Workshop Details
Session 1 Saturday 9:45 - 11:15 AM
Bi+ Activism: How to Move Beyond Just Getting Bi Room 107
Jessie Miller
Come learn about and discuss bi+ activism initiatives including identifying community needs, how to get an organization started, how to recruit people, and how to respond to changing community needs. A portion will also be dedicated to briefly going over the findings of BOP’s Involvement Survey. This session is meant to get folks engaged, thinking, and contributing. The next bi+ leaders (and maybe even board members) are in this room!
Jessie Miller is a past BOP board member and a disabled bisexual badass. Jessie has been involved in BOP for the past four years, volunteering at BECAUSE, and even leading SpeedFriending events for the bi+ community. On Inauguration Day 2017, she founded the no longer operational LGBTQ Guard, a volunteer-run buddy system to reduce hate crimes and increase safety. Jessie has moved back to Chicago and is busy leading their bi+ organization: Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago (BQAC).
Finding Your Safeword Room 206
Red
Curious about BDSM and how to get started exploring your kinky side? Do your kinky friends seem to be speaking a foreign language and you’d like to understand what’s got them so excited? Wondering how to find the kink community, what it’s like, and if bi+ folks are welcome? Join local kinkster Seeing Red in her participant-driven introduction to BDSM, kink, community, and what it’s like to be bi+ and kinky here in the Twin Cities. Experienced kinksters already active in the community are asked to respect this 101 space by limiting their participation or selecting another workshop to attend.
Red has been a member of the local kink community for over seven years, with the past few focused on community leadership. As an educator, she’s presented on topics such as polyamory, body acceptance, flirting, and specific body parts and how to have sex with them! As a Kinkster she identifies as a sadistic top, but enjoys exploring the many facets of kink. Red is passionate about acceptance and normalization, education, and creating a safer space for everyone to show up as their authentic self.
To B in the Picture: Envisioning Bisexual Picturebooks Room 207
Collin Knopp-Schwyn
Queer characters have been on the rise in literature for young people. However, there's one glaring exception: there has never been a bisexual character in any English-language picturebook!
Building off my recent paper "Challenges and Possibilities for Bisexual Picturebooks,” this workshop is divided into two halves. The first, in presentation format, will cover a brief history of queer children's lit before exploring how best to portray bisexuality in the medium. Second, attendees will join presenter Collin Knopp-Schwyn in discussing how bi+ representation in picturebooks might have affected their lives, how to talk about bisexuality with children, and what kinds of stories we can collectively envision for the promising world of bi+ picturebooks.
Collin Knopp-Schwyn is a theatermaker and occasional bisexuality researcher originally from Minneapolis and now living in Brooklyn. Along with poet Mike Fracentese, Collin recently published "Challenges and Possibilities for Bisexual Picturebooks" in the Journal of Bisexuality. Their next goal is, of course, to publish the first bisexual picturebook, and continue research beneficial to the lives of bi+ people of all ages.
Bi+ Youth Report 2017 National Survey Data Findings Room 208
Helen Parshall & Layla Monarez
HRC will be presenting on their findings from a 2017 survey of youth and their newest publication about bi+ youth based on that survey. This large population study gives us more information about where additional support and services for bi+ youth need to be directed and gives the bi+ community hard facts to use when talking to legislators, funders, and other LGBTQ organizations.
Bi+ and Polyamorous/Ethically Non-Monogomous Relationships Room 273
Mark Stapleton
Many bi+ folks use polyamorous or other forms of ethically non-monogamous (ENM) relationship structures. This introduction to being bi+ and ENM will discuss how people form and maintain their relationships and steps to getting them started, how to open up an existing monogamous relationship, and discussion of the day-to-day realities of navigating intimate relationships of many sorts.
Mark Stapleton has known how he feels about sex and relationships for most of his life, although he only recently was able to express it meaningfully to others. He enjoys talking to others about relationships and how they intersect with their orientations and hearing their stories. Mark moderates a local ethical non-monogamy munch that has monthly discussions about polyamory and other ethical relationship types.
Jessie Miller
Come learn about and discuss bi+ activism initiatives including identifying community needs, how to get an organization started, how to recruit people, and how to respond to changing community needs. A portion will also be dedicated to briefly going over the findings of BOP’s Involvement Survey. This session is meant to get folks engaged, thinking, and contributing. The next bi+ leaders (and maybe even board members) are in this room!
