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Bringing Back the ‘B’ in LGBT
July 10, 2009 by Bi Social Network
Filed under Rants of a Bisexualist, Spotlight
Voice your opinion on changing up the “B” in LGBT to BLGT — Do you agree?
AP Photo/Saurabh Das
As we move forward with celebrating our bisexual selves, I begain to noticed that every year gay and lesbian media (print and online) change up the “L” for lesbian and “G” for gay, why? Do they feel they want to be top dog? Do they feel they are NOT being represented? Clearly, this is not the case, as there are hundreds upon hundreds of sites dedicated to gay and lesbian freedom – as it should – but some continue to not even mention bisexual or transgender on there very site, column or title.
We also have to come to grip, that all things are not equal in the land of rights for all in the LGBT community; in fact, I continuously try to find content regarding bisexual and transsexuals news – though transsexuals are getting more airtime of late – which we say “about time!”
This is why we have decided – being a bisexual and an activist, about all things bisexual — I’m a Bisexualist. We are going to only use the coin phase for things LGBT to BTLG or BLGT. We have to understand this is needed to make a point, that we still have a long way to go regarding the separation of our community.
I live in Chicago and all too well, we see gays and lesbians not mixing, or sad to say white gays and black and Latino gays in different circles? Nani? (Japanese for What!) So, we at BSN are giving the bisexuals time on the top of the community! Google and Bing take note! We are now using BTLG for (Bisexual, Transsexual, Lesbian and Gay) content. We feel we must state this cause until more content is free flowing thought-out our community!
What are your thoughts on these issues? Will you come join us? We hope so! Do you think we are being to sensitive? Voice your opinion and comment on our site! We love positive and negative feedback, as long as it’s respectful.
Bio: Adrienne Williams:
Adrienne Williams founded Bi Social Network in 2008, which showcases niche bisexual content in entertainment, social media, publishing, workshops and events. Adrienne also produces a monthly radio show called ‘Bi Talk’ and is reaching out to the community, to promote a year long Bi-visibility PSA Campaign effort; to educate the public on issues surrounding bisexuality and to bring tolerance and understanding to all.
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Love it and totally agree!
This is something that was highlighted at last summer’s “BiReCon” one-day conference on bisexuality research and academia.
It seems that mostly in the USA people use the “GLBT” acronym and in the UK it’s “LGBT”: the logic over here for putting the “L” first was that lesbians were more marginalised, due to sexism, than gay men.
Yet when we moved from talking about LG to LGB and then LGBT we put the other marginalised groups, which tend to have less financial muscle and support, smaller commercial scenes and smaller, less well-supported non-commercial scenes… down there at the end, where they can easily drop back off the acronym if you’re “in a hurry” or “everyone knows I mean bi and trans too”.
It was, only partly in jest, suggested that academics writing papers should pull the four letters out of a scrabble bag at the start of each project, and use them in whichever order they emerged for the duration!
The separation thing of lesbians and gay men not mixing is common here too. There are whole separate histories that only really started to come together when the government introduced the “Section 28″ law which attacked lesbians and gay men equally (and bis by implication) and created a sense of common cause.
It varies, for year to year in the states. On year they will switch it up as LGBT, then the next as GLBT. The goal of BSN is to let the world know that Bisexuals matter and this is the reason we are changing the status quo and using BLGT. Mainly because, I’m a women, so I just added the L after the B, but it could be BTLG, just as long as the “b” is first on this site….
In Chicago it changes up from yes to year. One year, it goes L the other G, not sure how it all started, but just somthing I noticed — and wanted to make a point!
I can get iffy like that! Thanks for commiting and sharing your valuable viewpoint! We love it!
Hey and if you are going to buy movies, buy them from this site! Anything to help the pot pay for the server is a good thing at BSN!
I know this will sound pedestrian or self serving as my “label” would be listed first, but is there any possibility of just listing the letters alphabetically? This has traditionally(is that a bad word?) been seen as fair and objective. BGLT has a nice ring to it too, although admittedly, it sounds a little like ordering a sandwich.
Perhaps the importance of a standard, identifying order that would display solidarity among our ranks to the rest of the world, might outweigh politics and legitimate concerns about marginalization. Perhaps.
Just sharing a thought. Have a nice day.
It can be BLGT, or BTLG or BGLT as long as the “b” is first on this site. Because I’m a women, I just added the B first, because I’m bisexual, then the “L” but we haven’t determined the absolute way to use it. The only requirements for all writers are using the “B” first in their articles.
Thanks for you feedback.
From now on, I say BLGT or nothing at all. If they are going to fight it out on LOGO (males say Glbt and the females say Lgbt) then we are very right in saying it any way we please. And I would go further to call it BTlg as our Transgendered friends are always dropped to the bottom of caring and protecting by the GL, we should make them our highest priority alongside out own interests to protect.