Words by Smiley Team
Bi.org is working to ensure that bisexual people feel supported throughout the pandemic, from wherever they might be. Established in 1996 as bisexual.org, bi.org began initially with a simple goal: letting bisexual people know that they were not alone.
At that time, there were very few community resources and those that did exist were hard to find, highly sexualised, or catered to niche audiences. Since those early years they have grown into a huge global community, one which now is being impacted by the international pandemic.
Talia Squires, Editor in Chief - tells us that ‘our organisation does all of its work online, so I initially thought that it wouldn't really change much, but as this goes on I've been surprised to find that things are different. We have renewed our emphasis on community, we have a lively online community and I've been trying to find ways to connect more with them. I did my first facebook live video and will be starting a newsletter in June. I'm just looking for more ways to communicate with our community and let them know that we are all connected and all in this together.’
With Pride month on the horizon and events across the world cancelled, the organisation have also had to rethink their strategy. Usually, bi.org would be preparing for pride month, collecting articles on having the best pride month ever, talking to folks about their plans and encouraging people to go to their local parades. Obviously, this is no longer possible and so the organisation has had to change tact, working on alternative ways to celebrate Pride which will be announced soon.
Like many organisations, bi.org is also facing the economic impact of the pandemic and have been forced to make budget cuts. Talia tells us that ‘Bi.org is still going strong, but we are reducing our publishing schedule and have had to postpone some of our projects. We were working on launching a Spanish language version of the website later this year. It's still in the works, but has been pushed until next year. I'm really excited about reaching out to more of our community.’
Talia emphasises: ‘Whether you're just starting to explore your sexuality, or your child just came out to you, or you're an educator who's trying to be better informed, we are here for you.’
They are welcoming donations on their website, where you can also sign up for their newsletter.
By Ellen Jones