Jessie Miller is a past BOP board member and a disabled bisexual badass. Jessie has been involved in BOP for the past four years, volunteering at BECAUSE, and even leading SpeedFriending events for the bi+ community. On Inauguration Day 2017, she founded the no longer operational LGBTQ Guard, a volunteer-run buddy system to reduce hate crimes and increase safety. Jessie has moved back to Chicago and is busy leading their bi+ organization: Bisexual Queer Alliance Chicago (BQAC).
Finding Your Safeword Room 206
Red
Curious about BDSM and how to get started exploring your kinky side? Do your kinky friends seem to be speaking a foreign language and you’d like to understand what’s got them so excited? Wondering how to find the kink community, what it’s like, and if bi+ folks are welcome? Join local kinkster Seeing Red in her participant-driven introduction to BDSM, kink, community, and what it’s like to be bi+ and kinky here in the Twin Cities. Experienced kinksters already active in the community are asked to respect this 101 space by limiting their participation or selecting another workshop to attend.
Red has been a member of the local kink community for over seven years, with the past few focused on community leadership. As an educator, she’s presented on topics such as polyamory, body acceptance, flirting, and specific body parts and how to have sex with them! As a Kinkster she identifies as a sadistic top, but enjoys exploring the many facets of kink. Red is passionate about acceptance and normalization, education, and creating a safer space for everyone to show up as their authentic self.
To B in the Picture: Envisioning Bisexual Picturebooks Room 207
Collin Knopp-Schwyn
Queer characters have been on the rise in literature for young people. However, there's one glaring exception: there has never been a bisexual character in any English-language picturebook!
Building off my recent paper "Challenges and Possibilities for Bisexual Picturebooks,” this workshop is divided into two halves. The first, in presentation format, will cover a brief history of queer children's lit before exploring how best to portray bisexuality in the medium. Second, attendees will join presenter Collin Knopp-Schwyn in discussing how bi+ representation in picturebooks might have affected their lives, how to talk about bisexuality with children, and what kinds of stories we can collectively envision for the promising world of bi+ picturebooks.
Collin Knopp-Schwyn is a theatermaker and occasional bisexuality researcher originally from Minneapolis and now living in Brooklyn. Along with poet Mike Fracentese, Collin recently published "Challenges and Possibilities for Bisexual Picturebooks" in the Journal of Bisexuality. Their next goal is, of course, to publish the first bisexual picturebook, and continue research beneficial to the lives of bi+ people of all ages.
Bi+ Youth Report 2017 National Survey Data Findings Room 208
Helen Parshall & Layla Monarez
HRC will be presenting on their findings from a 2017 survey of youth and their newest publication about bi+ youth based on that survey. This large population study gives us more information about where additional support and services for bi+ youth need to be directed and gives the bi+ community hard facts to use when talking to legislators, funders, and other LGBTQ organizations.
Bi+ and Polyamorous/Ethically Non-Monogomous Relationships Room 273
Mark Stapleton
Many bi+ folks use polyamorous or other forms of ethically non-monogamous (ENM) relationship structures. This introduction to being bi+ and ENM will discuss how people form and maintain their relationships and steps to getting them started, how to open up an existing monogamous relationship, and discussion of the day-to-day realities of navigating intimate relationships of many sorts.
Mark Stapleton has known how he feels about sex and relationships for most of his life, although he only recently was able to express it meaningfully to others. He enjoys talking to others about relationships and how they intersect with their orientations and hearing their stories. Mark moderates a local ethical non-monogamy munch that has monthly discussions about polyamory and other ethical relationship types.
Session 2 Saturday 2:30 - 4:00 PM
mplicit Bias: The View From Atop the Ridge Room 107
Emeri Burks
We will discuss implicit bias, social justice, and the roles of those who straddle two worlds with their life, sexuality, gender, identity, "race," and culture. Emeri argues that with bridging the divide comes a perspective granted few, and that this perspective carries with it two things: 1) The struggle to feel at home, and 2) The wisdom to empathize and SEE.
Emeri emphasizes that we are leaders, teachers, gurus, and revolutionaries who fight by living, loving, speaking, and being. She invites us to honor that sacred wisdom by embracing and sharing it in both directions as actively as possible.
Emeri Burks is a trans, pan, poly, professional writer and poet making a go of the American Dream (ala DIY publishing, Social Media, and Freelance Writing work) after a decade in southern China. She believes that the most productive conversations these days all start with acknowledging one's own privilege and implicit biases before actively seeking to expand one's point of view. She firmly believes that the Information Age should work FOR us, NOT AGAINST us. By "us," Emeri means all life, everywhere, forever. Find more about her and her work at ebwords.org.
