Octogenarian music executive Clive Davis talks about being bisexual in his new memoir “The Soundtrack of My Life”.
Additionally Davis has been strongly defending the reality and validity of his life as a bisexual man as he does the talk show circuit to promote his book. In some cases, sounding for all the world like a polite if slightly exasperated bi activist as interviewers try to remake him into a confused and closeted gay man who finally came out, saying bisexuality is “misunderstood,” noting that he’s “never stopped being attracted to women.”
“The adage is that you’re either straight or gay or lying, but that’s not my experience,” he adds. “To call me anything other than bisexual would be inaccurate.”
Bi Viewing Selections for Valentine’s Day
If you are staying home with your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day or pampering yourself, here are three recommendations for your viewing pleasure.
- Three (2010, Germany), dir. Tom Tykwer
- Laurence Anyways (2012, Canada), dir. Xavier Dolan
- House of Lies (2012, Showtime television series), created by Matthew Carnahan
Wishing you all a beautiful and blissful Valentines!
The difference between monosexism and biphobia
Re: monosexism and biphobia. Do you use these words interchangeably? I notice more and more people are treating the two as synonymous and it doesn’t really sit right with me.Personally, I don’t.
But before I answer, I have to clarify something first, because a lot of people seem to think I invented the word “monosexism”: So, while this is incredibly flattering, the fact is I didn’t. This word has been in use in bisexual movements from the 1990s or even earlier. I’m willing to take credit for popularizing it on tumblr, though :p
Now to my answer:
I see biphobia as a particular aspect of monosexism, they are definitely not interchangeable. Monosexism, as I see it, refers to the structural privileging of monosexual identities and behaviours. So, monosexism refers, for example, to the belief that one can only be either straight or gay, that it is better to be monosexual than bisexual*, that only monosexual identities are “real”, that monosexual issues are the only ones deserving of attention, etc. Monosexism causes bisexual erasure (from media, literature, art, TV and film, etc.), it causes discrimination when it comes to activist priorities, budgeting, etc. It causes the social isolation that leads many bis* to have poor health and mental health, and prevents proper treatment and support that might help alleviate them. It keeps bi* people “low” on the “pecking order” and creates all sorts of oppression. I see monosexism as the main factor responsible for all the horrible statistics in the Bisexual Invisibility report, for example. So, basically, monosexism is the system, the base structure. It is everything which isn’t directly aimed at bi* people but nonetheless has the effect of eradicating our existence or legitimacy.
I also have to say that monosexism is a structure that first and foremost comes from heterosexism and the patriarchy - 99.99999999% of it comes from heterosexual culture. So for me, monosexism is a term that allows us to look at all the ways that the “broader” culture creates oppression against bisexuals*. In addition, it allows us to consider monosexism as a structure that affects everyone instead of just bi* people - for example, by limiting other people’s options.
Biphobia, on the other hand, is direct negative attitudes and treatment of bi* people. It’s one specific result of monosexism. So here we can think about the many negative attitudes and behaviours specifically aimed against bis*. For example, when people refuse to date bisexuals*, when bis* are represented in stereotypical ways in the media, when bi* women become the target of sexual violence (because they’re perceived as particularly sexy sexual objects), when bi* people are discriminated at their jobs because of their bisexuality (for example, because they’re perceived as unreliable, flaky, unable to handle responsibility or commit to their job), and, yes - when bi* people are treated badly by L, G, and T communities.
I think it’s important to make that distinction, because these are two completely different levels of oppression working against bisexuals* - and of course, I think that the room that biphobia occupies right now in bi* political dialogues is unproportionate, and that we need to pay lots more attention to structural, heterosexual, monosexism.
[For a teeny bit more on that, here’s the snippet from my book where I define the two terms]
And I’m just gonna go ahead and make this rebloggable, because I think people might find that helpful :)
[Lansing, MI]: MBLGTACC (Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference) 2013 at Michigan State University
Q: What’s MBLGTACC?:
A: The Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference (MBLGTACC) is an annual LGBTA conference that is hosted at a different college each year. The three-day conference, which began in 1993, has grown to include over 90 educational workshops on various topics that affect LGBTA people, as well as a variety of inspirational plenary speakers and entertainment.
Q: Okay, sounds legit! What’s there?:
A: 90 educational workshops, taught mostly by students but also by staff, faculty and professionals; 3 inspirational plenary speakers; 2 nights of evening entertainment
Q: Alright, and when is this again?:
A: MBLGTACC 2013 will be held Friday, February 8 to Sunday, February 10, 2013.
