Blog

Anna Shepherd, ILGA-Europe’s Fundraising Manager

Do businesses have a role to play in advancing LGBTI equality? Debate on this topic really erupted around Europe during Pride season this summer. 

Hi everyone! My name is Temir, I work at LGBTIQ organization Kyrgyz Indigo, based in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. Here I share the opinions of five bisexual people on their identity and experience.

This blog post is made up of diverse and sometimes even contradictory points. However, every opinion has a right to be heard. The following interviews include the personal thoughts, reflections, and ideas of bisexual people from Kyrgyzstan.

Hilde Vossen - Coordinator of the European Bisexual Network for Activists (EuroBiNet)

On Bi Visibility Day events this year you can be 'exceptionally glittery and crazy'. When else do bisexual people have the chance to be like that? Mostly at a celebration they organise themselves. Then they make the rules, and are the majority.

Umut Erdem - Storyteller at Curious Steps, feminist and bi+ film activist

Unfortunately,  LGBTI+ activism that we're currently striving to do is not in favour of bisexual people. I'm mainly speaking about Turkey - but my argument can be repeated for all around the world because of the invisibility and ignorance about bisexuality.

Bella Fitzpatrick - Director at Shout Out

I am not entirely sure how I had the vocabulary when I was 9 years old to declare I was bisexual. If I heard it on TV, or some adults talking, I’m not sure, but I knew the word and I knew what it meant, and I knew it described me.

Many people are surprised when I say I came out at 9 years old and even more surprise to hear I came out as bi, not gay.

Daniela Ferrazza, Researcher at the user experience design agency Fifth Beat (Italy)

I clearly remember the moment we spoke about this project for the first time. It was the morning after celebrations for my 40 years. The evening before, I drunk as I had 20, so I made twice the effort to follow Raffaele’s speech. Hangovers have strict rules.

Who is Raffaele? Who am I? What was the project about?

Stefan Sparavalo, Media&Public Relations Coordinator of Da Se Zna!

We find political participation of LGBT+ people (as well as representation of our community within political parties and their programs) of utter importance for the overall advancement of the position of LGBT+ community in one society.

Monica Panayi, Vice-President of Accept Cyprus

Being an activist in a small country like Cyprus can be a herculean task for both ACCEPT LGBT Cyprus (ACCEPT) and the AIDS Solidarity Movement (ASM). A lot of times, the limited access to funding and resources makes our job extremely difficult. Therefore, creating something for the better good is an important achievement.

Farkhad Musazov, Partnership specialist, Kyrgyz Indigo, Kyrgyzstan.

“I am Here for You”, supported by Creating Opportunities programme, is the project that helps to share stories of LGBT acceptance within their own siblings. These are all life stories about acceptance, love, support and the overcoming of difficulties together.

Laura Piazza - ILGA Europe Senior Campaign & Programmes Officer

There are many ways to tell the story of Creating Opportunities, as many as the number of activists, community members, allies and experts that made the programme possible over the last 4 years.