Bi+ & Neurodivergent Discussion Room 206
Patrick RichardsFink & Theresa
There is little research and few narratives about ASD and bisexuality so (as in many other cases) it is up to us to craft our own stories. In this space, the neurodiverse members of our community are invited to a conversation by, for, and about us, and how our intersectional identities impact our lives in community and in organizing. Come participate in the discussion.
Patrick RichardsFink MS LPC is a fifty-ish White neurodiverse cisgender male bisexual counselor at Prism Mental Health LLC in Saint Cloud, MN. A former blogger at Eponymous Fliponymous and former member of the board of directors of BiNET USA, he is semi-retired from the national bi activist scene in order to focus on providing mental health services for the LGBTQ+ community as well as allied communities such as Kink, Poly, and Furry. After his Autism Spectrum diagnosis at forty-one, his life and history started making sense, and an additional focus of his mental health practice is working with neurodiverse adults.
Theresa (she/her/hers) is very interested in the intersection of gender/sexuality and neurodiversity, as she has gone through a lot of changes/self-discovery in the last few years. This includes receiving an ASD diagnosis and attending BECAUSE for the first time less than a month after discovering that she is not monosexual. She is also very passionate about helping herself and others break free of toxic social mores/rules/expectations. She is much happier now that she has begun that process in her own life.
Creating Our Space Room 207
Shor Salkas
Let's create Our Space together! Our Space is a campaign to build a queer/trans/LGBTQ community center in the Twin Cities. In partnership with BECAUSE and BOP, Our Space wants to hear from folks in bi+, pan, fluid communities about what a thriving community center space would look like! We want to hear about your hopes and dreams, and then we want to know about how you want to be involved in bringing this dream into a reality. Join us for the conversation!
Bi+ Youth Discussion Room 208
Sirius
This is a youth oriented, discussion based workshop about how bisexual youth fit into the LGBTQ+ community. It will include discussions about biases they may face being bi+, and the intersectionality inherent in activism. Some topic points may include: making safe spaces so everyone's voice can be heard; working with and learning from other people and communities in a respectful, intentional way; and challenges faced when working with different generations within LGBTQ+ communities.
Sirius is a 20 year old bisexual, homoromantic, nonbinarily identifying trans guy. He believes strongly in being active in his community and in bringing about social change. He has been both a youth volunteer and an activist for six years, and is a member of One Voice Mixed Chorus who are "building community and creating social change by raising [their] voices in song!"
#Bi+ Parenting: A Roundtable for Caregivers and Parents Room 273
T. Zea Leguizamon
Parenting as a bi+ identified person can pose unique challenges. This workshop is interested in topics that, if left untended, can lead to increased bi+ erasure. Therefore, this workshop opens its door to bi+ identified parents and caregivers that we may lean in deeply, beyond platitudes, to mine shared efforts and challenges.
Rearing her child as a bi+ parent in Berkeley, CA; bi-erasure was less an issue than she found it to be, upon transferring to the Midwest. This workshop is a culmination of six years troubleshooting bi+ parenting-life in the heartland. Zea's background is in group facilitation. More about that can be found at embodydeepdemocracy.com
Emeri Burks
We will discuss implicit bias, social justice, and the roles of those who straddle two worlds with their life, sexuality, gender, identity, "race," and culture. Emeri argues that with bridging the divide comes a perspective granted few, and that this perspective carries with it two things: 1) The struggle to feel at home, and 2) The wisdom to empathize and SEE.
Emeri emphasizes that we are leaders, teachers, gurus, and revolutionaries who fight by living, loving, speaking, and being. She invites us to honor that sacred wisdom by embracing and sharing it in both directions as actively as possible.
Emeri Burks is a trans, pan, poly, professional writer and poet making a go of the American Dream (ala DIY publishing, Social Media, and Freelance Writing work) after a decade in southern China. She believes that the most productive conversations these days all start with acknowledging one's own privilege and implicit biases before actively seeking to expand one's point of view. She firmly believes that the Information Age should work FOR us, NOT AGAINST us. By "us," Emeri means all life, everywhere, forever. Find more about her and her work at ebwords.org.
