Bisexual Health Awareness Month
Hanna Nasim (They/She)- Mar 3, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 4, 2024
Written by Hanna Nasim
The Bi+ Health Awareness Month, created by the Bisexual Resource Center, raises awareness about the social, economic and health issues of the Bisexual+ community, which includes bisexuals, pansexuals, fluid, queer etc. As members of the LGBTQIA community, we are all well aware of how unique each person’s sexuality and identity are. Still, it is also important to recognise how unique each person’s struggle is. This Bi+ Health Awareness Month, let us talk about physical, mental and social wellbeing for the Bi+ community.
Physical Wellbeing
Bi+ individuals, like everyone else, need to focus on self-care all year round. It is important to exercise, restful sleep, stress management activities and have a healthy diet, but most of all, to have a doctor who is aware of bisexual+ people and their needs.
It is also important to be aware of STDs, HSDD (Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder) and HIV; remember to get tested at least once a year, and if getting tested scares you, bring a friend along!
Apart from taking care of your health and attending to your physical needs, it is also important to pay attention to your relationship. If you are worried your partner is abusive, confide in a trusted friend or family member, or reach out to your nearest queer support foundation for help.
Mental Wellbeing
There still exists a lot of stigma around Bisexuality, not to mention the biphobia a lot of people experience when they come out as bisexual. Creating a support system with friends and family members is necessary to combat the isolation and negativity from cis people, and sometimes from within the LGBTQIA community itself.
Tips for battling Biphobia:
Biphobia is discrimination or violence against bisexual people, and it can come in many forms such as: getting stereotyped as being promiscuous or confused, having your sexuality invalidated: “it’s just a phase, you’re not actually bisexual”, Erasure from the queer community, etc. Here are some ways to combat such comments:
Call it out: If someone is making biphobic comments, let them know their words are harmful and that they need to stop.
Educate yourself: Learn about biphobia and how you can fight it. There are many resources available online for your perusal.
Recognise how you might be contributing to biphobia in your community and educate yourself. Check your own biases, participate in bi+ programs, and donate money or time to bi+ friendly organisations.
Bisexual Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity to celebrate your identity while being mindful of the struggles that come along with it. Creating a safe space for you as well as your Bi+ friends, organising programs and reading up on the infinite resources available online about Bi+ people and for Bi+ people are the many ways you can be safe as a bisexual or support bisexuals+ as an ally. Attached below are some resources you can access to read more about Bisexual Health, Biphobia, and many more topics (also Bi playlists!!). Happy reading, and happy bisexual health awareness month!
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