Paypal: [email protected] www.binetusa.org Venmo: @bisexualresourcecenter Bisexual Organizing Project Want to volunteer your time? Email us at Hosts the BECAUSE conference and hosts groups [email protected] in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: www.bisexualorganizingproject.org © 2018 Bisexual Resource Center PO Box 170796 Boston, MA 02117 American Institute of Bisexuality 617.424.9595 | www.biresource.org www.americaninstituteofbisexuality.org The Bisexual Resource Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Allies (like you!) are a vital Believe that we exist. Celebrate our bi+ culture! Believe that sexuality is a spectrum which allows for It includes many outspoken voices, such as Freddie asset to our community. attraction across many variants, including gender. Mercury, Walt Whitman, Virginia Woolf, and Just as a monosexual person can fall for people of Miley Cyrus. Keep in mind that celebrities are just By taking the time to read up on your bi+ friends and differing hair or eye colors, a bi+ person has the as susceptible to bi+ erasure as the rest of us. Too family members/neighbors, you are beginning to give potential to fall for people of many different genders. often, celebrities who come out as non-monosexual us invaluable aid against biphobia and bi+ erasure. are rewritten as gay or “experimenting.” Accept our sexual identities without reservation. Accept our choice of label, as It doesn’t matter what our “count” is with any gender, well as the wide variety of non- whether we’re currently in monogamous relationships, monosexual labels. or even whether we have no interest in dating. Accept Whether we identify as bisexual, pansexual, queer, that we know where our attractions lie. or heteroflexible, to name a few, it’s no more or less legitimate than any of the others. We’re Respect our relationships equally, all united under the same umbrella of non- monosexuality, and our personal labels are valid. whatever style we choose. Bisexuality can be misinterpreted as a transphobic Bi+ individuals are no more or less likely to abide by identity. This couldn’t be farther from the truth! any particular kind of relationship dynamic. Some Bisexuality, in our minds, is defined as the ability to of us are ethically nonmonogamous for a variety of be attracted to both genders like yours and genders reasons. Many of us are monogamous, and happily different from yours. partnered with one person of any gender. Our identities don’t change based on the identity of our partners –we are just as bi+ in any relationship! Read up! Look into some of the resources mentioned in Photo by Ellyn Ruthstrom this, and other, BRC pamphlets. Some bi+ people Speak out against biphobia and bi+ might love answering questions and discussing erasure in your everyday life. their sexual orientation, but the conversation will The umbrella of non-monosexuality encompasses You can recognize biphobia in the form of active be much more enjoyable (for everyone) with some many labels: bisexual, pansexual, queer, hetero- or put-downs, such as making negative comments background knowledge. homoflexible, fluid, and the list goes on! Whatever regarding bisexuals; or bi+ erasure in the form label the person you care about chooses to use, the of passive exclusion, such as referring to only meaning is the same: you’re speaking with a person the “gay and lesbian” groups assisted by LGBT+ capable of loving, or being attracted to, humans of Remember that, as with any organizations. We appreciate your support more more than one gender. group, one person cannot be than you know! representative of all. But how can I really dig in and help, you may ask? Well ask no further, because we’ve compiled some Not every bi+ person wants or needs the same type handy steps for you to be the raddest ally you can of support. Ask - and listen to - how you can be possibly be. the best ally possible for each specific person!