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Bidar: covers bisexuality in media, arts & culture
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| Bi Lines VI & Bisexual Book Awards: A Multi-Arts Celebration of Bisexual Writing |
[18 May 2013|05:16pm] |
 & NUYORiCAN POEtS CafE
Present
Bi Lines VI:
A Multi-Arts Celebration of Bisexual Writing
& Bisexual Book Awards
Sun June 2, 2013
6:30 Book Signings
7pm Bi Lines Program
& Awards
9:30 Book Signings
10pm After Party
Bisexual book authors of 2012 read from their works.
Inaugural Bisexual Book Awards Ceremony:
Winners are announced!
Plus live music, tattoo photography & after-party!
Host: Sheela Lambert, Founder Bi Writers Association
Author Readings:
Annette Lapointe, Whitetail Shooting Gallery
Basil Papademos, Mount Royal
Donnelle McGee, Shine
Ellen Kushner,Beyond Binary: Genderqueer and Sexually Fluid Speculative Fiction
Erynn Rowan Laurie, Fireflies at Absolute Zero
James Earl Hardy (B Boy Blues Series), Can You Feel What I'm Saying?
Janet Hardy (The Ethical Slut), Girlfag
Kelli Dunham, My Awesome Place: The Autobiography of Cheryl B
Vincent Meiss, Tio Jorge
Art: Efrain Gonzalez, Ink & Steel: slideshow of his tattoo & piercing photography
Musicians: Rorie Kelly, Ben Silver
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| Bi Writers Association announces its inaugural Bisexual Book Awards! |
[11 May 2013|05:45am] |
The Bi Writers Association announces its inaugural Bisexual Book Awards, to be held June 2nd. The first bisexual book awards held anywhere, ever! BWA programs Bi Lines VI: A Multi-Arts Celebration of Bisexual Writing and the Bisexual Book Awards will be converging on the same night: they complement each other beautifully because awards shows traditionally feature arts entertainment.
Our inaugural awards will have seven categories: Bisexual Fiction, Bisexual Non-fiction, Bisexual Erotic Fiction/Erotica, Bisexual Speculative Fiction [Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror], Bisexual Poetry, Bi Book Publisher Award and the Bi Writer Award. Most of the categories were dictated by the types of bi-themed books published this year and what genres they fit into. We also wanted to honor one superlative bi/bisexual/pansexual/fluid author with the Bi Writer Award, which is for best bi author of the year, regardless of genre. Bi Book Publisher of the Year will go to the publisher who has published the most bi-themed books.
"Getting a bi-themed book published is often difficult. Bisexual books and authors dont have the same opportunities for recognition that other books do. The main LGBT book awards only has one category for bisexual books and others have none. The Bi Writers Association decided that we need to do more to promote publication of bisexual books, and to recognize and celebrate the bi-themed books that do get published, their authors and their publishers. Creating our own Bisexual Book Awards, where we could have more categories to recognize the achievements of bi book authors, seemed like the best way to do that. We're very excited about our very first awards season!" says Bi Writers Association founder Sheela Lambert.
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| Musicians Rorie Kelly and Ben Silver confirmed for Bi Lines |
[04 May 2013|01:38pm] |
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Indie rocker Rorie Kelly and folk musician Ben Silver will be livening up the program at Bi Lines with their musical riffs. Both are returning favorites to the Bi Lines program.
 & NUYORiCAN POEtS CafEPresent
Bi Lines VI:
A Multi-Arts Celebration of
Bisexual Writing
Readings! Music! Art!
Sun June 2, 2013
6:30pm Book Signings
7-9:30pm Bi Lines Program
9:30 Book Signings
10pm After-Party
Bisexual book authors of 2012 read from their works.
Plus live music, tattoo photography & after-party!
Host: Sheela Lambert, Founder Bi Writers Association
Author Readings:
Annette Lapointe, Whitetail Shooting Gallery
Donnelle McGee, Shine
Ellen Kushner, Beyond Binary: Genderqueer and Sexually Fluid Speculative Fiction
James Earl Hardy (B Boy Blues Series), Can You Feel What I'm Saying?
