A serious and celebratory affair
Coming Out Week features speakers and drag shows to promote gay rights awareness.
Rachel Johnson
Issue date: 10/14/08 Section: News
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Bisexuality advocate William Burleson spoke on Tuesday and discussed how bisexuality is often not recognized in the United States. Burleson said the level of acceptance and awareness today deeply contrasts with that of the seventies, a time when bisexuality was celebrated and even considered glamorous or "bi-chic."
Burleson began studying bisexuality issues after he "came out" in the mid-1980s.
"I came out to a group of friends that was gay and lesbian," he said.
Burleson said he remembered being accepted by that community, but wondering where the bi-community was in itself.
Burleson said bisexuality is ignored in our country in many ways. He cited a story about a friend, Robin Ochs, an avid bisexual rights advocate. In California, she married her female partner, and was labeled as being a lesbian, despite the fact that she was bisexual. Burleson said that "bisexuality often gets erased in our culture."
"How do you build a community if you can't even find each other?" said Burleson, "There are as many bi-folk as there are gays and lesbians."
Burleson said his message was one of strength and empowerment for all people, regardless of orientation.
"We get to love who ever we want. That's a civil right. I am not sick, I am not flawed. I get to live how I want," he said.
He further encouraged members of the bisexual community to become involved in bisexual advocacy and help to build a stronger bisexual community.
A drag show later on in the week on Thursday featured four performers; both drag kings and drag queens. All the performers were from District 202, a youth GLBT "safe zone" in Minneapolis.
One of the drag queens-a University of Minnesota student-began doing drag shows when she was thirteen. Now twenty-one, Gotti (who performs a lip syncing routine clad in high heels and a black dress) is "proud to be out" and continues doing drag shows because she has "too much fashion sense for one gender."
Another drag queen, Destiny Valentino Dupree, had a very special coming out celebration this year.
"I am celebrating with my boyfriend," Dupree said. "He came out to his family and we just became engaged."
Dupree, who began doing drag shows when she was fifteen, said she wanted people to know that "transgender people are strong and influential."
The Coming Out Week celebration closed on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day.
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