Friday, May 04, 2007

Why do I do it?

I was asked recently, by a woman researching an article to be published in Bi Tribune magazine in the States, why I was still involved in the bi community when - for so many other people, even activists - it was a short-term thing, something to help them "come to terms with their sexuality" which they moved on from sooner rather than later.
Well, I'm not sure what my involvement actually consists of these days. I don't go to meetings any more - not that there are any in London to go to, really, apart from this. I'm not sure how I would be a bi-community activist in the sense that people in the US can be.
This blog - and my book writing, when I do it - is, I suppose, my activism. What I do to contribute to the bi community and bisexual individuals at large.
Even after all these years, I am still intellectually fascinated by sexuality and bisexuality in particular. It seems to me that much of the underpinning of society - that we are only attracted to either men, or women, never both, - is based on a downright lie. A lie that has done huge amounts of harm to lots of people, certainly me. What people do and feel, and why they do and feel it, is of endless fascination to me. I like uncovering secrets in general, and a lot of bisexuality is shrouded in secrecy.
Also, I have been in a relationship with a man for 12 years and this is a way of staying connected to a very important part of myself. My being bisexual, remaining attracted to people regardless of gender, and of having had serious relationships with women as well as men, means - to me - that I see the world very differently from someone who is straight; or someone who has come out to become gay. I see that time and again when I am talking to gay/straight people. What I don't understand is my friends who, say, used to be lesbian and are now straight. They feel decisively not part of the queer community any more.
This, I suppose, is my niche. No one else is blogging like this. Not many people are writing on bisexuality - certainly not in the UK - and there is a need for it. Lots of people ask me for advice etc and seem to value my thoughts. I have thoughts on other subjects, but so do many other people and there seems to be no reason why my views on them should be valued, rather than anyone else's. I write fiction, which some people seem to think is quite good, but then so do many others.
And having thought about bisexuality for so many years (let's say, oh, 35) and read everything on it that I am aware of, I guess I am an "expert" and that, in itself, keeps me going.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm amazed that you're brave enough to do this blog. I respect and commend you each time I read your blog.

I'm a young bisexual female who's just come to terms with her bisexuality. And even though I've denied it to my mother, I know in my heart it's who I am. I hope one day my family'll be able to understand and accept me for me. :(

Keep bloggin!

Sue George said...

Thanks, anon. Comments like that keep me going, in fact...

Jen said...

(re Bi Underground)

You've also got http://london.bifest.org/ to go to, but that won't be happening again for another 11 months.

I'd like to say the London scene is most perplexing in its lack of Bi Stuff To Do, but at the moment the only frantic hubs of bi life in Britain seem to be Manchester and Brighton. I'm probably being unfair in saying that, and anyone who wants to put me right is welcome to drop BCN 1,000 words on what's happening down their way!