Q: So where is it?:
A: The Lansing Center in Lansing, MI. The address of the Lansing Center is 333 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933.
Q: Wait - can I come?:
A: College students and anyone who works with college students can attend. The conference is not limited to students from the Midwest - anyone from across the U.S. and the world are encouraged to attend! Students have attended from all corners of the U.S., as well as a few from Canada and other countries, too.
Q: Awesome. Who’s organizing this thing?:
A: MBLGTACC is entirely organized by students. The MBLGTACC 2013 Planning Coalition is led by a group of students at Michigan State University.
Q: What’s “Mosaic: Putting the Pieces Together” all about?
A: It’s this year’s theme. The 2013 conference will explore the many identities within the LGBTA community and how those identities are stronger when bonded together to form one beautiful, perfectly imperfect work of art. The conference will focus on bringing together the often fragmented queer community to address issues that affect us both individually and collectively.
Some photos from the Bisexual/non-Monosexual and Queer-identified Community at Creating Change 2013 in Atlanta Georgia from Wednesday January 23rd thru Sunday January 27th 2013
Next year in Houston TX, hope to see you all there.
So jealous aaah why am I so far away omg that’s Robyn Ochs brb sobbing
(via tearingdownthatfence)
Trevor NextGen NYC presents: Bisexuality: Identity and Experience — A night of illuminating discussion with bisexual authors, leaders and pioneers
The New York Area Bisexual Network says REMINDER Last call people! Do Not Miss (!) the Trevor NextGen NYC’s fantastic event TONIGHT Wednesday 30 January 2013 at NYU Kimmel Center for University Life, right off of Union Square. Featuring BiRequest’s own Paulie, Estraven from Westchester’s LOFT LGBT Community Center, bisexual chanteuses Robin Renee as well as several Bisexual Bloggers & Authors including A.J. Walkley & Ron Suresha from Connecticut and Brooklyn’s own Dr Herukhuti.
Please try to arrive by 7:15 pm to check in, pick up some of the literature provided by American Institute of Bisexuality and get a great seat. The event will start at 7:30 pm.
Then after the discussions, please plan to join us for hors d’oeuvres and specially priced drinks at The Madelyn NYC, 82 West 3rd Street, NYC See ya all there!!
people are reporting that they are already in line …
“We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall” ~USA President Barack Hussein Obama, 2nd Inaugural Address, 21 January 2013
Gaelick: On being a bisexual with a boyfriend
Ms. Gay Limerick is bisexual and has been blogging about it in the Irish lesbian blog Gaelick —
“I have been dating my best friend for the last month. My best friend is a boy. Before anyone starts throwing stones of “passing”, “straight privilege”, “heteronormativity,” or “attention seeking skank”, hear me out.
There is little point in trying to deny that parts of the queer community are rife with biphobia. I dealt with it a lot with Ms Gay Limerick and even more with Ms Gay Ireland. For the year and a half I have been out, I am very careful what I say to certain people. Sometimes it feels like the more political and vocal I get about bisexual identity, the more backlash I seem to get.
Previous to dating the current boy, I was very hush hush about my romantic life to anyone outside my best friends and my mom. I didn’t want the LGBTQ circle to find out I was flirting with boys, I didn’t want my straight friends to know I was shifting girls. I became overly conscious of avoiding gender pronouns and did all I could to avert the inevitable slut shaming that tends to follow bisexuals around. I even censored myself when writing Gaelick articles so I could be sure there would be no flaming.
Finally, there came a point when I realised that I was acting like I was still in the closet. In the same way I used to hide that I loved the ladies, I was now ashamed of not being gay enough.”
Faith-Based Films (Life of Pi, Anna Karenina & Silver Linings Playbook)
What do a shipwrecked Indian boy and a mentally disturbed Bradley Cooper have in common with Anna Karenina?
Life of Pi, Anna Karenina, and Silver Linings Playbook, on the surface, are very different movies. But they are about the same thing: faith. What is faith? Who has it and who doesn’t? And what are the consequences when you don’t have faith or put your faith in the wrong thing?
Anil Vora reviews from the perspective of a queer man and a desi person of color. It helps him cut through a lot of bulls**t that movies try to spoon feed their audience. He has reviewed movies for GayRadio.com and written a blog. He is also an actor, playwright, and a lifelong fan and expert on Bollywood films.
