Bisexuals push for Presence at PrideFest

Pride is an exciting time of year for LGBTQ-identifying people and allies, but sometimes due to the nature of Pride, certain groups can end up feeling left out.

Pride is very openly all about ‘gayness,’ highlighting gay men especially. Queers have been critical, saying  that the festivals have become too corporate and that it’s strayed too far from its roots. It’s not uncommon for trans individuals who identify as straight, nonbinary individuals, and pansexual or bisexual people to end up feeling like they don’t quite fit in.

This year, PAVES (Polysexual Alliance for Visibility, Education, and Support) have staked a claim to PrideFest to make sure that bisexual, pansexual, and polysexual people are represented at Pride.

These individuals may show up at Pride with a significant other of the opposite sex, giving the impression that they are just straight allies. They may choose to celebrate Pride in a different way than their gay or lesbian peers, but this doesn’t mean that they are any less entitled to the celebration.

“I attended my first Pride about three years ago and there wasn’t a single bi+ flag, float, or booth,” Codi Coday, President of PAVES, explained. “We asked a t-shirt vendor if he had any bi+ gear and he actually cussed at us! It was upsetting to be told you are a part of the LGBTQ community, but not be represented anywhere. It felt like LGBTQ Pride was for everyone except bisexuals.”

Because of this, PAVES decided to make a bi pride float for 2016 Pride. Although they had little to no experience with float making or being an official part of PRIDE, they ended up with community support and 30 individuals who were willing to march with the float.

“The reception from the community was fantastic, and it was so nice to see young bi+ people see themselves represented,” Coday added. “You could see their eyes light up from the float. The float was a lot of work, but their reactions absolutely made it worth every bit of work.”

This year, the group plans to have an even larger float for bisexual Pride and more people marching alongside of them. They will also have a booth representing bisexuals and giving exposure to the LGBTQ community. The booth will be there on both June 17 and 18 at Civic Center Park. They are also planning a Bi+ Pride and Visibility event, which will take place September 23.

Throughout their quest to make Pride more inclusive for bisexual people and others who identify outside of the L and the G, Coday and her colleagues have discovered that bi individuals make up a big part of the community but are still incredibly underrepresented.

“In the process, we learned that bisexuals actually are the majority, 52 percent, of the LGB community,” she explained. “But biphobia and bi+ erasure are  huge problems in the LGBTQ community. Out of the passionate volunteers for Pride, PAVES arose. We aim to increase visibility, education, and support for bi+ people and improve their lives.”

Despite all the efforts of organizations like PAVES, bi people still often feel underrepresented or left out at gay events. This year, stop by the PAVES booth or look for their float and show some love to your bi+ friends, neighbors, and allies.

For more information on how to get involved with PAVES, follow them on Twitter at @PAVESnonprofit.