Janet Hardy (The Ethical Slut), Girlfag
Kelli Dunham, My Awesome Place: The Autobiography of Cheryl B
Vincent Meiss, Tio Jorge
Art: Efrain Gonzalez, Ink & Steel: slideshow of his tattoo & piercing photography
Musicians: Rorie Kelly, Ben Silver
Tickets $10: in advance at www.nuyorican.org or at the door
Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 236 E. 3rd St. between Aves. B-C 10009
Questions? info@biwriters.org or 917-583-1797
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| Bi Lines VI: A Multi-Arts Celebration of Bisexual Writing >Sun June 2nd at Nuyorican Poets Cafe |
[25 Apr 2013|11:50am] |
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Bi Lines VI: A Multi-Arts Celebration of Bisexual Writing, hosted by the Bi Writers Association, is coming on Sunday June 2nd! Our location is Nuyorican Poets Cafe, the same wonderful venue we had last year. Founded in 1973, Nuyorican's purpose has always been to provide a stage for the artists traditionally under-represented in the mainstream media and culture. They have a bar, so you will not have to go thirsty during the program. (FYI: they do not serve food.) Location: Nuyorican Poets Cafe
Address: 236 East 3rd Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. Zip code 10009.
Website http://www.nuyorican.org/ Tickets: $10 available on Nuyorican's website soon or you can buy them at the door. Schedule:
Doors open at 6:30 for book signings.
Program 7-9:30pm.
More book signings until 10pm.
After party: stay and drink until the bartender goes home! Maybe we can order pizza.
Artists confirmed for the program so far:
Author Readings:
- Annette Lapointe, Whitetail Shooting Gallery
- Donnelle McGee, Shine
- Ellen Kushner, Beyond Binary: Genderqueer and Sexually Fluid Speculative Fiction
- James Earl Hardy (B Boy Blues Series), Can You Feel What I'm Saying?
- Janet Hardy (The Ethical Slut), Girlfag
- Kelli Dunham, My Awesome Place: The Autobiography of Cheryl B.
- Vincent Meiss, Tio Jorge
Art:
Ink & Steel: slideshow presentation of Efrain Gonzalez' photography book of tattoos & piercings Music:
Musical Performances: TBA
We hope you can join us for the most amazing bisexual arts event of the year!
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| This Sunday! Bi Lines V: A Multi-Arts Celebration of Bisexual Writing |
[01 Jun 2012|10:59pm] |
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mood |
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& Nuyorican Poets Cafe
Present
Bi Lines V: A Multi-Arts Celebration of Bisexual Writing Readings! Music! Theater! Art! Sun June 3, 2012
6pm Book & CD Signings 6:30-8:30pm Program Celebrated 2011 bisexual book authors, finalists & nominees for
the bisexual Lambda Literary Awards, read from their works. Plus live music, live theater, graphic art & soul food after-party! Hosted by Bi Writers Association, co-sponsored by Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Tickets $8
Purchase advance tickets at http://www.nuyorican.org/ or pay at door. Schedule:
6pm Book signings
6:30-8:30 Program
8:30-9pm Book signings
9-11 Soul Food After Party nearby Readings:
The Correspondence Artist, Barbara Browning -Lammy Award finalist
Sovereign Erotics, Qwo-Li Driskill -Lammy Award finalist
The Horizontal Poet, Jan Steckel -Lammy Award finalist
Triptych, J.M. Frey -Lammy Award finalist
Surviving Steven: A True Story, Ven Rey -Lammy Award finalist
a + e 4ever: A Graphic Novel, Ilike Merey
Bisexuality and Queer Theory: Intersections, Connections
and Challenges, Serena Anderlini-D’Onofrio -Lammy Award finalist
Straight Jock Pussy, Christopher Trevor
The Last Nude, Ellis Avery Theater Performance:
Scene from Confessions of a Homo Thug Porn Star by James Earl Hardy (author B-Boy Blues) starring Johnathan Cedano as Tiger Tyson
Musical Performances:
Viva
Rorie Kelly Art:
Art slideshow from a + e 4ever: A Graphic Novel by Ilike Merey
After-Party:
Soul food after party nearby Info:
Questions? Contact info (at) biwriters.org or 917-583-1797
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| Boyfriends with Girlfriends |
[06 Dec 2011|02:34pm] |
New Bisexual Book Review:
By Sheela Lambert, Founder, Bi Writers Association
