Pride Trust Bisexual Working Group

Who we are

A group originally brought together by the Pride Trust to ensure bisexual representation and visibility at the annual Pride march and festival in the UK. Our coordinators in 1996 were Lisa Colledge and Ian Watters. In 1997 Kevin Lano was the (nominal) group coordinator. Since 1998, Laurence Brewer and Kevin Lano have been the coordinators.

Pride 1996

We organised a tent at the festival at Clapham Common featuring:

Performances from a number of bi folk, rock and misc. singers;
The play ``Betty Page is bisexual and has a hairy chest" performed by Melissa Carr (previously shown at the ICA);
Presentations on Women and Bisexuality by Sue George and on bisexuality and HIV/AIDS by a speaker from Project Sigma;
Stalls featuring a range of bi merchandise -- T-shirts, badges, stickers, books, etc, and organisations and groups, from the London Bi Group and SMBi's to Bisexuals Action on Sexual Health;
A `chill-out' zone and ambient music.

There was an exhibition of bi art as well. A signer was available. Funding came from the London Bi Group and London Bi Women's Group.

Pride 1997

They let us back! With a bigger tent, and excellent performances from

Single Bass
Tom Robinson
Raechel O' Conner

and others, stalls from Bi Community News, London Bi Group, London Bi Women's Group, Off Pink Publishing, and others, as well as a disco. Funding was provided by the London Bi Women's Group.

Pride 1998

We participated in the community organisation of the Pride march, co-ordinated bisexual participation on the Pride march, and ensured that there was an explicit bisexual section. There was no festival this year.

Pride 1999

We were again involved in the march, and asked for space at the commercial Mardi Gras festival, which was refused.

Pride 2000

Together with BCN and the bi women's group, we had a stall in the `community village' of the Mardi Gras festival. We also participated in the community forum of Mardi Gras.

Pride 2001

We organised a stall at Mardi Gras again, and were also involved in the alternative free pride festival, `LaDiDah'. The general feeling in the bi community was that MG was not worth backing, and so our current efforts are to assist in the organisation of a free pride festival for 2002.