Alex Greenwich Speaks About Bi+ Visibility In NSW Parliament

Out gay Sydney independent MP Alex Greenwich spoke about Bi+ visibility in NSW Parliament on Thursday, saying his Equality Bill would provide protections to bisexual people.

Sydney Bi+ Network welcomed Greenwich’s speech in Parliament. “As far as we are aware it’s the first time Bi+ visibility day has been referenced in NSW parliament! Big thanks to Alex and his office for this big moment for bi+ communities,” the organisation said in a post on social media.

September is marked as Bi+ visibility month and September 23 is Celebrate Bisexuality Day.

Bi+ Erasure

 “The term bi+ can include, though is not limited to, bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, omnisexual, queer, fluid and multi‑gender attracted. Some bi+ people use more than one label to describe themselves; some use no label at all,” Greenwich told his fellow MPs in the Legislative Assembly.

Bi+ people suffer poor health outcomes because of stigma and discrimination, Private Lives 3, Australia’s largest study of LGBTIQA+ people’s health and wellbeing found.

“While bi+ people can experience homophobia and transphobia, they also experience biphobia and bi+ erasure, even among LGBTIQA+ organisations, community and peers. Many bi+ people are told that they are not queer enough or that they are actually straight. Too often, bi+ people are told to “pick a side”, that they are “greedy” or that their sexuality does not exist. Those prevailing attitudes are present in all aspects of life, both in the mainstream and from within LGBTIQA+ communities,” Greenwich explained.

Equality Bill Will Protect Bi+ People From Discrimination

The Sydney MAP pointed to the lack of protection for bisexual people and acknowledged the work of bi+ activists and advocacy groups like the Sydney Bi+ Network in advocating for change.

“New South Wales is the only jurisdiction that does not provide civil protections from discrimination for bi+ people,” said Greenwich, while urging fellow MPs to support his omnibus Equality Bill.

“My equality bill will provide that protection, and any rewrite of anti‑discrimination laws will need to include bi+ people. All LGBTIQA+ responses and policies need to address bi+ people and their experiences to work towards improving their health and wellbeing and ensure that they feel supported and included. The lack of awareness and understanding impacts heavily on the health care that bi+ people receive, which creates challenges in getting appropriate and targeted care,” said Greenwich, adding, “It is something that the NSW LGBTIQ+ Health Strategy 2022-2027 recognised, naming bi+ people as a priority population. Much is still needed to translate this into meaningful change.”