Bi+ & Neurodivergent Discussion Room 206
Patrick RichardsFink & Theresa
There is little research and few narratives about ASD and bisexuality so (as in many other cases) it is up to us to craft our own stories. In this space, the neurodiverse members of our community are invited to a conversation by, for, and about us, and how our intersectional identities impact our lives in community and in organizing. Come participate in the discussion.
Patrick RichardsFink MS LPC is a fifty-ish White neurodiverse cisgender male bisexual counselor at Prism Mental Health LLC in Saint Cloud, MN. A former blogger at Eponymous Fliponymous and former member of the board of directors of BiNET USA, he is semi-retired from the national bi activist scene in order to focus on providing mental health services for the LGBTQ+ community as well as allied communities such as Kink, Poly, and Furry. After his Autism Spectrum diagnosis at forty-one, his life and history started making sense, and an additional focus of his mental health practice is working with neurodiverse adults.
Theresa (she/her/hers) is very interested in the intersection of gender/sexuality and neurodiversity, as she has gone through a lot of changes/self-discovery in the last few years. This includes receiving an ASD diagnosis and attending BECAUSE for the first time less than a month after discovering that she is not monosexual. She is also very passionate about helping herself and others break free of toxic social mores/rules/expectations. She is much happier now that she has begun that process in her own life.
Creating Our Space Room 207
Shor Salkas
Let's create Our Space together! Our Space is a campaign to build a queer/trans/LGBTQ community center in the Twin Cities. In partnership with BECAUSE and BOP, Our Space wants to hear from folks in bi+, pan, fluid communities about what a thriving community center space would look like! We want to hear about your hopes and dreams, and then we want to know about how you want to be involved in bringing this dream into a reality. Join us for the conversation!
Bi+ Youth Discussion Room 208
Sirius
This is a youth oriented, discussion based workshop about how bisexual youth fit into the LGBTQ+ community. It will include discussions about biases they may face being bi+, and the intersectionality inherent in activism. Some topic points may include: making safe spaces so everyone's voice can be heard; working with and learning from other people and communities in a respectful, intentional way; and challenges faced when working with different generations within LGBTQ+ communities.
Sirius is a 20 year old bisexual, homoromantic, nonbinarily identifying trans guy. He believes strongly in being active in his community and in bringing about social change. He has been both a youth volunteer and an activist for six years, and is a member of One Voice Mixed Chorus who are "building community and creating social change by raising [their] voices in song!"
#Bi+ Parenting: A Roundtable for Caregivers and Parents Room 273
T. Zea Leguizamon
Parenting as a bi+ identified person can pose unique challenges. This workshop is interested in topics that, if left untended, can lead to increased bi+ erasure. Therefore, this workshop opens its door to bi+ identified parents and caregivers that we may lean in deeply, beyond platitudes, to mine shared efforts and challenges.
Rearing her child as a bi+ parent in Berkeley, CA; bi-erasure was less an issue than she found it to be, upon transferring to the Midwest. This workshop is a culmination of six years troubleshooting bi+ parenting-life in the heartland. Zea's background is in group facilitation. More about that can be found at embodydeepdemocracy.com
Session 3 Saturday 4:15 - 5:45 PM
How Minority Stress Might Impact Your Relationships' Wellbeing Room 107
Serenity Curtis
This workshop will invite participants to reflect on and better understand how minority stress, and the accompanying social trauma, might impact their relationships. We will also discuss ideas on how to address some common issues, such as all/nothing thinking patterns, communication during conflict and boundaries. The workshop will be interactive and responsive to the needs of participants. We will draw on our experiences as both community members and mental health practitioners.
Writing the Bisexual Memoir Room 206
Ashley Campbell
This workshop will include a discussion of what goes into writing a memoir. It will include an interactive writing activity, as well as a Q & A about writing and publishing memoir. We will discuss strategies for dealing with sexuality and identity in creative nonfiction, and how to contextualize our projects in the broader field of memoir. People who are at all stages of the process, from brainstorming, to fully-drafted manuscript are welcome.
Ashley Campbell is a PhD candidate at the University of Minnesota in English literature. She is currently working on her creative dissertation, which includes two published essays, one of which was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She has worked intensively with editing and writing memoir. She has taught several different classes of modern literature, including, but not limited to Modern Fiction, World Literature, and Science Fiction.
