Skip to main content
Humanities LibreTexts

6.4: Bisexual Activism

  • Page ID
    68377
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    In the 1980s, bisexual women formed their own groups to more closely align with feminist principles. Founded in 1983, the Boston Bisexual Women’s Network was one of the earliest of these groups. Also in the 1980s, the East Coast Bisexual Network, Bay Area Bisexual Network, and New York Area Bisexual Network—as well as political organizations such as San Francisco’s BiPOL, Boston's BiCEP, and New York City's BiPAC—formed demonstrating a broader coalition and reach of bisexual activists.

    In conjunction with the 1984 Democratic Convention, BiPOL organized the first rally for bisexual rights. In 1990, the North American Bisexual Network (later called BiNet) formed as the first national organization, and in 1990, BiPOL organized the first U.S. National Bisexual Conference in San Fran- cisco. The second national conference came about in conjunction with the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation; the first national march to include bisexuals in the title.

    Bisexual visibility, and integration in the LGBTQ movement, continued to grow in the years to follow. Connecticut State Representative Evelyn Mantilla came out in 1997 to become the first openly bisexual elected politician. In 1999, Celebrate Bisexuality Day launched and became an annual celebration on September 23 to celebrate bisexual identity.

    clipboard_ea6ac4050b48da92c0f0260f06dee5a17.png
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Gilbert Baker is credited for designing the first gay pride flag. The original had eight stripes of color and first flew at San Francisco's pride parade in 1978.
    clipboard_e656b5532120935138112b072a16077db.png
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): The bisexual flag is credited to a team led by Michael Page. It was influenced by the Biangels symbol and was first flown at the BiCafe in 1998.
    clipboard_e88d3d697cb4ffcbb29ed58b3bac7f54e.png
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Many flags have been raised to represent the transgender community, but this one by Monica Helms, first flown at the 2000 Phoenix pride parade, is probably the most common.

    This page titled 6.4: Bisexual Activism is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kyle Morgan and Meg Rodriguez (Humboldt State University Press) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.