Here's a short list of resources to learn about
bisexuality and/or to locate your local bisexual community.
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Here's a short list of resources to learn about bisexuality and/or to locate your local bisexual community. |
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For bisexuals seeking connection, the Internet is a big part of the present and promises to be an even bigger part of the future. Therefore, a good starting point in a search for the bisexual community is right at your computer.
This
is the web site for the Bisexual Resource Center. Come here for great
links to other web pages and, best of all, their informational brochures.
The Bisexual Resource Center publishes about 20 pamphlets about various
topics such as safer sex, coming out, and bi community history, and most
are in a downloadable form. This is also the site offering the Bisexual
Resource Guide for sale. Edited by Robyn Ochs (who we met in Chapter
Nine), it is now in its 4th edition.
Speaking of greats links, check out All Things Bi for a huge list of resources and information about bisexuality. Perhaps more social rather than activist oriented, you can find organizational web pages, personal pages, yahoo groups, and just about anything else you can imagine an probably some you cannot.
There has been a mini-explosion of books about bisexuality in the ‘90s. Most fall into two categories, academic research and compilations of essays. If you are not an academic, beware of just ordering a book off the Internet because you might find yourself weeding through what was probably somebody’s doctoral dissertation. Friendlier are the essay compilations. Some are better than others, but all offer an insider view of the bisexual community. These are my suggestions for the best of the bunch.
Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World Robyn Ochs (editor), Sarah E Rowley (Co-Editor) Bisexual Resources Center (May 2005)
Brand new from the folks who gave is the Bisexual Resource Guide, this is a compellation of 184, yes, 184 essays from around the world (including one by yours truly). Subject tackled include what is bisexuality, coming out, biphobia, bi politics, and 180 more. This bi community homegrown effort may do more to define the culture of the bisexual community than all the books that have come before. In other words, this book is a must.
The Bisexual Option
Fritz
Klein, MD
Haworth
Press; 2nd edition (October 1993)
This
is the seminal book about bisexuality. The Bisexual Option has shaped the
discussion about human sexuality since it was first published in 1978 and
remains a relevant as ever. While Dr. Klein is an academic and explores
bisexuality from a psychological point of view, his work is lay reader friendly.
Using a new model of sexuality, called the Klein Sexual Orientation Grid, he
explores our great diversity of sexuality.
Dual Attraction: Understanding Bisexuality
Martin
S. Weinburg, Colin J. Williams, and Douglas W. Prior
Oxford
University Press (Reprinted June 1995)
In
the early ‘80’s, the authors explored in depth the Bisexual Center of San
Francisco. Their book, Dual Attraction: Understanding Bisexuality, is still the
one true sociological study of a segment of the bisexual community. Complete
with a large amount of data, it serves as a much-needed record of this unique
group in a unique time in history.
Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out
Loraine
Hutchins and Lani Kaahumanu, Editors
Alyson
Publications (March 1991)
The
list of bisexual literature is replete with collections of essays, but one of
the first and still perhaps the best is Bi any Other Name. Edited by two
bi activists, it covers a gambit of topics such as coming out and spirituality.
Perhaps more interesting as a look at the activist bisexual community rather
than the greater number of people who identify as bisexual, this book has served
to define the issues of the community in the same way the Bisexual Option has
defined orientation.
Bisexual Politics: Theories, Queries, and Visions
Naomi
Tucker, Liz A Highleyman, and Rebecca Kaplan Editors
Harrington
Park Press (December 1995)
Like Bi any Other Name, this collection of essays is an excellent look at the established and activist bisexual community. Well organized and complete, it offers excellent information about bisexual community history and queer politics in general. As time passes, this book becomes increasingly important for its insider documentation of bisexual community paradigms in 1995.
Here’s a couple of novels that I found to be of interest. Unfortunately, as with films, you will not see the word "bisexual" used even though it would be vary appropriate considering the story. Nonetheless, they are good stories with at least bisexually "behaving" characters.
Messiah
Simon & Schuster (February 1999)
Andrei Codrescu, what can you say; he's a fun author. The story here is it’s the turn of the millennium, and the messiah is...I'm not telling.
The Passion
Jeanette
Winterson
Grove Press (September 1997)
I think this is an excellent story. Don't let the name fool you; this is no romance book at the drug store. It's about Venice, the 1800's, and bisexuality.
I'm quite a movie buff. A good movie can present an issue in an uniquely visceral and powerful way. Of course, a bad movie is a waste of $8. Here's my suggestions to take with you to the rental store. Beware: like the books above, don't expect to hear the word "bisexual" uttered unless it's in a derisive way. These films give good examples of both a positive model of bisexuality and of how Hollywood makes bisexuals invisible. Note too that in all these films, except Bedrooms and Hallways, women are the bisexual characters. Bedrooms is the only positive depiction in film I know of for male bisexuality.
Bedrooms and Hallways Directed by Rose Troche Staring Kevin McKidd, and James Purefoy 2000 First Run Features, Not Rated (but think in terms of R)
I don't know about how this film played in your city, but here in Minneapolis (the land of 10,000 art-house theaters) you could count on one hand how many times it screened. And it's a VERY GOOD FILM. Go figure. It's a British comedy from Chicagoan Rose Troche who gained fame for her incredible indi, Go Fish. Bedrooms is about three roommates, two gay men and one straight woman. The Hero, one of the gay men, goes to a men's support group with his straight best friend where he falls for a straight man and... oh, just go see it.
High Art Directed by Lisa Cholodenko Staring Ally Sheedy and Radha Michell 1999 October Films, Rated R
I've been accused of liking depressing art. Maybe so. But I think this is a great film. Sure, Ally Sheedy's character is an old self-destructive drug addict, but she's an interesting old self-destructive drug addict. High Art marks the return of Sheedy to the big screen and she should have got best actress that year. Really, she's that good. Radha Michell is also great and very real in this film.
Kissing Jessica Stein Directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld Staring Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen 2001 Twentieth Century Fox, Rated R
This is a sweet tale of a woman who decides she's sick of dating men and decides to give women a try. Let me know what you think of the end.
Chasing Amy Directed by Kevin Smith Staring Joey Lauren Adams and Ben Affleck 2001 Miramax, Rated R
Say
what you will about Kevin Smith's films...I guess just say what you will.
In this film, a straight guy and a lesbian fall for each other. At times
it plays like lesbiansex101, and at other times one may get sick of its
male point of view. Given all that, it is certainly worth seeing, plus
many of my friends would kill me if I didn't include it on this list.
Fire Directed by Deepa Mehta 1997 New Yorker Films, Not Rated (but think R)
If for no other reason, check out this Indian film just to support the film maker. After it was released in India, riots broke out, theater managers beaten, and theaters burned. Yes, it's that good. This English language film is about a young bride in an arranged marriage with a reluctant groom who moves in to her new husband's family home. It's incredible.
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