Summer 2020 may go down as the Pride season that never was, but it’s never the wrong time to celebrate queer identity. And with the B in LGBT representing more people than all the other letters put together, all of us who believe that what goes on in your head is more important that what’s between your legs aren’t going to let some pesky pandemic stop us from celebrating who we are.
For many years, bisexual and pansexual people have received opprobrium from both the gay and straight communities. When I starting hanging out on the gay scene many years ago, I was constantly told that bisexuality didn’t exist and that I was holding on to a bi identity simply because I didn’t have the, erm, balls to come out as gay. I can’t tell you how may times I was aggressively asked, “what are you, gay or straight?” After a while I simply asked my interrogator whether I had to decide there and then for their convenience. I mean, they may have sounded like they were asking a question but the tone of voice was more suited to an accusation.
Then, of course, we have those oh-so-annoying accusations of being sexually greedy, indecisive or somehow duplicitous and, as I’m sure you’ll agree, all those questions about being into threesomes can get ever-so-tiresome (even if there’s a grain of truth, but that’s for another time).
The fact is that bisexuality and pansexuality are great. Loving people of different sexes and gender identities is life-affirming, fulfilling and often brilliant fun. That’s why, as editor, I am incredibly proud that OutNewsGlobal.com is an official media partner of Bi Pride UK and this weekend’s BiFi Festival.
I wish that we could all be joining each other in a real life Pride where we can dance till we drop, make new friends and revel in the BEST IDENTITY ON THE PLANET! Sadly, we can’t, but we can enjoy the Bi Fi Festival safe in the knowledge that we’ll be back bigger, better and bi-er (not a word, never mind) than ever before.
So, this weekend, let’s stick two fingers up to coronavirus, crack open the cava and celebrate not fitting comfortable into someone else’s box.
With love
Rob Harkavy
Editor OutNewsGlobal.com