Community Engaged Research: Increasing Visibility of
Bi+ Participants in Health Research Room 207
Micah Lubensky
This workshop provides an intro to two separate national health studies that actively recruit sexual and gender minority (SGM or “LGBTQ+”) people. After reviewing feedback collected specifically from bi+ community members about participating in health research, we will ask workshop participants to help shape next steps to increase the engagement and visibility of bi+ research participants in these two studies
Micah Lubensky has always held a deep passion for and dedication to social justice, with the goal of serving sexual and gender (LGBTQ+) minority, racial/ethnic minority, and low-income communities. A social psychologist by training, he has spent his career in multiple community mobilization, health, and research settings. Micah is currently the Participant Engagement Director at The PRIDE Study/PRIDEnet where he tracks and improves the research participant experience.
This College Has A Prom? Challenging Cis/Heteronormativity
While Building Inclusive Spaces in a Rural Community Room 208
Mackenzie Krzmarzick and Students from the Gender-Sexuality Alliance from
Anoka Ramsey Community College GSA
Learn about our successes and challenges in creating an all-inclusive prom event in our small town and help us generate ideas and strategies to make this year's event even more outstanding!
Anoka Ramsey Community College Gender-Sexuality Alliance is a community college group from Cambridge, Minnesota that is committed to promoting LGBTQ+ awareness and advocacy on campus and in our community.
Accessibility & Allyship for the Bi+ Community Room 273
Codi Coday & Alex Koch
The bi+ community is disproportionately made up of disabled, chronically ill, and/ or neurodivergent people. It is more important than ever to make sure we are all organizing accessible events and creating a supportive community. We understand that accessibility and accommodations are often overwhelming and aren’t always intuitive or obvious.
This workshop is a judgement- free learning environment perfect for the questions you’re scared to ask about accessibility in your own organizing and communities. For the most part, this will be a facilitated discussion and Q &A, but we will also help fill in any gaps necessary on the basics of accessibility and allyship. This workshop is welcome to both organizers and community members willing to learn.
Codi Coday is a writer, speaker, activist, and community organizer located in Denver, Colorado. She is the president of PAVES (Polysexual Alliance for Visibility, Education, and Support), a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of bisexuals. In addition to bi+ issues, she is also passionate about intersectional feminism, sex positivity, ethical nonmonogamy, chronic illness, and accessibility. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, camping, and spending time with community in Denver.
Serenity Curtis
This workshop will invite participants to reflect on and better understand how minority stress, and the accompanying social trauma, might impact their relationships. We will also discuss ideas on how to address some common issues, such as all/nothing thinking patterns, communication during conflict and boundaries. The workshop will be interactive and responsive to the needs of participants. We will draw on our experiences as both community members and mental health practitioners.
Writing the Bisexual Memoir Room 206
Ashley Campbell
This workshop will include a discussion of what goes into writing a memoir. It will include an interactive writing activity, as well as a Q & A about writing and publishing memoir. We will discuss strategies for dealing with sexuality and identity in creative nonfiction, and how to contextualize our projects in the broader field of memoir. People who are at all stages of the process, from brainstorming, to fully-drafted manuscript are welcome.
Ashley Campbell is a PhD candidate at the University of Minnesota in English literature. She is currently working on her creative dissertation, which includes two published essays, one of which was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She has worked intensively with editing and writing memoir. She has taught several different classes of modern literature, including, but not limited to Modern Fiction, World Literature, and Science Fiction.
Community Engaged Research: Increasing Visibility of
Bi+ Participants in Health Research Room 207
Micah Lubensky
This workshop provides an intro to two separate national health studies that actively recruit sexual and gender minority (SGM or “LGBTQ+”) people. After reviewing feedback collected specifically from bi+ community members about participating in health research, we will ask workshop participants to help shape next steps to increase the engagement and visibility of bi+ research participants in these two studies
Micah Lubensky has always held a deep passion for and dedication to social justice, with the goal of serving sexual and gender (LGBTQ+) minority, racial/ethnic minority, and low-income communities. A social psychologist by training, he has spent his career in multiple community mobilization, health, and research settings. Micah is currently the Participant Engagement Director at The PRIDE Study/PRIDEnet where he tracks and improves the research participant experience.
This College Has A Prom? Challenging Cis/Heteronormativity
While Building Inclusive Spaces in a Rural Community Room 208
Mackenzie Krzmarzick and Students from the Gender-Sexuality Alliance from
Anoka Ramsey Community College GSA
Learn about our successes and challenges in creating an all-inclusive prom event in our small town and help us generate ideas and strategies to make this year's event even more outstanding!