Boyfriends with Girlfriends is a teen/young adult novel about four suburban teens, two bisexual and two gay,
two boys and two girls, two pairs of best friends, who are in different stages of dealing with their orientation
when they meet, but grow in the process of getting to know each other. Full article here
More recent articles by Sheela Lambert:
More bisexual book articles by Sheela Lambert:
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| From black to Pink: Bisexual book interview with YA author Lili Wilkinson |
[16 Nov 2011|06:19am] |
Ava feels torn between several worlds: she’s a black-wearing, ironic, school-hating lesbian for her girlfriend Chloe; she’s pink-wearing, boy-crazy, ambitious and studious for her “pastel” friends at her new transfer high school; she’s a sarcastic sci-fi nerd for her stage crew buddies; and a black-wearing intellectual for her parents, who seem to have more in common with Chloe than with her. Like most teens, she wants to fit in, but since the different groups she belongs to have opposite expectations, she winds up walking a precarious tightrope of conflicting roles, impeding her ability to know and understand herself. Her juggling act cant last forever and is in danger of coming down like a house of cards, as her worlds get closer and closer to a collision course.
Sheela Lambert: What inspired you to address the topic of bisexuality in your novel, Pink? And what made you want to address it in a YA (young adult) book?
 Lili Wilkinson: It started with a speech that writer/publisher David Levithan gave at a conference in Melbourne, Australia. He talked about the importance of making sure every teenager could find a book in their school or public library that reflected who they were. David talked about growing up as a gay teenager, and not seeing himself in any of the books he read. I thought about all of the books out there now about gay teenagers (still not enough, in my opinion), and realized that most of them were about coming out, and that there were very few books about bisexual teens. I wanted to write a book for the teenagers who weren't sure which box they fit into.
Read the rest of Sheela's interview with Pink author Lili Wilkinson on Examiner.com.
More bisexual book articles by BWA founder Sheela Lambert:
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| Bi Lines IV: A Celebration of Bisexual Writing in Reading, Music & Culture |
[28 Jan 2011|04:02pm] |
presents
Bi Lines IV A Celebration of Bisexual Writing in Reading, Music & Culture Friday May 27, 2011
Doors open 6:30 for book signings
Program 7-9:30pm
NYC LGBT Community Center
208 W. 13 St. 7-8 Ave 10011
Celebrated 2010 bisexual book authors, nominated for
the “Lammy” LGBT Book Awards, read from their works. Plus live music and bi culture.
Authors on the program:
Cecilia Tan: author Black Feathers, founder of Circlet Press Contrib to Bisexual Nonfiction nominee book The Mammoth Book of Threesomes and Moresomes
Daniel Allen Cox - Krakow Melt Bisexual Fiction finalist!
Ann Herendeen - Pride/Prejudice Bisexual Fiction finalist!
Michael Gregg Michaud - Sal Mineo Bisexual Nonfiction finalist!
Malena Watrous - If You Follow Me Bisexual Fiction finalist!
Georgeann Packard - Fall Asleep Forgetting Bisexual Fiction finalist!
Ann Tweedy - Beleaguered Oasis Bisexual Fiction nominee
Nora Olsen - The End: Five Queer Kids Save The World
Musicians: Robin Renee, Rorie Kelly & Ben Silver
Comedy & song: Donna Redd
Theater: Excerpt from Lost and Found by Marsha Sheiness
After party at Village Den, around the corner from LGBT Center
This project is made possible in part with public funds from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund, supported by the New York City Dept of Cultural Affairs and administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
For more info read article:
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[01 Aug 2010|01:42pm] |
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Sheela Lambert Bisexual Examiner
covering bisexuality
in media, arts, culture & society
books/authors+celebrities+movies/TV
bi people+activism+bi history+theater
If it's bisexual, it's on my radar!
