10 ways you can practise bi+ allyship
- Written byInternal Communications
- Published date 19 September 2022
Join us in celebrating Bi Visibility Day on Friday 23 September 2022!
Bi Visibility Day is a great opportunity to celebrate bi people at UAL and beyond, and to learn more about how to support our bi+ community.
‘Bi’ is an umbrella term which refers to people attracted to more than one gender. Bi people may also identify with a wide variety of terms such as: bisexual, pan, pansexual and queer.
Bi people often face exclusion from both inside and outside the LGBTQ+ community, as many people question the legitimacy of bi identities. This is often referred to as ‘bi erasure’ and is rooted in a myriad of assumptions, including but not limited to the assertion that “bi people are going through a phase and just haven’t made up their mind yet” or that someone in a same-gender relationship “must be gay and therefore cannot be bi”.
Biphobia adds another form of discrimination on top of bi erasure, which is a fear or dislike of someone who is bi based on prejudice towards, or negative attitudes about, bi people or people perceived as bi.
The numerous forms of discrimination against bi people lead to harmful consequences. Results from a recent survey commissioned by Stonewall showed that:
- A third of bi respondents had been insulted, pestered, intimidated, or harassed in the year prior to being surveyed.
- Almost half of bi students had received negative comments from other students because they were bi.
- 42% of bi respondents felt their identity might have been a motivating factor in experiencing sexual violence.
Listen to and believe bi people
Bi people’s identities are valid and bi people’s experiences should be listened to without being scrutinised. Remember that each bi person will have different experiences of being bi.
Educate yourself about bi identities
Be proactive when learning about bi identities and the many specific challenges bi people face and share useful resources with others.
Don’t make assumptions
You cannot assume anyone’s identity based on the gender of their current or previous partner(s). Take a person’s lead on the language they use to describe their relationships and identity. Remember it is important to respect privacy and not to ask any personal questions or share information about someone’s identity without their permission.
Challenge biphobia and bi-erasure
If you see or hear anything which could be harmful to bi people – whether problematic generalisations, name-calling, derogatory jokes, intrusive questions, unwanted physical contact or violence – challenge it if you feel safe to do so. You can also report such incidents through UAL’s Tell Someone system. Support other allies when they challenge biphobia and bi erasure too.
Use inclusive language
Avoid using “gay” as a catch-all term for the entire LGBTQ+ community, as this erases and excludes bi people as well as others in the LGBTQ+ community.
Get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable and being challenged
Accept you may not always get it right! Be ready to listen to feedback, apologise and learn from your mistakes.
Support marginalised bi people
Bi people of colour are doubly underrepresented, erased and discriminated against. Bi men face stigma within and outside of the LGBTQ+ community. Ace bi people are told they “can’t be bi”. Bi people of faith are often invisible in narratives about LGBTQ+ inclusion in faith spaces. And sometimes bi trans people are invalidated when people question how being bi intersects with their gender.
Check out and support Bis of Colour and #BisexualMenExist as a first step.
Make LGBTQ+ spaces and events inclusive
Explicitly state that bi people and their partners are welcome at your events or venues, and that biphobia will not be tolerated. If you’re hosting speakers or performers, ensure you have bi representation and that everyone has been briefed about bi-inclusion.
Support bi organisations
There are many fantastic groups dedicated to supporting bi people. These are often run by volunteers, and you can support them by donating, sharing their work or giving your time. Some of them include:
- Biscuit – mixed purpose organisation for bi women and femmes
- BiPhoria – UK's longest-running bi organisation
- Bi Pride UK – creating spaces where people who experience attraction beyond gender can be freely visible and celebrate themselves and their identities
- Stonewall’s Bi Visibility Hub – useful information about bi identities
- Switchboard – LGBTQ+ helpline
Celebrate bi people and their identities
Bi Visibility Day is a great opportunity but make sure you are also amplifying bi voices throughout the year. To start with, follow bi creators on social media and share their content.