TW: Biphobia and Femme invisibility . I read an article that said being bi means coming out again, and again. I first came out in stages... to selected friends in 2003, then more fully in 2004 when moving to a new city presented a chance to discover the real me, away from the shadow of an abusive ex, and away from friends I worried would suddenly treat me differently. . I anticipated feeling authentic, liberated, and whole -- and there were certainly moments of that -- but, what I mostly experienced was bullying and intimidation from more masc presenting women. This happened both when I was alone, and with femme partners. I/we were mocked for our clothing and shoes, for our hair and makeup, for our weight, and once I was even the target of ridicule for holding a purse while standing in line for the toilet. . The women making these remarks were always white and I eventually became tired of defending against such petty microagressions (while worrying things could escalate), so I resigned myself to believing that LGBT spaces (as they were called at the time) simply weren't for bi femmes of colour, like me. I have an aesthetic that usually passes as hetero so, although I was heartbroken, I accepted that I simply wasn't queer enough. . As the years carried on, I moved cities/countries 4 more times all while throwing myself into work with a career that took me to even more places worldwide. My social life became completely itinerant + intertwined with my professional relationships, and I was so frequently at galleries that I rarely entered designated queer social spaces. Then, by the time I untangled myself from all of that, chronic illness + fatigue had kicked in. . Years later, I barely go out and, although I love my amazing friends, we see each other infrequently, and usually only one on one for tea or cocktails, so celebrating queerness en masse isn't something I find myself able to do very often, especially when I *still* experience imposter syndrome regarding my sexual identity. . (Ct'd below) . #pride #qpoc #queerrightsarehumanrights #thefirstpridewasariot #loveislove #sunday (at Winnipeg, Manitoba) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByODvmlgFsC/?igshid=cv70qwmz92kr
