BiCon
The 24th National Bisexual Gathering returns to Scotland this month - an event much-loved by its regular participants, it offers the opportunity to be completely out in a setting where all identities are accepted as equally valid.
| 15 Jul 2006
Is there really such a thing as bisexual community? Many of us have gotten used to being the 'token bisexual' in any given setting. Some people believe that everyone is really bi, but few seem to actively identify as such, and no wonder: coming out as bi can still single you out rather unfavourably. One popular belief is that you're just a straight person who's trying to be cool; another is that you're a self-hating homo who wants to cling to a shred of heterosexual privilege - either way, you can rest assured that the monosexual challenging your identity knows better than you do what goes on in your head. Making an offhand comment about people you've been involved with or attracted to can lead to an evening of aggressive interrogation as you're called upon to justify yourself, perhaps with a complete rundown of your sexual history. It's easy to see why many bi people fade into the background, assumed to be gay or straight depending on the gender of their partner.
So maybe that's why so many of those attending BiCon return in subsequent years – imagine being in the majority for a change, free from marginalisation and invisibility. "After attending my first BiCon I volunteered to run this one, I was that blown away by the experience," says Puzzle, an Edinburgh resident and member of the BiCon 2006 team. This year's BiCon – an annual UK gathering of bisexual people and their friends and partners – will be held in Glasgow for the first time, and hopes to improve bi visibility in Scotland as well as involving other LGBT groups. BiCon typically sees between two and three hundred participants; although many attendees already know each other, around a third tend to be first-timers. If this year's BiCon is anything like its predecessors, they will come away with fresh feelings of acceptance and inspiration, having had a fun weekend and made new friends - all in an environment which genuinely accepts who they are.
"There is a lot of diversity in who attends," says Calum, another organiser. "Of course there are groups of goth, poly, kinky, and genderqueer people; but for any group you can identify, there are many people who don't fit into that group. Being there as a newcomer on Thursday night can be daunting, as all the people who haven't seen each other since last year greet each other. It can feel, for a little while, as if BiCon might be cliquey – but newcomers are quickly welcomed, and introduced around, and soon you feel part of the crowd. I've attended all sorts of workshops – from spirituality, to queer theory, to hands-on massage, to silly games and quizzes - just as there is diversity in people, there is diversity in what you can do. But there's no need to do workshops at all - many of the best aspects are conversations with people you just met in the cafe, or sitting on the grass outside."
The amount of people who are enthusiastic enough about BiCon to return time and time again is testament to its success, and its inclusiveness is clearly a major factor in this. Kate, a BiCon veteran who's been going since 1988 – and, for the record, isn't bisexual but identifies as a dyke – describes one aspect of its evolution: "BiCon has always been a hugely safe place for people to be themselves. I suppose the biggest change over time has been the broadening of the community. The bi community has always been at the cusp of gender/sexual radical space. It accepted transexual women in women-only spaces years before it was acceptable anywhere else." In addition to an environment where, as Puzzle describes it, "all lifestyle choices are accepted, all individuals regardless of gender or sexuality are seen as the norm, no disability is a barrier, and people's spiritual beliefs are valued", the team strives to make the event accessible to those on a low income, with its Helping Hand Fund and sliding-scale registration fee. There's also a cr'che planned to help out those bringing children. Proposed workshops this time around deal with a wide range of topics such as ethical non-monogamy, BDSM, coming out at work, British Sign Language and cross-dressing. If you're curious about attending BiCon, now's your chance to sample it while it's in your neck of the woods – you're assured of a warm welcome.
So maybe that's why so many of those attending BiCon return in subsequent years – imagine being in the majority for a change, free from marginalisation and invisibility. "After attending my first BiCon I volunteered to run this one, I was that blown away by the experience," says Puzzle, an Edinburgh resident and member of the BiCon 2006 team. This year's BiCon – an annual UK gathering of bisexual people and their friends and partners – will be held in Glasgow for the first time, and hopes to improve bi visibility in Scotland as well as involving other LGBT groups. BiCon typically sees between two and three hundred participants; although many attendees already know each other, around a third tend to be first-timers. If this year's BiCon is anything like its predecessors, they will come away with fresh feelings of acceptance and inspiration, having had a fun weekend and made new friends - all in an environment which genuinely accepts who they are.
"There is a lot of diversity in who attends," says Calum, another organiser. "Of course there are groups of goth, poly, kinky, and genderqueer people; but for any group you can identify, there are many people who don't fit into that group. Being there as a newcomer on Thursday night can be daunting, as all the people who haven't seen each other since last year greet each other. It can feel, for a little while, as if BiCon might be cliquey – but newcomers are quickly welcomed, and introduced around, and soon you feel part of the crowd. I've attended all sorts of workshops – from spirituality, to queer theory, to hands-on massage, to silly games and quizzes - just as there is diversity in people, there is diversity in what you can do. But there's no need to do workshops at all - many of the best aspects are conversations with people you just met in the cafe, or sitting on the grass outside."
The amount of people who are enthusiastic enough about BiCon to return time and time again is testament to its success, and its inclusiveness is clearly a major factor in this. Kate, a BiCon veteran who's been going since 1988 – and, for the record, isn't bisexual but identifies as a dyke – describes one aspect of its evolution: "BiCon has always been a hugely safe place for people to be themselves. I suppose the biggest change over time has been the broadening of the community. The bi community has always been at the cusp of gender/sexual radical space. It accepted transexual women in women-only spaces years before it was acceptable anywhere else." In addition to an environment where, as Puzzle describes it, "all lifestyle choices are accepted, all individuals regardless of gender or sexuality are seen as the norm, no disability is a barrier, and people's spiritual beliefs are valued", the team strives to make the event accessible to those on a low income, with its Helping Hand Fund and sliding-scale registration fee. There's also a cr'che planned to help out those bringing children. Proposed workshops this time around deal with a wide range of topics such as ethical non-monogamy, BDSM, coming out at work, British Sign Language and cross-dressing. If you're curious about attending BiCon, now's your chance to sample it while it's in your neck of the woods – you're assured of a warm welcome.
BiCon will run from 4pm on Thursday July 13 until 12 noon on Monday July 17. Day passes as well as weekend passes are available, and disorganised people can turn up without pre-booking.
http://www.bicon2006.org.uk