Celebrate Bisexuality Day – September 23, 2022, history significance why we celebrate
Celebrate Bisexuality Day is observed on September 23 every year. It is a part of the Bisexual Awareness Week celebrations held in September. The day is celebrated to remind people of the history and struggles faced by the bisexual community. A bisexual person is someone who is not exclusively attracted to people of one particular gender.
The flag that represents the bisexual community has three colors — purple, blue, and pink. Celebrate Bisexuality Day teaches us that every person is deserving of love and respect, no matter how different they might seem from us. It’s a day that teaches us acceptance.
History of Celebrate Bisexuality Day
Celebrate Bisexuality Day was established by Wendy Curry, Michael Page, and Gigi Raven Wilbur. It was first officially observed in 1999 by the International Lesbian and Gay Association Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. The purpose was to raise awareness of the challenges faced by bisexuals all over the world who simply want to go on living their lives being treated fairly and equally.
“Ever since the Stonewall rebellion, the gay and lesbian community has grown in strength and visibility,” observed Wilbur, “The bisexual community also has grown in strength but in many ways are invisible.” It was this vision and the various experiences of marginalization and prejudice from both the straight and LGBTQ communities that inspired the founders to create this new holiday.
Since Freddy Mercury of the music sensation Queen was such an inspiration, the founders decided that his birthday would be the perfect day to establish Celebrate Bisexuality Day. This day ended up serving two purposes, the first being to establish a day that was dedicated to raising awareness of bisexuals everywhere, the second being to help reduce the prejudice faced by bisexuals and work to legitimize it as a sexual orientation. Since then it has been celebrated every year with teach-ins, poetry reading, parties, picnics, festivals, and a myriad of other awareness oriented activites.
CELEBRATE BISEXUALITY DAY TIMELINE
1970
The First LGBT Pride Parade
The first Gay Liberation Day March is held in New York City.
1978
Rainbow Flag
The rainbow flag becomes a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer identities.
1990
Homosexuality is Not an Illness
WHO declares that homosexuality is not an illness.
2012
Obama Makes History
Barack Obama becomes the first U.S. president to publicly announce support for same-sex marriage.
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5 FACTS ABOUT BISEXUALITY THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND
Bisexuals dominate the LGBT community
There are over 9 million LGBT people in the U.S., and more than half identify as bisexuals.
Most bisexuals haven’t come out to their colleagues
49% of bisexual people say that they haven’t come out to any of their coworkers.
They are more susceptible to police brutality
Bisexuals are three times more likely to experience police violence.
Bisexual women face greater domestic violence
Bisexual women experience higher rates of sexual and intimate partner violence.
They have the poorest health
Bisexual people have high rates of poor physical and mental health in relation to their sexual orientation.
How to Celebrate Bisexuality Day
The best way to observe Celebrate Bisexuality Day is to remember that bisexuality is a valid sexual orientation, along with all of the others. And to keep in mind that bisexuals deserve the same honor and respect as human beings, no matter their lifestyle or life choices.
Find Local Events for Celebrate Bisexuality Day
One idea might be to check out your local area and find out if any teach-ins, poetry readings, or any other gatherings are being held that you might attend and learn a little more about it. While it may seem simple on the surface, but the complexities involved with living as a bisexual are perhaps more involved than many people would imagine.
WHY WE LOVE CELEBRATE BISEXUALITY DAY
It teaches us to be respectful
The objective behind Celebrate Bisexuality Day is simple — to convince everyone that bisexuals are deserving of our love and respect. We must all be respectful of a person’s sexuality and not judge them for it.
It advocates for inclusivity
Celebrate Bisexuality Day advocates for inclusivity in our personal and professional lives. This means workplaces are no longer allowed to get away with unfair employment practices.
Representation matters
More bisexual public figures mean more and more people feel comfortable in their sexuality. Celebrate Bisexuality Day also fights for equal representation in media, politics, and sports, among others.