Anoka Ramsey Community College Gender-Sexuality Alliance is a community college group from Cambridge, Minnesota that is committed to promoting LGBTQ+ awareness and advocacy on campus and in our community.
Accessibility & Allyship for the Bi+ Community Room 273
Codi Coday & Alex Koch
The bi+ community is disproportionately made up of disabled, chronically ill, and/ or neurodivergent people. It is more important than ever to make sure we are all organizing accessible events and creating a supportive community. We understand that accessibility and accommodations are often overwhelming and aren’t always intuitive or obvious.
This workshop is a judgement- free learning environment perfect for the questions you’re scared to ask about accessibility in your own organizing and communities. For the most part, this will be a facilitated discussion and Q &A, but we will also help fill in any gaps necessary on the basics of accessibility and allyship. This workshop is welcome to both organizers and community members willing to learn.
Codi Coday is a writer, speaker, activist, and community organizer located in Denver, Colorado. She is the president of PAVES (Polysexual Alliance for Visibility, Education, and Support), a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of bisexuals. In addition to bi+ issues, she is also passionate about intersectional feminism, sex positivity, ethical nonmonogamy, chronic illness, and accessibility. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, camping, and spending time with community in Denver.
Session 4 Sunday 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
t's Get Books Together: An LGBTQ Book Talk Room 205
Daniel Gibson
Join Danny, a public librarian and bi+ book enthusiast, to discuss and discover classic, new, and up-coming titles with LGBTQ characters, narratives, and authors. We will be looking into the history of LGBTQ literature, issues with representation and visibility, as well as current, past, and future trends in LGBTQ literature. This session will be an open discussion, with time for participants to share what they've been reading and give recommendations.
Bi+ and Trans Folx – Safely Navigating Kink and Swinging Lifestyles Room 206
AnnieBliss & Beancounterlars
Although the kink, BDSM and swinging lifestyles are usually very sex positive, they can both also be very hetero-normative. In short, there can be a lot of biphobia and transphobia in these communities. This workshop will first cover how to find the communities where you will be safe in your bi and trans identities. There are a number of websites, munches, and groups in these communities where you can find the companionship and information that you need to safely move forward. We will discuss how to find those groups and activities that are safe yet will provide the enjoyment you are looking for. The second half of this workshop will be completely interactive, wherein we will together develop a list of things that we believe can and should be disclosed in these communities or with a potential partner(s), and those things we believe we should not have to disclose. When, where, and how to disclose them will be the focus of our final discussion.
AnnieBliss (she, her, hers) identifies as a bi+ queer radical femme transwoman who has been actively engaged in advocacy for bi+ and trans communities regionally and nationally during the past ten years. She is also an active participant as an openly bi+ person in kink and swinging organizations and communities, primarily in the Twin Cities area.
Beancounterlars (he, him, his) identifies as bisexual and is a former board member of BOP and a past co-chair of BECAUSE. He has been hosting lifestyle parties for over 10 years and has been a moderator of one of the largest groups on Fetlife for over 3 years.
National LGBTQ Workers Center Room 207
Joan Jones
Joan Jones is president of the National LGBTQ Worker’s Center based in Chicago. Come hear about their mission, their work, and the needs of LGBTQ low wage workers.
Relationship Anarchy 101 Room 208
Alex Koch
What’s relationship anarchy? Come find out! We have a lot of defaults when it comes to relationships that are enforced by the cis-white-heteropatriarchy but are they working for you? Bi+ people already break societal norms by destroying binaries in sexuality and gender, but how does that apply to our relationships? We will talk about the abundance of love, hetero/homonormativity, monogamy, valuing friendship, and making unique relationships that work for the people in them.
Bi+ Essentials Room 212
BOP
Come learn more about the bi/pan/fluid/queer (bi+) community in a presentation geared for our community. Based in current surveys and research, this presentation connects stereotypes, community outcomes, and individual experiences to explore the
bi+ community. We’ll look at the importance of understanding different types of labels and identities and what experiences bi+ folks have with health care, in the workplace, and in school. We’ll also explore the progress being made in education and acceptance of the middle sexualities. A similar presentation is also available to ally organizations. Contact BOP@BisexualOrganizingProject.org to schedule
Daniel Gibson
Join Danny, a public librarian and bi+ book enthusiast, to discuss and discover classic, new, and up-coming titles with LGBTQ characters, narratives, and authors. We will be looking into the history of LGBTQ literature, issues with representation and visibility, as well as current, past, and future trends in LGBTQ literature. This session will be an open discussion, with time for participants to share what they've been reading and give recommendations.