Over 175 articles posted!
Four ways to get there:
1) Click here
2) Go to http://www.examiner.com/bisexual-in-national/sheela-lambert
3) Google "Sheela Lambert" or “Sheela Lambert Examiner”
4) On Examiner.com site type “Sheela Lambert” into search box
I'm still blogging about everything bisexual, but I'm doing it on Examiner.com to reach a wider audience. You can subscribe to email alerts (at the top of my Examiner column) to be notified whenever I post something new.
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| Bi Lines III: A Celebration of Bisexual Writing in Reading, Music & Culture - May 28 |
[09 May 2010|02:09pm] |
  presents
Bi Lines III A Celebration of Bisexual Writing in Reading, Music & Culture Friday May 28 Program 7-9:30pm
Doors open 6:30 for booksignings Celebrated bisexual book authors, most nominated for the 2009
“Lammy” LGBT Book Awards, read from their works. Plus live music and bi art exhibits.
Authors/Books:
Blake Bailey/Cheever: A Life
Audrey Beth Stein/Map
Bobbie Geary/The Janeid
Herukhuti/Conjuring Black Funk
Ann Herendeen/Pride/Prejudice J.E. Knowles/Arusha
Live Music: Meech Morrison, Jade Zabric, Drew
Photography: Efrain Gonzalez, Amanda Morgan Location: The LGBT Community Center
208 W. 13th Street 7-8 Ave NYC 10011 Suggested donation $7 (no one will be turned away)
Hosted by the Bi Writers Association.
Co-sponsored by BiRequest, Lambda Literary Foundation &
Bi Women of All Colors.
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| BWA founder Sheela Lambert now reports on bisexuality on Examiner.com |
[12 Dec 2009|05:10pm] |
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 Sheela Lambert Bisexual Examiner covering bisexuality in media, arts, culture & society TV=celebrities=movies=books bi peopleqbi activismqbi history If it's bisexual, it's on my radar
Over 80 articles posted!
Three ways to get there: 1) Go to http://www.examiner.com/x-17829-Bisexual-Examiner
2) Google “Sheela Lambert Examiner”
3) On Examiner.com site type “Sheela Lambert” into search box
I'm still blogging about everything bisexual, but I'm doing it on Examiner.com to reach a wider audience. You can subscribe to email alerts (at the top of my Examiner column) to be notified whenever I post something new.
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| Putting the B the LGBT; an open letter to the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center |
[27 Sep 2009|05:23pm] |
by Paige Listerud
aka Max the Communist
 To whom it may concern at the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center, I know that I am not alone in saying that you have the total support of the bisexual community in the face of this attack. I am heartened to see that Heidi Cranford Williams mentioned bisexuals, as part of the LGBTQ community, in her press response to the hate crime vandalism. However, mentioning bisexuals in fine print on your website or as an afterthought to a significant campaign for visibility does not really include us. When I look at the MGLCC billboard campaign, I feel a strong sense of bisexual erasure. May I ask, why were bisexuals left off the billboards? Why was there no inclusion of the word "bisexual"? When your campaign says that ministers accept lesbian, gay, and transgender people, but makes no mention of bisexuals, you make it seem as though no ministers in your area accept bisexual men and women at their churches. When your billboards say that lesbian, gay, and transgender people have straight supporters, your omission of bisexuals makes it seem as though bisexuals have no supporters at all--not straights, gays, lesbians, or transgender people. Inclusion matters. Bisexual people look and listen for the "B" word. It helps us to know that we have allies in gay, lesbian, transgender, and straight communities. As a matter of fact, this May the Bi Writers Association, headed by Sheela Lambert, held a summit in NYC entitled "Putting the 'B' in the LGBT" attended by national LGBT rights organizations and the press. Furthermore, at least according to your website, it seems as though you have no bisexual-specific