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The first Bi Pride Local will be in Swansea, and we're thrilled

Published March 11, 2020

Please note: in light of COVID-19, this event has now been postponed. Please check Bi Pride's UK Twitter feed for further announcements.

At Stonewall, we loved attending the first-ever Bi Pride last year, so we're really excited to hear about the first Bi Pride Local in Swansea, in partnership with with Bi Cymru's BiFest 10-year anniversary.

Bi Pride UK has decided to give Wales that bi boost of positivity and celebration it deserves: it's teaming up with Bi Cymru to launch their flagship Bi Pride Local event, and celebrate the 10-year anniversary of BiFest.

Bi people continue to feel uncomfortable during other LGBTQ+ Prides. 

Following last year’s success of the first-ever Bi Pride, 'the biggest bi gathering in history', Bi Pride UK concluded that events encouraging bi people to come together and celebrate their community are essential. Bi people continue to feel uncomfortable during other LGBTQ+ Prides. That's why the charity has decided to launch the first-ever Bi Pride Local event, partnering with Bi Cymru’s BiFest, and are striving to make 2020 even bigger and better for all individuals who fall under the bi umberella: bisexuals, biromantics, pansexuals, panromantics, polysexuals, polyromantics, homoflexibles, heteroflexibles and anyone else who experiences attraction beyond gender. Abigail and Ele are two of the organisers behind the event.

Abigail Kay, Bi Pride UK Chair, “I couldn’t be more excited about kicking off the first Bi Pride event of the year, in Wales. We’re honoured to be joining forces with Bi Cymru and celebrating a decade’s worth of BiFest celebrations, along with our very first Bi Pride Local event. I can’t wait to bring a wave of pink, purple, blue and yellow to Swansea!”

Ele Hicks, Bi Cymru, “We’re delighted to be working with Bi Pride UK to celebrate 10 years of BiFest Wales in May 2020. Bi Pride UK put on a great event last year and Bi Cymru are excited to collaborate to deliver a bigger, better, and free BiFest Cymru/Bi Pride Local for our 10th anniversary event."

A recent study showed that Wales is home to the largest number of bi people in the UK, with 8% stating they were attracted to more than one gender. It's surprising that, despite their large bi community, research by Stonewall shows that 3% of bi men in Wales had attempted to take their own life, and 34% of bi and lesbian women in Wales have experienced domestic abuse. HRC’s Foundation study of bi youths concluded that biphobia and sexual harassment affect bi people at a young age. 48% of bi people who've accessed the UK’s national healthcare services have experienced biphobic comments, and so two thirds felt they must identify as straight when receiving medical services, while 42% identified as gay, .

Bi Pride Local/Bi Fest will take place on Saturday 16 May at the YMCA in Swansea (1 The Kingsway, Swansea, SA1 5JQ). The whole event is set to run in two parts - a day event and a night event, with panels, talks, workshops, live music from bands and DJs, and a fully licensed bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Speakers and performers will be announced closer to the event. Visit Bi Cymru’s website for more information on the day event and the night event.

All individuals who experience attraction beyond gender deserve to celebrate their identities proudly and unashamedly, free from ridicule.

Events organised by Bi Pride UK and Bi Cymru aim to celebrate bi visibility, as all individuals who experience attraction beyond gender deserve to celebrate their identities proudly and unashamedly, free from ridicule.

There's no need to register online for this one, just turn up on the day, and give Swansea the big bi celebration it deserves!