Bi+ and Trans Folx – Safely Navigating Kink and Swinging Lifestyles Room 206
AnnieBliss & Beancounterlars
Although the kink, BDSM and swinging lifestyles are usually very sex positive, they can both also be very hetero-normative. In short, there can be a lot of biphobia and transphobia in these communities. This workshop will first cover how to find the communities where you will be safe in your bi and trans identities. There are a number of websites, munches, and groups in these communities where you can find the companionship and information that you need to safely move forward. We will discuss how to find those groups and activities that are safe yet will provide the enjoyment you are looking for. The second half of this workshop will be completely interactive, wherein we will together develop a list of things that we believe can and should be disclosed in these communities or with a potential partner(s), and those things we believe we should not have to disclose. When, where, and how to disclose them will be the focus of our final discussion.
AnnieBliss (she, her, hers) identifies as a bi+ queer radical femme transwoman who has been actively engaged in advocacy for bi+ and trans communities regionally and nationally during the past ten years. She is also an active participant as an openly bi+ person in kink and swinging organizations and communities, primarily in the Twin Cities area.
Beancounterlars (he, him, his) identifies as bisexual and is a former board member of BOP and a past co-chair of BECAUSE. He has been hosting lifestyle parties for over 10 years and has been a moderator of one of the largest groups on Fetlife for over 3 years.
National LGBTQ Workers Center Room 207
Joan Jones
Joan Jones is president of the National LGBTQ Worker’s Center based in Chicago. Come hear about their mission, their work, and the needs of LGBTQ low wage workers.
Relationship Anarchy 101 Room 208
Alex Koch
What’s relationship anarchy? Come find out! We have a lot of defaults when it comes to relationships that are enforced by the cis-white-heteropatriarchy but are they working for you? Bi+ people already break societal norms by destroying binaries in sexuality and gender, but how does that apply to our relationships? We will talk about the abundance of love, hetero/homonormativity, monogamy, valuing friendship, and making unique relationships that work for the people in them.
Bi+ Essentials Room 212
BOP
Come learn more about the bi/pan/fluid/queer (bi+) community in a presentation geared for our community. Based in current surveys and research, this presentation connects stereotypes, community outcomes, and individual experiences to explore the
bi+ community. We’ll look at the importance of understanding different types of labels and identities and what experiences bi+ folks have with health care, in the workplace, and in school. We’ll also explore the progress being made in education and acceptance of the middle sexualities. A similar presentation is also available to ally organizations. Contact BOP@BisexualOrganizingProject.org to schedule
Session 5 Sunday 12:45 - 2:15 PM
Love Trade: Trade Shame for Self Love Room 205
Antoinette Pajak
This workshop is a moderated discussion about moving past fear, guilt, and shame about being attracted to more than one gender. We will discuss learning how to have pride in yourself, ways you can safely and/or subtlety express that pride, and things that can help move through self-acceptance, gaining self-confidence, and loving yourself.
Antoinette Pajak is an open pansexual transsexual who was unable to overcome a lifetime of toxic messaging that lead to a great deal of guilt and shame. Her life was ruled by fear, even as she seemed brave to many others serving in the United States Marine Corps and successful in her career. Through all that she didn't face her most important fear until she came out in January 2014, but it was still fear that brought her out. That turned out to be the easy part, but it was just the beginning of her journey to self acceptance and self love. That journey took her back into depression as she struggled more with her sexuality than her transsexuality. She enjoys exchanging her story with others, as it was through this open and honest exchange with people that she was able to find self acceptance and self love.
Who’s Being Asked to Dance?: A Space for Members of
Bi/Pan+ Orgs to Talk About Inclusion Room 206
Melinda Brown
Diversity and inclusion expert, Vernā Myers, says, “Diversity is being asked to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” What does that look like for bi/pan+ organizations? Given the challenges many in our communities already face, how do we move forward with inclusion? This workshop will provide a facilitated space to discuss what has worked, what hasn’t, and what we might consider trying when thinking of going beyond the initial invitation.
Melinda Brown has been a bi+ and lgbt+ activist since 1999 and an academic librarian for almost that long. A 61yo with visible and invisible disabilities, a white individual who works in a predominantly white profession, they are interested in discussing intersectionality, inclusion, diversity, accessibility and how these all impact our organizations.
