Setting back the cause of bisexual activism ten years

[lovingboth]

Let's see, ten years ago...

Nottingham BiCon had the same number of attendees as this year's. It also had several thousand quid in sponsorship from a government health promotion body.

There was a weekly mixed bi social/discussion/activism night in London: a vibrant LBG attracting forty or more people a week.

There was a weekly mixed social night in London: the popular Bisexuals at Partners.

There was a weekly women-only night in London: the LBWG.

There were a couple of other groups in London, including BiONIC, the group into direct action - SM-Bis was just about to start (Jan 94) - and probably more groups around the rest of the UK than now.

There was a national newsletter that published monthly and had a higher number of subscribers than BCN does now.

There was a London newsletter.

There were two bisexual phonelines, between them covering three nights a week.

There was an community organisation on sexual health for bisexuals.

The government-funded body charged with health promotion published Bisexuality and HIV prevention: a working document on needs and provision.

We saw one of the best books on the subject published, Women and Bisexuality, actually get into general bookshops, along with the almost as good Dual Attraction: Bisexuality in the Age of AIDS.

... and probably a pile of stuff I've forgotten, including a couple of other things that came out of the 1991 conference.

Yep, I could live with that.

Absolutely yay that this year is looking better than it did at the start, for the things we have now that we didn't then, and for the people who've made both of those happen... but in some senses, we're still not back at where we were ten years ago, are we?

Comments

[djm4]

FWIW, I did know a lot of this when I made the comment. I get quite a lot of ear-bending by sgloomi on the subject. ;-)

[lovingboth]

Thanks for getting me to think about it.

[djm4]

You're most welcome.

[mankylarry.livejournal.com]

Interesting point, but you forgot to compare, how many internet users and also newsgroups and resources there were ten years ago compared with today. If people are getting their needs met online, in terms of coming out, exploring their sexuality, etc etc then that's a success in itself, also there are many groups online which are part of UK Bisexulaity TM : ) to add into the equation, so in that sense, it's not necessarily bad, just different. As for the funding streams, for health promotion etc, they were specific and have changed due to a shift in policy due to the effect of combination therapy.

I guess it weather you see the glass as half full or half empty really : )

Laurence

[lovingboth]

I hadn't - it was one of 'the things we have now that we didn't then'. Then, soc.bi and assorted mailing lists. Now...

I also didn't mention more of the other positive changes (eg legal ones.)

But I think you're wrong about the funding streams: I reckon there's more spent on sexual health promotion for men-who-have-sex-with-men now than then. It just goes almost entirely on gay men now.

[mankylarry.livejournal.com]

Overall you might well be right in terms of cash in hand. In all honesty, if you were a funder, on a pound for pound basis, which do youthink is more cost effective, and effective fullstop in the long run, putting your money into MSM groups or BASH ?

Laurence

You missed my session on this at this year's BiCon, didn't you?

[lovingboth]

Sod BASH.

I'm jumping up and down about the leaflets, paid for by you and me, for gay and bisexual men which say that - depending on the leaflet - 'hey guys, you can catch HIV from women too' and that's it for the 'and bisexual' bit, or that men don't give women oral sex or need to use condoms with women or indeed have sex with women or (my favourite this one!) women don't have arseholes.

Or how about the THT's 'Sex and Relationships for ___ Living With HIV' trilogy. Fill in the gap.

Gay men? Tick, but nothing about sex with women in there, despite the fact that we know each year around 10% of gay identified men have sex with women (a higher percentage than do BDSM!)

Straight men? Tick, but nothing queer in there of course.

Women? Tick, but presumed to be straight.

You can count to three, so it won't surprise you that there's no bisexual anything in the series.

Let me say it again again: for years, people have taken money to do work with gay and bisexual men (who cares about bisexual women?) and used the lot to do work for gay men. Typically only 'out' gay men too.

I don't much care who does the work (although it'd be nice to do some of it myself, not least as I'm damn sure I can do a better job of it than the people paid to do it now) but I do really really care that it gets done.

And at the moment, it isn't.

Re: You missed my session on this at this year's BiCon, didn't you?

[mankylarry.livejournal.com]

Sure...

Maybe that's one of the things to look at at the Bi activist weekend.

Laurence

[apel.livejournal.com]

I loved Women and Bisexuality. Lots of stuff in there that I identified with. One of the things that still stick with me, four years plus after having read it, was the discussion about why bi women tend to end up with men as primary partners more often than with women. Maybe I should re-read it. I'm re-reading The Ethical Slut right now. Thanks for making me think about these things.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

why bi women tend to end up with men as primary partners more often than with women.

Dunno about anyone else, but for me, it's the possibility of seeing some hot boy-on-boy action!

[lovingboth]

:)

[inquis.livejournal.com]

It's because women are much harder to pull ;o)

Actually I find it kinda frustrating, although I am hopeful on the woman front at the moment.

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

Something derived from that'd make a good "looking back" item in BCN. We tend to have this discussion in the privacy of LJs rather than in print (one of the reasons BCN has struggled for material -- along with the general lower level of community activity your post reflects).

[lovingboth]

Hmm, let me check a back issue of Bifrost or two first.

I do need to finish something relating to that HIV transmission case - when do you need to have it?

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

The usual "asap", or at least a guide to the number of words it's likely to be and any illustrations so I can leave adequate space.

The published deadline is 22 November and I'd like to really have a BCN worth of content by then.

[inquis.livejournal.com]

What's BCN?

*dumb ignorant look*

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

Bi Community News (http://www.bicommunitynews.co.uk) - the bimonthly newsletter of the UK bisexual movement, which has been running for some 64 issues now so is quite senile by small-press standards.

[Unknown site tag] is the LJ.

[inquis.livejournal.com]

Ah, I didn't know such a thing existed.

*looks embarrassed for being so non-scene as to be totally ignorant*

[softfruit.livejournal.com]

pants, got the link wrong. bicommunitynews?

[inquis.livejournal.com]

It's OK, I cheated and looked at your userinfo :oP :o)