programming at your organization. It may be of interest to know that at the Bisexual Health Summit, held on the first day of the LGBTI Health Summit in August here in Chicago, the research consistently showed that bisexuals were at the greatest health risks of lesbians, gay men, and straight people across most of the major health indicators; that health and social service organizations need to develop bi-specific programming to address our underserved health needs. Just on the issue of suicide alone, lesbians and gay men were found to consider suicide 4 times higher than straight women/men; bisexual men were found to consider suicide 7 times higher than straight men and bisexual women 6 times higher than straight women. For some bisexuals, the visible and vocal inclusion of us in your programming and publicity campaigns may be the difference between life and death. We are part of the larger LGBTQ community; we are your lovers, your friends, your fellow activists, your neighbors, and your natural allies. We have been there from the beginning of the struggle for liberation. We too, have served our country. As a matter of fact, one of the biggest moments in American bisexual history was when, in 1989, openly bisexual veteran Cliff Arnesen testified before Congress about lesbian, gay, and bisexual veteran's issues. At that time, transgender people who have served our country were not very visible. Also, the lesbian and gay veterans with Cliff tried to pressure him into identifying as gay, instead of bisexual, because they thought his identification would hurt their cause. Cliff Arnesen refused and became the first non-heterosexual veteran to testify on Capital Hill about LGB veterans' issues and veterans' issues in general. Cliff Arnesen had been dishonorably discharged because of his bisexual orientation. I wish none of my message to be misconstrued as some sign of a lack of support for lesbians, gay men, or transgender people or an attack on the Memphis LGBTQ community in particular. Across the nation, the LGBTQ community has our unqualified support. We are all in this together. But we also need to know that we are supported; that we can be ourselves, just the way we are, among you. One of the clearest ways that our allies can show their support for us is to say our name. Bi all means, say our name. Sincerely, Max the Communist AUTHOR TAGS:bisexual, pansexual, lesbian, gay, transgender, visibility, putting the b in lgbt, publicity, billboards, campaign, gay marine, vandalism, hate crime, bisexual erasure, support, allies, Cliff Arnesen, bisexual history, bi health summit, suicide, health risks, inclusion |
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| Bi Writers at LGBT Bohemian Night in NYC |
[16 Sep 2009|07:07pm] |
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LGBT Bohemian Night: Oct 28, 7-10pm Bisexual Poetry, Prose & Artwork plus LGBT open mic at LGBT Bohemian Night Sheela Lambert, Bi Writers Association founder, Bisexual Examiner.com columnist, free-lance writer published by Advocate.com, Curve, AfterEllen, Bi Magazine, Huffington Post, etc & editor of the forthcoming anthology, Best Bi Short Stories. Geoff Kagan Trenchard, poet, has performed on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam and toured internationally as a member of performance poetry troupe The Suicide Kings with their hip-hop theater piece “In Spite of Everything.” Ann Herendeen, author of bisexual novels Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander and the forthcoming Pride/Prejudice. Dr. Herukhuti, author of Conjuring Black Funk: Notes on Culture, Sexuality and Sprituality. Amanda Morgan, poet
More TBA LGBT Bohemian Night hosts a monthly event filled with poetry, songs, music and visual arts. Generally, artists are scheduled to perform, but there is an Open Mic in case anyone from the audience wants to participate. Performers can speak either English, Spanish or be bilingual.
LGBT Bohemian Night is the last Wednesday of every month (except July, Aug & Dec) 7-10pm / $5 donation
Location: No Parking 4168 Broadway @ 177st St.
