#lgbt positivity

I used to be afraid of the word bisexual.

I used to let the potential judgement of others dictate my confidence and self-worth. It was mostly the prefix because I didn’t understand what it meant at the time. It felt like a reminder of the fetishization of bisexuality and it put a dirty taste in my mouth. I figured it was better off to stay out of conversations about bisexuality in some communities and to just say bi in others. Bi is fine, but better off for who? I’m not doing it for my own convenience. I’m doing it because I am afraid of others, and that small bit of power that they held over me pissed me off.

I began saying bisexual and bisexuality more often than bi, then I tried to find more reasons to say it. Now, seeing people say bisexual fills me with pride and joy. It is a pride in overcoming a fear and becoming stronger than hatred. It is a joy that I feel the need to pass on. I hope every bisexual person can feel this way about their bisexuality some day, regardless of how similar or different their journey is from mine.

Our bisexuality is an integral part of us that is deserving of our acknowledgment and respect. All of our attractions—same and other gender attractions—are valid and important. They make us who we are.

Your bisexuality is beautiful. Your bisexuality is true. Your bisexuality is wholesome or sensual or sexy or all or none of these. Your bisexuality is yours. Your bisexuality is enough.

To the autistic bisexuals reading this,

You are loved. You are worthy of respect. You are valued. You are deserving of all things good. Our community is glad to have you.

I hope you have a lovely day or evening.

Stop sexualizing bisexuality.

Bisexuality is not inherently sexual.

The fact that bisexual and other orientations end in “-sexual” does not mean they’re all about sex or sexual attraction. The suffixes refer to the sex(es) one has the capacity to experience attraction toward, not that the terms are exclusive to sexuality. Bisexuality always includes romantic attraction regardless of gender unless otherwise specified. Biromantic bisexuals aren’t the only bisexual people.

Aromantic bisexual people are bisexual.

Biromantic asexual people are bisexual.

People attracted to all genders are bisexual regardless of their sexual activity or desires. Romantic attraction is as important of a part of bisexuality as sexual attraction. Embrace bisexuality as a whole, not just the parts that are hot.

I want a girlfriend. I want a butch girlfriend. I want a butch girlfriend that I can hold hands with at the farmer’s market as we plan a date in which we feed each other these strawberries dipped in chocolate. I want a butch girlfriend who will help me pick out another shade of red lipstick at the store because she knows she can kiss it off of me when we get home. I want a butch girlfriend who will slowly walk her fingers up under my skirt as I unbutton her shirt. I want a butch girlfriend who will tell me my hair looks beautiful while thinking about dragging me to our bed by it later that night. I want a butch girlfriend. I want a girlfriend.

Your partner’s attraction to all genders does not negate their love for you

Your partner’s love for you does not negate their attraction to all genders

Your attraction to all genders does not negate your love for your partner

Your love for your partner does not negate your attraction to all genders

Some of the alternative terms are gender neutral while others are specific to nonbinary people.

Remember: you should talk to your nonbinary friends to discuss what terms they are personally comfortable with. Don’t assume that enben will always use these terms.

“queer is a slur still used against many LGBT people” and “queer is an empowering identity to many LGBT people” are two statements that can and should coexist

You’re right, I am a confused bisexual.

I’m confused about how we’ve let our history get stolen, ignored, and redefined.

I’m confused about why our community has let others tell us who we’re supposed to be.

I’m confused about the way we’ve split and distanced ourselves from each other.

We’re all attracted to all genders. We’re all bisexual. Only we can define ourselves, if we so wish, and only we can make our history.

We’ve come so far from the days where the only options were gay or straight. We’ve come so far from the judgement and disbelief of both oppressive cishets and the gay community. We’ve come so far in advancing concepts of gender and trans inclusivity.

Now, there are too many labels encompassed by bisexuality to count. Now, others confining us to misconceptions is acceptable. Now, our trans-inclusive history is being twisted.

We need to remember who we are—bisexuals and biromantics. We need to remember why the LGBT community was formed—to fight lesbophobia, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia and to achieve equality between all sexualities, romanticisms, and genders/gender statuses. We can’t do this if we’re separated and fighting.

