Fandom Stop Erasing Characters’ Bisexuality Challenge

I was recently made aware of the Trillium Grandiflorum! A gorgeous species of flowering plant native to the eastern half of the USA and Canada. It is a beautiful flower with a three pronged petal shape framed by three leaf like bracts (a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale) and it blooms from late spring to early summer in the mountain ranges and hills of the Appalachian upland forest.

In 1998 - 99, The creator of the bisexual pride flag, Michael Page suggested these flowers as a symbol for bisexuality, as the flower was reminiscent of the bi-angles (a set of three triangles in the bisexual colors) and it was a perfect example of sexual dimorphism (meaning it contains both male and female structure, which in older scientific literature was often referred to as being botanically bisexual).

It is also written about: ‘White trillium often occurs in dense drifts of many individuals.’ which calls to the vast unity of the bisexual community.

Many thanks to @lxdybi for introducing me to this flower and to its significance to the bisexual community.

At this link there is a collection of other bisexual symbols and motifs that have been used through the history of our community so if you’d like to learn more take a look! Im excited to use some of the symbols in my future bisexual art and design projects, and i hope some of you will join in with me too! it’s quite nice to find a bit more of bisexual culture <3

if anyone out there would want to make barbie icons with a bi flag background i would be sooo eternally grateful to you 🤲🏼

You can only choose one

Yaoi

Yuri

One of my posts about last year's Poison Ivy bi erasure debacle got a like again, and man...

You cannot convince me that fandoms don't have a problem with bisexual people, when the response to a prominent bisexual character seemingly having their bisexuality erased by a new writer calling her a lesbian was calls for celebration, and telling upset bisexual fans to get over it, or trying to gaslight them with claims that "Ivy was never bisexual in the main continuity" despite evidence to the contrary.

Like, fandom has had a biphobia problem for a long time, but I think that incident was probably the most blatant example of it I've ever seen.

blog bi4bi luz layouts from "for the future"

credit for background image in icon from this post

@bi4bination

gotta highlight the ones that infuriate me the most from what i’ve seen:

remaining ignorant about bi discourse

only speaking on biphobia when bi people use terms or speak in ways you don’t like

if you are unaware of bi discourse you are biphobic

if you are unaware of the major ways the media and certain prominent gay creators and activists are biphobic you are biphobic

biphobia isn’t just really overt stereotypes and hatred like “bis need to pick a side” ‘bisexuality isn’t real" “bi women are disgusting because they’ve slept with men” “i’d never date a bi person”

it’s also remaining silent about bi issues

remaining ignorant about bi discourse

remaining silent when biphobia happens

speaking in ways that indirectly erase bi people

speaking in ways that imply bi people are more privileged or powerful than gay people

remaining silent when bi erasure and biphobia happens in the media

only speaking on biphobia when bi people use terms or speak in ways you don’t like

speaking with authority on biphobia when you are not bi

denying the importance of bi spaces and bi community

remaining silent on the higher levels of substance abuse, unemployment, mental disability, abuse and sexual assault of bi people, esp bi women

ignoring the unique aspects of the bi experience

etc

if you have never blogged/reblogged about biphobia except to call out bi people you are biphobic

if you have never spoken about biphobia other than to critique bi people’s discourse you are biphobic

if you are unaware of bi discourse you are biphobic

if you think bi people’s experiences are not unique or important you are biphobic

if you are unaware of the major ways the media and certain prominent gay creators and activists are biphobic you are biphobic

if you ignore the ways in which gay people have shut bi people out of their communities and erased bi people and undermined bi solidarity you are biphobic

and even if you are multisexual and you do these things;  it can be internalized: you still are biphobic 

it’s not always about what you do, it’s also about what you don’t do

bi people have suffered and died due to biphobia in the gay community and you don’t care

that makes you biphobic

Selenic + Khonsic Solidarity

I love bi ppl so much it’s unreal

Controversial take (that shouldn't be so controversial)

OK, this applies to average people/normies, celebs and sometimes fictional characters alike (I debate these latter ones in a different manner). You know, sometimes I suspect someone is bi, but if I find out they are/identify as gay (or even straight, but this is less frequent), I just say "Oops, OK," shrug and move on. If it's someone I like, I don't stop liking them. But when someone shows queerness and I -and others- suspect them as bisexual (or multiple gender attracted), some people get angry, offended even. They just read "heterosexual" when multiple genders attraction also include queerness; homosexual (and scoliosexual) attractions; the possibility of preference for similar genders/same sex and/or the other possibility of ending up in the queer pairing you can feel represented by. It's as if some people feel threatened or discredited by someone identifying as bi/pan/queer; or use no labels but acknowledge or at least seemingly show attractions to different genders. As a bi woman, I have had past relationships with women and I feel happy when another woman in a same-gender relationship identifies as Multiple-gender attracted. That might be why it bothers me when people who insist these women are "gay all along and lying" get mad at me for the mere pointing out at them talking about their bisexuality. And as a normie example, I have a friend who after a lifetime of dating men she ended up marrying a woman and for her, while comphet affected her in the way it affects all women, it never affected her in the way it affects lesbians. Her attractions and love for these men were genuine to her.

Also, it seems that nowadays some people in Social Media seem to get a pass to men who had girlfriends or casual sex with women as long as they identify or are perceived as gay. Granted, some gay identified men do that for a variety of reasons, but how about those who make obvious their attraction to women as well as men, and acknowledge attractions? I have also come to the conclusion that how you identify your sexuality might be a personal thing. I know people who identify as gay because they are not attracted to all genders equally; or they base it on who they prefer to have romantic relationships with. And there are people in these same situations who identify as bi/pan/queer... And that seems to offend those who identify as gay. Maybe take a closer look and see what their reasons are? Same with bisexuals being offended at someone who identify as pansexual. Or viceversa. Maybe there are particular reasons for each to identify the way they do? Sometimes I admit I struggle with that, or with Multiple gender attracted people who choose not to label themselves, but I don't let that bother me. I'd rather live and let live and listen to individual experiences. Anyways... I am just pondering as I go.

happy pride month !

bisexual pride headers + moon symbol ☽☾