Bi+ & Trans Room 207
Minnesota Transgender Support Alliance (MNTSA)
Come join MNTSA for an introduction to trans identities and communities. This is a safe space to learn and ask questions from these experienced educators.
Reckless Kindness and Relentless Optimism Room 208
Gen Meisner
A talk and discussion on how being recklessly kind and relentlessly optimistic has sustained the bi+ community and created the foundations for where it can go.
Gen is a podcaster, poet, and public speaker. She is a personality in the transgender community on Instagram.
Are You A Bad Bisexual? Room 212
Codi Coday
No prerequisite from past BECAUSE Conferences is necessary to join this workshop.
Building upon past BECAUSE workshops, this workshop will tackle representation, stereotypes, internalized biphobia, and conditional allyship. We will be using film and TV show clips as a launching point for an in-depth discussion of representation of bisexuals.
We will take a focused look into the fine line between having dimensional, flawed, and human characters and feeding harmful stereotypes. We will look inward to how these representations translate to our own self-worth as well as the pressure of being a perfect bi+ person to deserve a voice and allyship
Codi Coday is a writer, speaker, activist, and community organizer located in Denver, Colorado. She is the president of PAVES (Polysexual Alliance for Visibility, Education, and Support), a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of bisexuals. In addition to bi+ issues, she is also passionate about intersectional feminism, sex positivity, ethical nonmonogamy, chronic illness, and accessibility. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, camping, and spending time with community in Denver.
Antoinette Pajak
This workshop is a moderated discussion about moving past fear, guilt, and shame about being attracted to more than one gender. We will discuss learning how to have pride in yourself, ways you can safely and/or subtlety express that pride, and things that can help move through self-acceptance, gaining self-confidence, and loving yourself.
Antoinette Pajak is an open pansexual transsexual who was unable to overcome a lifetime of toxic messaging that lead to a great deal of guilt and shame. Her life was ruled by fear, even as she seemed brave to many others serving in the United States Marine Corps and successful in her career. Through all that she didn't face her most important fear until she came out in January 2014, but it was still fear that brought her out. That turned out to be the easy part, but it was just the beginning of her journey to self acceptance and self love. That journey took her back into depression as she struggled more with her sexuality than her transsexuality. She enjoys exchanging her story with others, as it was through this open and honest exchange with people that she was able to find self acceptance and self love.
Who’s Being Asked to Dance?: A Space for Members of
Bi/Pan+ Orgs to Talk About Inclusion Room 206
Melinda Brown
Diversity and inclusion expert, Vernā Myers, says, “Diversity is being asked to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” What does that look like for bi/pan+ organizations? Given the challenges many in our communities already face, how do we move forward with inclusion? This workshop will provide a facilitated space to discuss what has worked, what hasn’t, and what we might consider trying when thinking of going beyond the initial invitation.
Melinda Brown has been a bi+ and lgbt+ activist since 1999 and an academic librarian for almost that long. A 61yo with visible and invisible disabilities, a white individual who works in a predominantly white profession, they are interested in discussing intersectionality, inclusion, diversity, accessibility and how these all impact our organizations.
Bi+ & Trans Room 207
Minnesota Transgender Support Alliance (MNTSA)
Come join MNTSA for an introduction to trans identities and communities. This is a safe space to learn and ask questions from these experienced educators.
Reckless Kindness and Relentless Optimism Room 208
Gen Meisner
A talk and discussion on how being recklessly kind and relentlessly optimistic has sustained the bi+ community and created the foundations for where it can go.
Gen is a podcaster, poet, and public speaker. She is a personality in the transgender community on Instagram.
Are You A Bad Bisexual? Room 212
Codi Coday
No prerequisite from past BECAUSE Conferences is necessary to join this workshop.
Building upon past BECAUSE workshops, this workshop will tackle representation, stereotypes, internalized biphobia, and conditional allyship. We will be using film and TV show clips as a launching point for an in-depth discussion of representation of bisexuals.
We will take a focused look into the fine line between having dimensional, flawed, and human characters and feeding harmful stereotypes. We will look inward to how these representations translate to our own self-worth as well as the pressure of being a perfect bi+ person to deserve a voice and allyship
Codi Coday is a writer, speaker, activist, and community organizer located in Denver, Colorado. She is the president of PAVES (Polysexual Alliance for Visibility, Education, and Support), a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of bisexuals. In addition to bi+ issues, she is also passionate about intersectional feminism, sex positivity, ethical nonmonogamy, chronic illness, and accessibility. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, camping, and spending time with community in Denver.