Directions: A Train to 175th St. or #1 to 181 St
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| Bi Writers Association endorses National Equality March |
[16 Sep 2009|01:32pm] |
The Bi Writers Association announces its endorsement of the National Equality March to be held in Washington DC on the weekend of National Coming Out Day, Oct 10-11. The National Equality March used bisexual and transgender inclusive language on its website and in speeches promoting the march from the beginning and did not have to be encouraged to do so. So far, they have been more progressive and inclusive of the bi & trans communities than any other national march to date. We encourage our members, the bi community and our allys to attend. We also encourage our members, the bi community and our allys to renew their efforts to support the fight for equality in Maine, Washinton State, California, Iowa, New York and everywhere else in the country that needs help fighting against anti-LGBT ballot initiatives, bills designed to take away our rights, anti-LGBT rights candidates or fighting for pro-LGBT rights candidates, bills and issues. Our rights and our lives depend on it. Sheela Lambert
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| Transcending Boundaries Conference Calls for Proposals; Tristan Taormino Keynote Speaker |
[07 Sep 2009|10:57pm] |
by Paige Listerud
aka Max the Communist
 The 6th Transcending Boundaries Conference is taking place November 20-22, 2009 in Worcester, Massachusetts, for bisexual/pansexual, trans/genderqueer, intersex, and polyamorous people and our allies . . . "to foster community, provide safe space, educate ourselves, and overcome societal sex, gender, and sexuality boundaries!" Deadline for early registration is Sept. 30; deadline for advanced registration is Oct. 31; and late registration starts in November. Go here for registration and hotel information. TBC has sent out a call for workshop proposals--the deadline is September 15, 2009. Whether you are a seasoned presenter or want to lead a group for the first time, conference organizers are "searching for speakers who are passionate about their area of expertise and want to share it with the community." They are especially looking for presentations along one or more of the following tracks: - Bi/Pansexuality
- Trans/GenderQueer
- Intersex
- Polyamory
- Gender (general)
- Allies
- Activism
- People of Color
- Youth
- Diversity
- Careers
- Spirituality
- Health
- History
- Legal Issues
Download the proposal form from here.  The keynote speaker for this TBC will be alternative sexuality author, educator, and feminist pornographer Tristan Taormino. Tristan ran a great sex advice column in the Village Voice until they dumbed and dulled themselves down with massive layoffs of veteran contributors last year. But her book Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships made a huge splash among polyamorous and fluid sexuality folks everywhere. And her porn site, Pucker Up, is still going strong. She follows in the footsteps of sex-positive feminists like Susie Bright, Annie Sprinkle, and Carol Queen. Tristan is one busy woman; I feel a little shamefaced that it was through her website that I found out about the 2009 Loving More National Polyamory Retreat happening this weekend, Sept. 11-13th. Hope that's not too late for all you polys out there. Sorry. Next year I'll be more on the ball.  Susie Bright
 Annie Sprinkle  Carol Queen
AUTHOR TAGS:transcending boundaries conference, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, genderqueer, intersex, polyamory, alternative sexuality, Tristan Taormino, Susie Bright, Annie Sprinkle, Carol Queen, deadlines, loving more polyamory conference, opening up, open relationships |
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| Gay Liberation Network Checks Murder Music Performer Buju Banton |
[29 Aug 2009|03:43pm] |
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by Paige Listerud
aka Max the Communist  Chicago's Gay Liberation Network has been leading a campaign since early August to get Live Nation and other concert promoters to cancel Buju Banton concerts because the performer calls for killing lesbians and gay men in the lyrics of his songs. So far, their work has reaped some success--Thursday afternoon Live Nation announced that it has cancelled all its concerts booking Buju Banton at its 4 House of Blues locations, Chicago, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Houston. Bob Schwartz of GLN, who has led several campaigns against "murder music" performers over the years said, "Live Nation . . . has done the right thing and canceled the hate monger. . . . We first wrote Live Nation several years ago following their purchase of the House of Blues to alert them to the Jamaican Reggae "Dancehall" singers who advocated killing gays, and had thought we wouldn't have to go down this road again. We hope they have gotten the message. . . . These cancellations show the power of protest to deliver the goods." GLN's position on Banton's music has always been clear. "Advocating murder is not 'free speech.'