My name is Amy, and I am the founder and organizer of The Chasing Amy Social Club, a bi-supportive women's social club that was founded in July 2001, has over 500 members, and caters to the Greater Bay Area.
Sunday's 2007 San Francisco Pride Parade marked our first year marching as a contingent, including our very beautiful float. We were one of two bisexual contingents in the entire Pride parade, and with our early position in the parade (#57, right in front of the lovely and talented Jan Wahl), we hoped that this would mean we would be included in KRON's webcast or television broadcast. This was very important to us, because there has traditionally been very little visibility for bisexuals in the LGBT community and especially in the San Francisco Pride Parade, and so this year we were hoping to help change that. Bisexuals are all too often the silent "B" in LGBT, under-represented at best, and at worst completely ignored and ostracized by the LGBT community. The Bay Area Bisexual Network's contingent was placed near the end of the parade last year, and late in the parade again this year...so we knew that they unfortunately wouldn't get any airtime this year, either.
But while lesbians, gays, and transgendered persons were well-represented by KRON 4's coverage, sadly, not one single (identified-as-)bisexual person was interviewed, mentioned, or broadcast during the webcast or "highlights" show on Sunday night. Instead, there was ample coverage of many of the other contingents both in front of and behind The Chasing Amy Social Club, many of whom simply marched with a banner. We spent a lot of time, energy, and money coming up with a float, fabulous costumes, and more importantly, a vital message for those watching the parade, that bisexuals DO exist, many of us ARE out and proud, and we DO belong in the LGBT Pride Parade...but alas, that message has evaporated, fallen victim to broadcasters who didn't see fit to represent the Bisexual Community at all. What a shame. I'm less upset that the CASC's float didn't make it into the broadcast than I am by that complete lack of representation for the Bi Community!
So much for respecting this year's theme of "Pride without Prejudice"! KRON 4 demonstrated yet again that even heterosexual allies of lesbians and gays, who were featured in KRON's coverage, are more important to the Pride Parade than bisexuals. Yet again, the "B" in LGBT is swept under the rug, left unrepresented, left silent. That sounds more like prejudice than pride to me...
Very Sincerely,
Amy
Founder, The Chasing Amy Social Club
www.chasingamysocialclub.com
