October 8, 2013 | By Melissa Manley, Melissa Golden, and Andy Bradley
On September 23rd, members of the bisexual community and their allies observed the annual event Celebrate Bisexuality Day (CBD). Founded in 1999, CBD is dedicated to celebrating and bringing visibility to bisexuality and similar identities as separate from the larger gay/queer community. Although bisexuality often seems just an afterthought in the acronym LGBT, members of the bisexual community face their own unique set of struggles and experiences.
Celebrate Bisexuality Day only comes once a year, but the student organization BiLateral meets weekly to accomplish many of the same goals. BiLateral is dedicated to building a community of those interested in discussing and encouraging understanding of bisexual issues. For CBD this year, BiLateral invited everyone to join them in the Spectrum Center for free bagels, coffee, and discussion. They shared opinions on questions such as pros and cons of the label “bisexual,” persistent myths about bisexuality, and how and when to come out. Later, members of BiLateral learned about the history of bisexual people and how they have influenced larger society and the LGBT movement, including prominent figures such as Brenda Howard, “Mother of Pride.”
While raising awareness is an important goal of CBD, equally important is the opportunity for the community to have fun and show pride in who they are. It is, after all, a day to celebrate.