. . . House of Blues/Live Nation would never book Buju Banton if he advocated killing African Americans or Jews, and rightly so. Why is it still okay with House of Blues to advocate murdering lesbians and gays? Why the double standard?" While I'm not comfortable with the way that GLN neglects to mention bisexual and transgender people under attack, I have absolutely no doubt that they are just as swept up in the anti-queer violence in Jamaica. Supporting this campaign helps them. And addressing GLN's neglect in acknowledging them is certainly on my to-do list. Buju Banton's native Jamaica is rife with anti-queer violence, which is typically tolerated by the authorities. Same-sex behavior is punishable in Jamaica up to 10 years in prison. According to Passport Magazine: "When [Human Rights watch researcher Rebecca] Schleifer visited Jamaica in 2004, Brian Williamson, the country's leading gay activist, was violently chopped to death with a machete in his apartment in Kingston. Schleifer walked to his street shortly after the murder and found a crowd of people gathered outside Williamson's apartment singing and celebrating his murder and shouting the chorus of 'Boom Boom Bye Bye,' a popular Buju Banton dancehall hit about shooting gay men: 'Boom bye bye, in a faggot's head. Rude boys don't promote nasty men, they have to die.' Others were laughing and yelling, 'Let's get them one at a time,' and, 'That's what you get for sin.'" In a story reporting on the London memorial for Brian Williamson in 2004, Williamson's murder created a heightened sense of fear in Jamaica's LGBT community and a violent backlash against on the streets against queer people. Its local queer organization, J-FLAG, received increasing threats and reports of violence against LGBTs. The Jamaican government has been criticized for its criminalization same-sex behavior and its human rights record for LGBT. Several gay Jamaicans attending Williamson's memorial said that the police were carrying out a vendetta against the LGBT community: "The Jamaican police have consistently failed to tackle homophobic attacks. Most of the killers have literally gotten away with murder. The police are themselves accused of beating up lesbians and gay men. Many gay Jamaicans describe the police as 'gay bashers in uniform'." As of last summer, major LGBT groups have encouraged a boycott of Jamaican tourism and Jamaican products. Red Stripe withdrew its corporate sponsorship of music events which featured performers of "murder music." J-FLAG has tried to get the attention of its country's Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, over anti-queer violence, but so far has met with only limited success. Buju Banton has never stopped performing those of his songs promoting violence against LGBT, nor has he ever apologized for them. In 2007, he supposedly signed a Reggae Compassionate Act, to pledge to refrain from homophobic songs or making homophobic statements, but later denied ever signing it. The campaign to stop Butu Banton from performing anti-queer murder music is not over. Other concert promoters in several other cities are still sponsoring his concerts. AEG Live is the promoter behind most of the remaining concerts on Banton's US Tour. You can sign the LA Community Center's petition to AEG Live here: https://secure2.convio.net/laglc/site/SPageServer?pagename=Stop_Hate_Lyrics For a full list of cities still holding Buju Banton concerts, go the to Gay Liberation Network webpage. Please alert GLN if you are planning any protests in those cities.  AUTHOR TAGS:anti-queer, anti-LGBT, violence, murder music, Buju Banton, Jamaica, Bruce Golding, Gay Liberation Network, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Live Nation, AEG Live, concerts, reggae, dancehall music |
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| BiCon 2010 and Why You Should Go To a Bi Conference |
[28 Aug 2009|06:52pm] |
by Paige Listerud
aka Max the Communist
 The bisexual Brits are bringing it. An early announcement has been made about the 28th BiCon UK merging with the 10th International Conference on Bisexuality, happening in the UK, August 26-30, 2010--though specific venues are still to be announced-- "welcoming activists, academics, and the 'ordinary bisexual next door'." Its website is still skeletal--but the word is out. Being an ordinary bi/pansexual across the pond, I thought this would be an opportune time to discuss why you should head to a bi/pan/queer conference, especially if you've never been to one and your current environs are short on bi/pan/queer community. Reason #1 actually comes from an older coming out story of a lesbian woman living and trying to date women in the horrible 1950s, when homosexuals were a Cold War national security threat and gay bars were police