Your bisexuality is not dirty or limited, so don’t you succumb to biphobic lies. Your bisexuality is lovely, it is honest, it is broad, it is inclusive, it is home, and it is what we make it together.

Uncomfortably Bisexual

In my experience, the best way to confront biphobia, including internalized biphobia, is by being as loudly bisexual as possible. I don’t think enough bisexuals realize how much pride affects how others treat us. The word “pride” is used a lot in LGBT vocabulary, but do we truly understand what it means to have pride?

Even just the word “bisexual” puts a dirty taste in some mouths. But only at first. You see, unfamiliarity is often the root of disgust, which is often the root of hatred.

I used to avoid using “bisexual” in favor of “bi” because something about it made me cringe. Saying it in public made me self-conscious of what others thought. I would anxiously shrink myself and say the word quietly to draw the least attention. I was thinking too much into it giving the biphobes what they wanted: fear. I shouldn’t have to falter at all about saying a word. More than a word, in fact.

An identity. A statement. A weapon.

For every biphobic comment I hear—regardless of from or to whom—I say the word to their face at least twice. I say it loudly. I articulate. I make sure that they hear it and that they get used to hearing it. I say it obnoxiously and uncomfortably often, because that’s the only way to make the word normal and comforting. Eventually, the word does not bring out such strong reactions or feelings from biphobes, or myself.

❝As bisexuals, we experience pressure from both sides to make up our minds, to make a final choice. If we don’t, we incur a collective contempt.

Bisexuals deal with homophobia, biphobia and even heterophobia. The desire to identify with a community often forces bisexuals to repress one side of themselves.

It is a key element in the overall strength and wisdom of the lesbian/gay community that it include and validate bisexual people, and the bisexual movement as an ally in fighting the common enemy, heterosexism.

It is clear that homophobia is at the root of biphobia. Bisexuals have no intention of undermining the gains made by lesbians and gay men in the struggle to be a free people. Coming out as a bisexual is not something that is done to acquire or flaunt heterosexual privilege.

I am bisexual because I am drawn to particular people regardless of gender. It doesn’t make me wishy-washy, confused, untrustworthy, or more sexually liberated. It makes me a bisexual.❞

— Lani Ka'ahumani. “The Bisexual Community: Are We Visible Yet?” Out & Outraged: Non-Violent Civil Disobedience at the U.S. Supreme Court, 13 Oct. 1987, pp. 47–48.

Let Me Join You, Fellow Bisexual {Poem}

Let me join you, for there is no comfort in walking alone.

Far behind is an alley made of stolen stones.

We built this path of our own and refused to pick a side,

But ridicule follows and strips us of our pride.

We are not gay or straight enough for either community.

The home we had has become an oppression pageantry.

Let me join you, for there is no support in fighting alone.

We weep and scream for the sooth to be known.

Call it panphobia but I am not afraid of all things,

Nor of their deception, though it may sting.

For the sake of the activists who paved this road,

We must march on and demand truth be told.

Let me join you, for there is no pressure in resisting alone.

Only in unity is this community able to grow.

Those at Stonewall did not submit to the police,

So we will not yield in the name of silencing peace.

Nor will we make war with those of us led astray,

For this road has too many bricks to all be carried away.

Let me join you, for there is no comfort in walking alone.

These well-traveled bricks will found a home,

So we never need be on our own.

— Riley Idalia Lord

it’s okay if the phrase “born this way” doesn’t resonate with you. it doesn’t have to. if you’re trans and you were your assigned gender at some point, if your orientation is related to trauma, if you just don’t care if you were born this way or not… etc. etc. that’s all fine and good. we all have different stories and different ways of identifying ourselves. your queerness is just as meaningful and important and true as those who were born this way.

Intersex people, you don’t have to change for the world. Right now, in this very moment, the way you exist is perfect. No matter what anyone has told you, no matter what society has made you think; you are living proof of the beauty of nature. You are allowed to do whatever you want or need with your body. You can express your gender (or lack thereof) in whatever way feels right.

