Bisexuality Day is September 23rd .....

Celebrate Bisexuality Day is observed on September 23 by members of the bisexual community and their supporters originally in the United States but has been extended worldwide.

This day is a call for bisexual, pansexual, friends and supporters to recognize and celebrate bisexuality, bisexual history, bisexual community and culture, and the bi/pansexual people in their lives.

First observed in 1999, Celebrate Bisexuality Day is the brainchild of three United Statesbisexual rights activists: Wendy Curry of Maine, Michael Page of Florida, and Gigi Raven Wilburof Texas.

Wilbur said,

“

Ever since the Stonewall rebellion, the gay and lesbian community has grown in strength and visibility. The bisexual community also has grown in strength but in many ways we are still invisible. I too have been conditioned by society to automatically label a couple walking hand in hand as either straight or gay, depending upon the perceived gender of each person.

”

This celebration of bisexuality in particular, as opposed to general LGBT events, was conceived as a response to the prejudice and marginalization of the bisexual persons by some in both thestraight and greater LGBT communities.

In its first year, an observance was held during the International Lesbian and Gay Association, which occurred during the week of the 23rd. While at first it only took hold in areas with an extremely strong bisexual presence, it is now celebrated worldwide.

It features event such as discussions, dinner parties and dances in Toronto and a large masquerade ball in Queensland, Australia. At Texas A&M University, the week featured discussion panels and question-and-answer sessions. Princeton University celebrates this day each year by throwing a party at its LGBT Center.

It has also been celebrated in Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Unfortunately in Jamaica either our advocates haven't matured to the recognition of bisexuals as a part of our struggle or we can't be bothered as "batty business" is more important when some of the very issues of homophobia as we call it are not really so but bi-phobia if one were to closely examine the details at times.

JFLAG has Allsexuals included in their acronym I suppose to cover all other orientations and variants outside of the original LGBT population but I never heard of any direct meetings, interventions or strategies to engage this section of the population.

I would hate to think that our advocacy representatives are themselves guilty of bi-phobia in the form of bisexual erasure (the tendency to ignore, remove, falsify, or reexplain evidence of bisexuality in history, academia, the news media, and other primary sources.

In its most extreme form, bisexual erasure can include denying that bisexuality exists). Inclusiveness is the name of the game now if we are to get anywhere but with the elitist position taken by the group one wonders when will we begin to move on anything?

It is refreshing to see other individual voices saying their piece and going out on their own, I would love to see an all out Jamaican bisexual website or at the very least a couple of blogs

Let us hope in the near future something can be done about that either by them despite the insulation or some other group, organization or individuals.

Celebrate yourselves anyway my BI-FRIENDS.

Peace and tolerance

H

In The Life: The State of Equality (US)

This month's edition continues to focus on lgbt rights in America and President's Barrack Obama's involvement in the struggle and the legal issues.

In 2008, President Barack Obama secured the LGBT vote, promising full equality for the community. Two years later, many are critical of the pace of change.

This month on IN THE LIFE, we ask if the man in the White House is an advocate for gay rights, and service members talk to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) about 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'

Politics of Progress (00:18:00)
President Obama's inauguration marked more than one historic first; our first Black President is also the first American President to publicly identify as an ally of the LGBT community.

In his two years in office, Obama has signed presidential memorandums expanding federal benefits to same-sex partners and extended federal protections to LGBT victims of hate crimes. But so far, his administration has not fulfilled the change he promised on key issues like The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA),

The Employee Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' In response to growing frustration, some new LGBT rights groups are using aggressive tactics to push for full equality.

A Conversation With... Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), David Hall and Julianne Sohn (00:08:00)
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York is leading the charge in the Senate to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' She recently came to IN THE LIFE to hear from two service members discharged under the policy:

David Hall, a former officer cadet in the Air Force and Julianne Sohn, a former Marine officer who served in Iraq.

Sizzla Concert Cancelled from Chiemsee Reggae & Austrian Sunsplash Shows

(photo from Reggaeville)


So as the advocates overseas maintain the pressure on supposed murder music artists the fallout continues and hitting the acts targeted financially as promoters bow to local pressure in their respective territories.

Many of the venues where the shows are to be held also hosts lgbt events as well and with fears of losing that vital part of the business as well after such murder music acts have performed there the promoters prefer to forego booking said acts in order to avoid the backlash.

According to Reggaeville's website the Chiemsee show where Sizzla was scheduled to perform the show was cancelled due to pressure from local lgbt Stop Murder Music campaigners. The promoters also mentioned safety reasons as one of the causes of the decision, they cannot guarantee their safety as huge protesters had indicated their resolve to picket the show in Germany.

Sizzla had performed ten days before in Italy but suffered set backs in France also as Tjebe Stop Murder Music activists picketed both his and Capleton's appearances there and wrote letters to the promoters highlighting their reasons for the protests to the artist's appearances.

As at the preparation of this post as well his appearance at Austria's Sunsplash Reloaded Festival was announced cancelled. He is however booked for other parts of Europe and Japan.

see also: SMM France launched action to Sizzla's French Tour from GLBTQJA Wordpress edition.

and

Sizzla's Concert cancelled in France from Gay Jamaica Watch, the press release from Tjenbe Red, Outrage and Couleurs Gaies.

So the pressure continues even after supposed signings to the UK's Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA) and mounting evidence that many of the dancehall acts who are signatories to the RCA have broken the guidelines and have performed offending lyrics in Jamaica and elsewhere.

Vigilance on the part of the Stop Murder Music activists overseas.

Peace and tolerance.

H