Celebrating the 26th Bi Visibility Day and combating persistent stigma

By Hannah Saunders

This September 23 marks the 26th year of Bi Visibility Day, which celebrates Bisexuality and brings awareness to challenges Bi people continue to experience, like biphobia and bi-erasure. Since Trump has retaken office, the federal government has targeted the Bi community— about 17.7 million people in the U.S. — by striking the term “bisexual” from the Stonewall National Monument on the National Park Service’s webpage.

“To every bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, and queer person out there: you are far too valuable to ever be erased or forgotten. Bi+ history is LGBTQ+ history. We will never stop telling our stories and recognizing each other. No administration or government will keep us from fighting for our collective future and appreciating the unique place we occupy in our societal rainbow.”

— Bisexual Resource Center

Wendy Curry, Gigi Raven Wilbur, and Michael Page— who also designed the Bisexual flag— created Bi Visibility Day in 1999, and a 2024 Gallup poll found that over 56% of LGBTQIA+ people identify as Bisexual. And while society has become more accepting of Bi people, and there have been Queer rights advancements, stigma, biphobia, and bi-erasure as very much prevalent in society.

Bi-erasure and bi-invisibility are when one’s Bisexuality is questioned or out-right rejected, and can lead to social isolation and feelings of exclusion from both Queer and hetero communities. This double-discrimination can contribute to depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, which Bisexual people struggle with more than Gays or Lesbians.

Acts of biphobia can include remarks like “Bi people aren’t real,” and they need to “pick a side,” and some within the LGBTQIA+ community don’t see Bisexual people as “Gay enough.” Another claim is that Bi people have “straight privilege” when they experience discrimination from straight and Queer communities.

During this day of celebration, non-Bisexuals can be more supportive of the Bi community by calling out biphobia when it happens, equally respecting a person’s relationships, and not making presumptions about whether a person is straight based on their relationship. And more inclusion from within the LGBTQIA+ community, like Bi-affirming spaces, is necessary.

From 5-8 p.m., the Seattle Pan Bi Alliance is hosting its 7th annual Bisexual Visibility Day Celebration at Stoup Brewery, which is free and open to the public.