This is your life, no one else’s, and you deserve all the kindness and joy the world has to give. Intersexness is good. I am so happy you exist.

Being aporagender is real and beautiful. Aporagender people are incredible and deserve love, happiness, and acceptance.

Let’s celebrate the first weekend of the LGBT PRIDE MONTH!!!!!

Let’s get rid of the prejudice and discrimination still existing all over the world towards people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ). Society’s cruel condescension towards this community for being born in a certain way or for having a certain gender orientation should be condemned!!

Happy Pride Month!!!❤️

smolbean-alex:

REMINDER #1:

YOU DO NOT NEED TO MEDICALLY TRANSITION TO BE A “REAL” TRANS/NON-BINARY PERSON! HECK, NOT EVERYONE CAN TRANSITION MEDICALLY FOR VARIOUS REASONS, SUCH HAS FINANCIAL ISSUES, OTHER MEDICAL ISSUES, OR CAUSE THE ENVIRONMENT THEY LIVE IN ISN’T SUPPORTIVE, BUT NO MATTER THE REASON, ITS NO ONE’s BUSINESS BUT THEIR OWN.

THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO BE A REAL TRANS PERSON…IS BY BEING A TRANS PERSON. It’s that simple.

AND REMINDER #2:

TRANS WOMEN DON’T OWE YOU FEMININITY! THEY ARE WOMEN NO MATTER WHAT THEY WEAR OR DO! THEY CAN BE MASCULINE!

TRANS MEN DON’T OWE YOU MASCULINITY! THEY ARE MEN NO MATTER WHAT THEY WEAR OR DO! THEY CAN BE FEMININE!

NON-BINARY PEOPLE DON’T OWE YOU ANDROGYNY! THEY ARE NON-BINARY NO MATTER WHAT THEY WEAR OR DO!

If a cisgender person can express (by clothes, etc) a gender opposite from their own, than trans people should be allowed to do the same WITHOUT being judged. Also, there is no “one way” to being and looking trans+non-binary, remember that.

(Sorry if any of this was phrased weird or wrong)

girl who shows me basic kindness:

me:

happy pride month to black lgbt people! the rest of the lgbt community stands in solidarity with you.

I can’t even begin to imagine the impact she ra has on lgbt rep in the media. healthy wlw and mlm love. lgbt poc rep. and because she ra is aimed towards kids, this has so much influence on how future generations will perceive the lgbt community. she ra is so so important. thank you noelle stevenson.

sending all my love to wlw in ldrs rn!! you will see her one day <3

happy lesbian visibility week! just a reminder that the wlw community wouldn’t be the same without the influence and beauty of lesbians. you are so loved and important and being a lesbian is such an amazing experience that no one else can understand the beauty of.

go out of your way to just let someone know they’re doing a good job, even if it’s just a couple of words. we’re expected to function everyday without recognition of our efforts and get harshly disciplined when we make mistakes, so just knowing someone sees what you’re doing is really satisfying and uplifting.

I’d die for them tbh

Lady Gaga is so gorgeous in a Star is Born

Our lord and savior, Ashley Nicolette Frangipane

“Basically, whenever you scream at your angsty daughter to turn down that music, I am that music.” ‍♀️

Some bi flags! The middle line might be a little wonky on some bc I was having a hard time figuring out if it was the right size or not.

[image description: 6 bisexual flags done with different themes. the first is space, then sky, fabric, crystals, fruits, and glitter. the bisexual flag is has a large pink stripe, a smaller purple stripe, and then another large blue stripe and all of the themes are colored this way. end id.]

little shoutout for all of the trans people currently having to dress in ways that are uncomfortable for them because of the hot weather and lack of access to gender affirming clothes designed for the heat.

transmasc lesbians? fabulous!

transfemme lesbians? astounding!

trans lesbians? ethereal!

so does anyone want to kiss for lesbian day of visibility?

I’m sensing some of you are gay…

I need to expand my horizons of memes to make but gods are there not enough loving butches memes on this website.

[image description: it is a meme that says “why are you so quiet? what’s on your mind?” and below it there is a sketch of a head with “butches” surrounded with heart emojis in the brain area of the the head. end id.]