Bisexuality and Bi+ Visibility Day

The Council adopted a resolution recognizing and celebrating September 23, 2025, as International Celebrate Bisexuality Day and Bi+ Visibility Day in the City of Boston.

This annual observance, first celebrated in 1999, honors the lives, identities, and experiences of bisexual+ individuals while raising awareness of the stigma, inequities, and challenges faced by the bi+ community. The day was founded by activists Wendy Curry, Michael Page, and Gigi Raven Wilbur, and was first marked on September 23, 1999, at the International Lesbian and Gay Association Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. This year marks the 26th anniversary of the tradition, which has since gained global recognition.

The resolution acknowledges the broader history of bisexual recognition, including San Francisco's 1990 proclamation of Bisexual Pride Day and the efforts of BiNet USA in hosting the first National Bisexual Conference. The Council emphasized the importance of using inclusive language such as "bi+" to reflect the diversity of identities - including pansexual, fluid, queer, polysexual, and others - that fall under the bisexual+ umbrella.

Despite making up more than half of the LGBTQ+ population, bisexual+ individuals remain significantly less likely to come out to friends or family due to stigma and misunderstanding. Many face erasure, discrimination, and invalidation, including assumptions based on their partners or relationships. A 2024 study cited in the resolution found that more than 80 percent of bi+ individuals reported discrimination from within the LGBTQIA+ community itself.

The Council noted that such experiences of exclusion contribute to decreased participation in LGBTQIA+ spaces and fewer opportunities for bi+ leadership, which further reinforces harmful misperceptions about bisexual+ people. Health disparities were also highlighted, with bisexual+ individuals facing increased risks of poor health outcomes, including mental health challenges, as well as higher rates of bullying and violence, especially among bi+ youth.

These challenges are amplified for those with intersectional identities. The resolution notes that more than 40 percent of LGBTQ+ people of color identify as bisexual, and about half of transgender individuals describe their orientation as bisexual or queer.

By recognizing September 23 as International Celebrate Bisexuality Day and Bi+ Visibility Day, the Boston City Council affirms its commitment to dismantling stigma, promoting health equity, and supporting the safety, rights, and dignity of Boston's bisexual+ residents.

In adopting this resolution, the Council calls on government agencies, public and private institutions, schools, and businesses to take meaningful steps toward dismantling bisexual+ stigma, advancing health equity, and fostering inclusion, safety, and dignity for all of Boston's bisexual+ residents.