Published 1/96

"Chairman Mao, we have a saying in our country: ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

— R.M. Nixon, Nixon
 

    It would seem that 1995 was a good year for queers in general, and bisexuals in particular. We have seen an increase in favorable media portrayals, a number of important legal victories, and an apparent backlash by the "silent majority" against the radical right agenda as espoused by political neo-conservatives. Bi’s have seen overtures of "inclusion," both at a national and at a local level. 
    Unfortunately, there have been numerous setbacks — many Republicans have rushed to embrace the radical agenda of the "Christian Coalition" and similar groups more strongly than they have ever dared. Gay mainstream groups have attempted to mend fences with their opponents, only to have their efforts rebuffed; witness the debacle when presidential candidate Bob Dole’s staff returned a contribution check from the Log Cabin Club, a gay conservative political group. Women, ethnic minorites, the poor, the disabled, people with AIDS (in other words, all who are not white, straight, and male) have faced attacks that are, in many ways, worse than the darkest days of Reagan’s reign. 
    It would seem logical that there would be a coming together of mainstream gay/lesbian groups and other minorities, sexual or otherwise. This hasn’t been the case. ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, one of the most important national Gay Rights bills, was watered down during the legislative process by the Human Rights Campaign Fund, one of the largest national gay/lesbian organizations. HRCF lobbyists felt that the bill was a "loser" if it included transgendered, so there was, so there was a quiet campaign to drop TG-inclusive language from the final bill. 
    Nor is this the only notable instance. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has been shaken by a similar controversy, as described in this letter posted to the Internet: 

 
Dear GLAAD Board Members:

 
As lesbian and gay people of color, bisexual, and transgender leaders and organizations, we are deeply concerned about the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s commitment to representing the interests and concerns of our communities. These concerns stem from the fact that there is currently only on person of color who is active on the board and that five people of color have been fired or have left the organization under the current administration, three of them senior staffers who left under less than amicable circumstances. Frankly, we are also shocked that GLAAD has developed a long term strategic plan, which was devices without adequate input from our communities’ activists and leaders.

 .....This accountability must begin with the leadership of GLAAD. While GLAAD has publicly stated that it intends to make its resources available to our communities, it has not announced any plans for increasing the number of people of color, bisexuals, or transgender activists at the board level. As a result, the ... communities GLAAD claims to serve currently have little voice in how these resources are allocated. It also means that activists who might be hired by GLAAD would not have the support of their community at the board level, making it difficult for them to serve that community effectively. Any "empowerment" strategy requires that we be leaders and not merely employees or clients of the organization.
 
.....[W]e are disheartened by early indications that the new GLAAD does not share this vision, including GLAAD's offensive November 7, 1995 press release comparing media coverage of the march of a Million Men versus the March on Washington...

 
    Surely there was much that was questionable about the Million Man March, especially regarding the anti-Semitism, sexism, and homophobia of Louis Farrakhan, but does it make sense for GLAAD to comment? The Gay Rights movement has been portrayed as a "country club" by organized homophobes, most recently in the repeal of civil rights in Cincinnati (a common TV commercial featured an African-American saying "I resent gays saying that their Special Rights are the same as the fight against racism"), and it seems that a social movement that is trying to encourage diversity should proceed cautiously in regards to this sensitive subject.
    Bisexuals should also examine the apparent enthusiasm of organizations that are calling for inclusion and are adding the 'B' word to their name. Although this sentiment may reflect the feelings of the leadership, or even the majority of its members, it does not necessarily mean that there has been a serious challenge of biphobia. Take this following Internet pose as such an example of "one step forward, two steps back":

 
The Los Angeles based Lesbian News has been notorious in being ... not necessarily kind to us bis in the past. Recently LN printed an article called "Bisexuals: Not Lesbians and Not Heterosexuals -- They Face Discrimination from Both Sides" by Cynthia Frasier. It was a fairly good article about bisexuality and how it translates to the Lesbian experience.
 
One would think that LN may have softened their tone with us...until one one looked at their could called "Double Talk" by someone who calls herself "The Ear," who one suspects might be one of the editorial staff who also doubles as a gossip hound. This is what she says about us...
 
"This past month, The Lesbian News editor Katie Cotter tells me she had four letters from bisexuals who were pissed at The Ear's comments on bisexuality. Well, The Ear received about fifty comments from lesbians who said, 'you said what we feel, but haven't been able to say.' The consensus of women who have commented to The Ear is that biexuality is O.K., but that they ought to get their own movement, and take their transgendered buddies with them [emphasis mine - Ed.] 

We've spent 25 years building a civil rights movement and have paid a significant price for it.

The bisexuals come in after the lion's share of the grappling is done and join in and want a voice. I don't care who you sleep with, but what about HIV?
 
Are you having safe sex with your bisexual or straight men? Are they having safe sex when you are not around? Are you unwittingly bringing HIV into the lesbian community? Lesbians are the safest group in the world, with the lowest infection rate and your sexual habits scare us. Is this bi-phobia? Maybe. You dilute and invalidate women who have come to terms with white men and their role in the systematic structure of women's culture."

     There is a political phenomena that seems similar to the attitudes held by people like "The Ear." Minority candidates often do well in opinion polls, only to lose in a general election; it appears that people are reluctant to express bigoted views to a pollster, but have no reluctance in expressing their opinions in private.
     Something to think about in this era of new understanding and the use of "...and Bisexual."