Jayne B Shea

Bisexual, Polyam, and LGBT Friendly Apparel, Products, and Stories

The Importance of "Choosing a Side" & Showing Your Bisexual Pride

Jayne Shea1 Comment

"Choose a side" is a common bisexual erasure phrase. We're told to decide whether we're gay or straight, and then people assume we've "chosen" when we have a partner of the same or opposite gender. I don't mean it like that. My mission with my clothing line is to encourage bisexual people to name and own their identity as bisexual. When I say "choose a side" I am encouraging fellow bisexual people to express their bisexual identity.

When bisexual people define and own our sexuality, we create a safe space for others to do the same. It's as simple as that. The refusal of many post-Millennials to define their sexuality promotes an ambiguous environment where individuals own their identities (as well they should) but are not part of a supportive community.  It's hard to stand up and fight for a cause when you don't name it!

The impact of having your sexuality represented by a larger community is so meaningful, especially when you have been repressing it or judged by others because of it. My booth was the only bisexual-specific booth at Portland and Seattle Pride last year, and the gratitude of the bisexual people who visited it was almost overwhelming. When we own our bisexual identities as a community, we can create social change together.