Gay Chicago TV Tackles Bisexuality, Biphobia, and Bi Erasure: Nationally known Bisexual/LGBTQ activist Br. Michael C. Oboza of Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago appears on Critical Thinking hosted by Waymon Hudson to discuss the issues of biphobia, bisexual erasure and bisexual history in the LGBT movement.

Among his many credits Br. Michael is the 2011 Michael Page Lifetime Award winner from the Marin Foundation; is a member of the Legacy Walk Selection Committee of the Legacy Project; and founded the New Liaison for Bisexual Programs at the Center on Halsted in Chicago. The discussion looks at the issues that face the bisexual community from both anti-equality forces and from within the gay and lesbian communities.

Says Gay Chicago TV news presenter & columnist Waymon Hudson,

The very concept of bisexuality often finds itself trapped in a position of both invisibility and hypervisibility — despite the fact that bisexuals constitute the largest population within the LGBT community. Can you imagine the pain caused by not only being rejected and demeaned by anti-equality forces who call you “sinful” or “sick,” but also being rejected or told you don’t exist by the very community you are supposed to be part of?

In truth, how are these claims by some in the gay community any different than the homophobic rhetoric we fight against from the far-right about gays being a perversion or something than can be changed or prayed away. The truth is, they aren’t. Comments like “bisexuality is just a stop on the way to gay” can be as demeaning and damaging as calls of fag and dyke. These facts are underscored by the groundbreaking report from the San Francisco Human Rights Commission called “Bisexual Invisibility: Impacts and Recommendations.”

We cannot, as a community, be part of erasing a vital and thriving part of our movement and history. In the same fashion, simply throwing a “B” into the acronym LGBT isn’t enough— we have to celebrate, educate, and support bisexual people in our movement with true inclusion and visibility in all areas of our community. Having frank and honest discussions amongst ourselves like on this episode can help that process along.

Ignorance, close-mindedness, and refusal to accept others is what we are fighting AGAINST as LGBT people — we have to demand better of ourselves and be examples for others of what true acceptance looks like.

It’s not a case of either/or: bisexuality on television

Bisexuals are the persona non grata of television. We’re few and far between. When we do show up, we’re stereotypes: we’re promiscuous, we’re cheaters, we’re mentally unstable.

My favourite dreadful stereotype is the hot bisexual teenage girl — otherwise known as a walking ratings boost. She meets a girl, she likes the girl, she’s confused, they have a fling and, whoops, better break up and get back together with the buff male lead! Let’s never speak of this again, my God! Kids these days, am I right? (Yes, I am talking about “The O.C.” We could have had it all.)

Networks are fine with bisexual characters when we’re titillating or daring or a plot point with bad intentions — but executives won’t touch honest bisexual characters with a barge pole.

ritchludlow:

talldarkbishoujo:

ritchludlow:

BREAKING NEWS:In a twitter conversation Steven Moffat confirmed that both River Song as well as Captain Jack Harkness are Bisexual.

See more at RitchandSpace

a) Captain Jack is omnisexual

b) we have literally known this for years as it was Word of God from RTD

c) Moffat gets no fucking cookies whatsoever for this

Hmmm, lots of people missing the point of this.

a) Jack has never self identified as omnisexual, bisexual, or whateversexual. But the relevance of his sexual orientation is that he doesn’t discriminate based on gender (let alone species)
b) Moffat wasn’t making some huge revelation here about Jack Harkness. He was pointing out something that we already knew. Neither did Moffat think this was a revelation, nor did myself or anyone else vlogging or blogging that tweet think it was news.
c) He wasn’t searching for “cookies” here. River Song was clearly bisexual/pansexual/omnisexual all the way back in “Silence in the Library”. What’s important here is that River’s sexual orientation hasn’t been used to objectify her, nor define her character. He’s been writing her this way from day one. It is in incidental element of her character.

“Silence in the Library”/”Forest of the Dead” were set in the 51st Century, where everyone is more sexually fluid. Even before later decisions were made about River, she was always going to be sexually fluid. This wasn’t a grand revelation nor a cry for LGBTQ acceptance. It was Moffat tweeting back and forth with fans about his work.

This!

Actually Watching The Video and Reading The Post not to mention noticing the people who posted it (a humorous Doctor Who loving Tumblr and a not too serious butterflies; flowers; whales; hairstyles & makeup and other nice bisexual stuff Tumblr) rather than jumping on the OMG Zoing! they said the Gasp! Shock! Hated BISEXUAL WORD! let’s all run around in circles screaming! might be a Really Good Idea. *head desk*

This is why so many people frequently are taken in by the fake news on “The Onion”, “Borowitz Report”, et. al. (not to mention scary loony politicians, get rich quick schemes and fake miracle cures). Remember Reading Is Fundamental!

[USA]: Why Do So Many TV Shows Now Have Bisexual Women Characters?

bisexual-community:

Thursday March 8th 2012 - An article in Slate says “on television these days, a bisexual character does seem to double a show’s chances of building a fan base. And judging from three series [The Good Wife’s Kalinda Sharma; Bo Dennis on Lost Girl and April on House of Lies] currently featuring strong bisexual women, admitting an attraction to both girls and boys is the hot new signifier of confidence and independence”

An interesting side note is that real-life bisexual actor & activist Alan Cumming is also in the cast of The Good Wife but plays it “straight” as Eli Gold the cynical Chicago deal-maker & campaign manager widely thought to have been based on former Obama White House Chief of Staff & now Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel

Also sadly so many good characters have been left out, in some cases due to a lack of understanding of bisexuality & unconscious biphobia. For example there is no mention of Angela Montenegro on the long-running series Bones. When asked about that, the piece’s well-meaning but seemingly uninformed (lesbian) author June Thomas tweeted this revealing comment, “although Angela is a great bi role model, she and Hodges are currently doing the monogamy thing”. This telling bit of confusion between polyamory and bisexuality is a disappointing response from a usually well-informed, sensitive and progressive LGBTQ writer.

Boston’s Bisexual Resource Center says “You may have noticed these interesting bi characters on TV” and asks “Who do you watch?” (& why)

Visi(bi)lity: Deconstructing Images of Bisexuality in the Media

“Bisexual” is a label with a lot of negative connotations attached to it, and despite the civil rights victories and advances in equality that gay and lesbian communities have experienced in recent years, the public understanding and acceptance of bisexuality, in both straight and gay communities, is still very minimal.

There are a lot of reasons for this, but for the next eight weeks, I’m going to focus on just one of them—at the end of the day, there are not a lot of positive images of bisexuality in the media.” ~~ Carrie Nelson in Bitch Magazine: Sex and Sexuality March 6, 2012