Ask A Pro Live: Bi-Visibility
Join Us!
I’m excited to announce that we’ll be doing our very first Ask A Pro for 2020.
In the spirit of Mardi Gras we’ll be shining a light on the “B” in LGBTIQA+. We will be talking about all things Bi Pride & Visibility.
For this Ask A Pro we’ll be chatting with Anthony who has played a crucial role in creating awareness for the bisexual community. I personally feel so honoured that we’ll have some time with him on the forums and I’m sure you all will too once you read this bio below.
“Anthony is a registered counsellor and social worker and his work spans over 15 years of working in the not-for-profit community health sector and more recently in private practice. Anthony provides individual and relationship counselling, as well as family violence services in mainstream and LGBTIQ spaces, including men’s behaviour change programs for heterosexual and same-sex attracted men.
Anthony is the founder of the Melbourne Bisexual Network, a volunteer-based community group made up of mental health and advocacy professionals working to improve and promote bisexual+ inclusivity in LGBTQIA+ and mainstream programs and services. Anthony also co-founded, co-hosted and co-produced JOY FM’s only current radio show dedicated to the bisexual community, The Triple Bi-Pass show, exploring everything about the B in LGBTI.”
Join us live on the 4th of March from 7:00pm - 9:00 pm (AEDT).
Send us your questions! We can’t wait to chat through them with you
@AnthonyBisexual Yeah! I've actually seen some people attempt to do that in the past. Like, 'I'm 25% gay and 75% straight'. I'm not even sure how something as fluid and intangible as sexuality can be measured in percentages...
I agree @AnthonyBisexual. I think you can be bisexual but have your own preferences and ideas about what you look for in a partner. It's not about 'how straight' or 'how gay' you are.
@Hozzles Pride should be for everyone. It should be a celebration of the whole community.
I think that kind of discrimination can really affect people and make them feel like they're not welcome. 😞
Wow, it would be so hard to constantly have to come out and justify your sexuality over and over again. It sounds exhausting and it just highlights how important it is for the wider LGBTIQA+ community to be inclusive.
Sending lots of solidarity and strength to the Bi community 
Welcome @Hozzles happy to have you here with us
@AnthonyBisexual Thank you for pointing that out - it would be so hard when you start to internalise the stereotypes/discrimination that is put out there by people who don't understand bisexuality.
yes for sure and we can start to patholigise ourselves, we start to think negatively about ourselves. Or... we become anxious about coming out to people as bisexual because of their assumptions and negative ideas that people may hold, so we withhold our disclosures in order to stay safe from discrimination, its not to be 'secretive or deceptive' which is another myth
Hey all! And nice to meet you, @AnthonyBisexual! 
I'm glad I could pop in, as a member of the LGBT+ community myself I've seen so much discrimination towards bi people even within the community. Creating awareness is very important, as we're all in this together!
Just going to take a moment to catch up on the posts, ahah!
I consider myself to be bisexual but im wondering if I would still be Bi if im not attracted to Trans males/females?
absolutely nothing against them at all and I have a few friends who are Trans but I don't really ever get attracted to them
@AnthonyBisexual ugh, yes! One thing that annoys me the most, which is kind of related, is the term 'gold-star lesbian'. I see it go around a lot in the community. Like, you're somehow 'less gay' for being with men as well? It's frustrating! 
I love the what you said about 'bi people aren't confused, everyone else is confused about bi people' So true!
I've heard of the "gold star lesbian/gay" but wow platinum is taking it to a whole new level.
There's also the myth that bi people can't date/ be attracted to trans or non-binary people, which I think might relate to another question?
Gay misogyny is definitely a thing that needs to be talked about more! There's so many stereotypes within the community that no one seems to want to address.
I'm not sure if you mentioned it (I was on my phone before and just moved to my laptop, ahah), but another stereotype I can think of is: all bi woman are actually straight and just want male attention, and all bi men are secretly gay and just in the closet. Ugh, again there's that misogyny.
I'm not really available for this chat, but I'll be around tomorrow to look through it. ❤
@Hozzles Yep that is another really harmful myth! It sucks that people spread those ideas but on the flip side it's so great that we have awesome people like Anthony to bust the myths and give the truth about the Bisexual community
@AnthonyBisexual 
I've never heard that term before but wow, I'm floored.
@Hozzles I've seen something similar too! I've heard people say that if you identify as a particular member of the LGBTIQA+ community, you're not allowed to like certain things.
It's confused me so much. I think that everyone is different and should be allowed to talk about what they think is attractive to them.
I love what you said here @WheresMySquishy
I think that everyone is different and should be allowed to talk about what they think is attractive to them.
