Bisexuals Action on Sexual Health (BASH)
Aims
To promote the sexual health of people who have sex with both men
and women however they identify, and of people who are self-identified
bisexuals.
History
BASH was formed from a group of bisexual activists and AIDS workers
gathered together by the Health Education Authority in 1992. BASH was
originally named the Bisexual Development Group, helping to develop
HIV prevention initiatives with the HEA. This culminated in the 1993
Bisexuality and HIV Prevention report, which looked at what HIV work
was being done by or for bisexual people, and what ought to be done.
The group now meets independently of the HEA, and is for people
working in, or who want to work in, HIV/AIDS, whether as paid or
voluntary workers. We meet in London, but aim to work nationally, with
members coming from all over England. Fares can often be refunded. Our
aim is to promote the sexual health of people who have sex with men
and women however they identify, and of people who are self-identified
bisexuals. We seek to do this through working with statuatory and
voluntary agencies, and with the bisexual and lesgay communities.
In 1994 we received a grant of 19,500 pounds from the Red Hot AIDS trust
to carry out peer education work for bisexual people, via local bisexual
groups.
We offer workshops, training, advice, consultancy and activism. We
have also produced safer sex leaflets. We are 50-50 men and women,
age range 20s to 50s. The group is open to people who want to work on
HIV/AIDS issues.
BASH Provides:
- Safer-sex workshops which take account of bisexual identity and
behaviour as well as gay and straight identities
- Bisexuality awareness training
- HIV prevention initiatives and projects
- Research and international contacts
- A means of accessing the bisexual community for sexual health
- Expertise on strategies for sexual health promotion to bisexuals.
Achievements
- Input to HIV prevention initiatives for bisexuals developed by HEA;
- Bisexuality and HIV Prevention report;
- Leaflets and workshops;
- National coordination and consultancy.
Current Projects
- Peer Education Project: enabling bi groups to carry out peer
education work on sexual health within the bi community;
- Safer Sex Workshops in Higher Education: carrying out safer
sex workshops in student environments;
- Needs Assessment: carrying out needs assessment for bisexual
sexual health promotion work;
- Health Authorities Promotion: promotion of the BASH report and
capabilities to local health authorities (presently in the North West and
Scotland).
We are also developing a constitution and networking facilities.
Organisation and Contact Information
We have organisational meetings approximately every month, which
coordinate the various projects that we are running. These are held
somewhere convenient and central (usually in London), although we are
also intending to set up an email/web network to facilitate
coordination outside of these meetings.
Please see the minutes of
our recent meeting at the annual BiCon
for details of how the health promotion work started by BASH will be
continued in the future.
We can be contacted at:
- BASH, PO Box 10048, London SE15 4ZD
- klano@hotmail.com
Other useful resources are: