Biphobia Alerts: Two separate incidents to deal with
X-Posted with permission from BiNet USA News and Opinions: News, Essays and Editorials by & for America's Bisexual Community (on LJ as binetusa) from a post by Estraven a Mod from the Westchester Bisexual Group
First, there is a tragically (mis)named website called "Broadening Our Gay Unity: For A Better Tomorrow" whose Mission Statement talks about "the prospective, tragic threat, duplicity and danger of the "B" in LGBT, exposed." If you join the Guest Book, it is full of hateful messages about bisexuals such as "BI RHYMES WITH LIE AND DIE", and also quoting the discredited Bailey research.
A member of NYC's long running discussion group for bisexual and bi-friendly people BiRequest contacted the website, only to receive this response:
"SHAME ON YOU. Bisexuals are maintaining hetero-privilege and collaborating with the homophobes while simultaneously enjoying the gay lifestyle. Female bisexuals are attention seeking heterosexuals, while male ones are just self-denying homosexuals too afraid to fully acknowledge their true orientation. Bisexuals are actually closeted gay people who wish to appear heterosexual. Bisexuals want to undermine the GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT. BI IS A LIE . . . . . BEWARE OF THEIR VILE, HOMOPHOBIC AGENDA!!!!"
Though we are all staunch advocates of Free Speech and the 1st Amendment, we also believe the old adage that another person's freedom to swing their arms ends when their fists are in danger of connecting with our nose or in this case the "Bi, Lie, Die" thing et. al.
The website is on a free web server, and the webhosts state that they have a policy against ". . . the defamation of others . . . and offensive activity". Click here for the form for reporting offensive content. If the hosting service gets enough complaints, this offensive site may be shut down or at least forced to amend their public threats.
The same people also seem to have a YouTube page It is not clear whether or not someone can be removed from YouTube, but if he gets enough posts that male bisexuals are NOT confused gay men, and female bisexuals are NOT attention-seeking straight women, eventually he might listen.
Secondly, The Tyra Banks Show (a Warner Bros. Television product) has a Poll about whether or not bisexuals exist ( Yes ANOTHER one!). The votes and commentary are running in our favor on this one, at least, but Tyra Banks and her corporate handlers need to hear that the very existence of such a poll is offensive - as one person astutely points out, "it's like asking if biracial people exist."
Please Click Here to Vote and Voice your opinion on "Bisexuality Real or Bogus" and while you are at it you may want to mention to her boss at Warner Bros. Television that your life is NOT subject to the whim of a on-line popularity contest and lastly alert the good folks at GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) so that they can bring appropriate pressure to bear on the show and corporation also.
And as usual, if YOU find an instance of biphobia or bisexual erasure do not keep it to yourself - if you SEE something, SAY Something!
yes, please DO X-Post this
First, there is a tragically (mis)named website called "Broadening Our Gay Unity: For A Better Tomorrow" whose Mission Statement talks about "the prospective, tragic threat, duplicity and danger of the "B" in LGBT, exposed." If you join the Guest Book, it is full of hateful messages about bisexuals such as "BI RHYMES WITH LIE AND DIE", and also quoting the discredited Bailey research.
A member of NYC's long running discussion group for bisexual and bi-friendly people BiRequest contacted the website, only to receive this response:
"SHAME ON YOU. Bisexuals are maintaining hetero-privilege and collaborating with the homophobes while simultaneously enjoying the gay lifestyle. Female bisexuals are attention seeking heterosexuals, while male ones are just self-denying homosexuals too afraid to fully acknowledge their true orientation. Bisexuals are actually closeted gay people who wish to appear heterosexual. Bisexuals want to undermine the GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT. BI IS A LIE . . . . . BEWARE OF THEIR VILE, HOMOPHOBIC AGENDA!!!!"
Though we are all staunch advocates of Free Speech and the 1st Amendment, we also believe the old adage that another person's freedom to swing their arms ends when their fists are in danger of connecting with our nose or in this case the "Bi, Lie, Die" thing et. al.
The website is on a free web server, and the webhosts state that they have a policy against ". . . the defamation of others . . . and offensive activity". Click here for the form for reporting offensive content. If the hosting service gets enough complaints, this offensive site may be shut down or at least forced to amend their public threats.
The same people also seem to have a YouTube page It is not clear whether or not someone can be removed from YouTube, but if he gets enough posts that male bisexuals are NOT confused gay men, and female bisexuals are NOT attention-seeking straight women, eventually he might listen.
Secondly, The Tyra Banks Show (a Warner Bros. Television product) has a Poll about whether or not bisexuals exist ( Yes ANOTHER one!). The votes and commentary are running in our favor on this one, at least, but Tyra Banks and her corporate handlers need to hear that the very existence of such a poll is offensive - as one person astutely points out, "it's like asking if biracial people exist."
Please Click Here to Vote and Voice your opinion on "Bisexuality Real or Bogus" and while you are at it you may want to mention to her boss at Warner Bros. Television that your life is NOT subject to the whim of a on-line popularity contest and lastly alert the good folks at GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) so that they can bring appropriate pressure to bear on the show and corporation also.
And as usual, if YOU find an instance of biphobia or bisexual erasure do not keep it to yourself - if you SEE something, SAY Something!
yes, please DO X-Post this