favorites for raiding and intimidation. Living down South in a large city with several underground gay bars, this young lesbian got arrested in such a raid and dragged downtown with other usual queer suspects to be booked. Lo and behold, the police had swept all gay bars in the city on that night and packed them into one holding area. The dyke was amazed. Never in her young life had she seen so many queers in one place before. Deep in closeted 50s America, it changed her perspective and her life forever. Now, you don't have to get arrested (unless you want to). But if you are bisexual and you have never been in a room packed with hundreds of bisexual/pansexual/fluid sexuality queers before, then going to a bi conference and having that experience just might change your life. The first I attended was in 1990, the First National Bisexual Conference in San Francisco. I was young and bursting at the seams to talk about so many things that I had trouble discussing with people who just couldn't get my sexuality, even if they were sympathetic and supportive. By the end of the convention I was so talked out, I didn't even want to discuss bisexual issues anymore. But, what is even more important, I got to discuss issues at an even deeper level of understanding than I had ever experienced, even in general queer spaces. So that's Reason #2: you can finally get into the deeper stuff that's been sitting there, undiscussed (maybe under-pressure?), because you are finally in an environment where most of the people around you get you. Reason #3: this won't be just a local UK bisexual conference; it will bring an international focus to conditions that people with fluid sexuality are facing around the world. Bisexuals could also benefit from exposure to other cultures' constructions of sexuality and gender. As a general rule, I think all Americans would do better to look outside their country's borders and know what's going on in the world beyond the typical media portrayal. Sadly, our media acts as bubble wrap for our brains against other perspectives from other nations. So this could be a pretty significant conference and could set the tone for activism in the next decade. But even if you can't make this one, look for things in your area or "in country." The Transcending Boundaries Conference, for bisexual/pansexual, trans/genderqueer, intersex and polyamorous people and allies is still on this November 20-22 in Worcester, MA. Follow the link. I close with this logo from an earlier 90s bi conference in the UK. I like the "have your cake and eat it" approach. After all, how are you going to eat your cake, unless you have it? 
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| Bisexuals Are on the Right's Radar (or Is It Gaydar? Bidar?) |
[24 Aug 2009|02:44pm] |
by Paige Listerud
aka Max the Communist
 No sooner had news gone out about the 2009 Bi Health Summit, but the religious right was on it like white on rice. The website Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, run by Peter LaBarbera, absolutely misquoted and distorted the information brought out at the 2009 Bi Health Summit. Cheryl Dobinson, Amy André and other researchers reported that out of a national survey measure for sexual orientation that included "Heterosexual," "Gay," "Lesbian," "Bisexual," and "Something else," of a grouping of lesbian, gay, and bisexual identified respondents, 50% identified as bisexual. LaBarbera charged that "Half of Homosexuals Are Bisexual . . .," totally misstating research. Maybe someone should go over with him the concept of a sexual continuum. Who's ready to take one for the team? As for the big revelation that there are lots of bisexuals, Americans have had full knowledge of the Kinsey Reports for 50 years. Catch up. Please. Bisexual people are not used to a lot of visibility and the bi community is underdeveloped, compared to the lesbian and gay community. Greater visibility from the Bi Health Summit and LGBTI Health Summit has drawn the religious right like bees to honey. Our hard-earned visibility around bisexual/pansexual/queer health is being, and will continue to be, used against us. I suspected that information from the Summits could be distorted by the right when I saw a simple story earlier this week. A study revealed that lesbians, gay men and bisexuals were twice as likely to seek out mental health counseling. Leave it to a right-wing website to turn that around, to make it seem bad that LGB were taking responsibility for their own mental health--it's a so-called report that stigmatizes not only lesbian, gay and bisexual people but also anyone seeking mental healthcare. Bisexual activists and healthcare advocates must take notice of how their work will be used against them and prepare accordingly. For a queer response to the right's "discovery" of bisexuals, see this link to Box Turtle Bulletin--plenty of input from LGBT readers.
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