Celebrate Bisexuality Day

United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, France, Brazil, Mexico

About

Celebrate Bisexuality Day, observed on September 23, recognizes and celebrates bisexual people, their identities, and their contributions to communities around the world. The observance encourages greater visibility and understanding while affirming that bisexuality is a valid and meaningful sexual orientation.

It is also a welcoming opportunity to learn about bisexual history, culture, and experiences, challenge stereotypes, and support friends, family members, and colleagues who identify as bisexual. Through thoughtful conversations, inclusive events, and everyday acts of acceptance, Celebrate Bisexuality Day helps create communities where everyone can feel seen, respected, and valued.

History

Celebrate Bisexuality Day is observed annually on **September 23**. It was established in 1999 by bisexual activists Wendy Curry, Michael Page, and Gigi Raven Wilbur in the United States. The observance emerged during a period when bisexual people were often overlooked both in wider society and within LGBTQ+ communities. Its creators intended to provide a dedicated occasion for bisexual people and their allies to recognize bisexual history, culture, and contributions.

The date was chosen in part to honor the birthday month of Freddie Mercury, the bisexual lead singer of Queen, while also drawing attention to bisexual visibility more broadly. The first observance was known as **Celebrate Bisexuality Day**, and the name remains the canonical name of the holiday. Over time, related descriptions such as Bisexual Visibility Day and Bi Pride Day became common in public campaigns, community events, and educational materials, but the annual observance continues to take place on September 23.

As the event spread internationally, its activities expanded beyond private community gatherings. LGBTQ+ organizations, universities, libraries, workplaces, and public institutions have marked September 23 with panel discussions, film screenings, educational programs, social events, and campaigns featuring bisexual voices. Online advocacy has also played an important role, helping communities in places without established bisexual organizations connect with one another and share personal experiences.

The observance has cultural significance because it challenges bisexual erasure—the tendency to deny, minimize, or stereotype bisexual identities—and affirms that bisexuality is a valid sexual orientation rather than a temporary phase or an indication of indecision. September 23 offers an opportunity to recognize the diversity of bisexual people, acknowledge their role in LGBTQ+ history, and encourage more inclusive approaches to health care, education, research, and community life. It also emphasizes that bisexual visibility is not limited to people who are currently in same-gender relationships or who fit any single appearance or life experience.

Timeline

1948
Alfred C. Kinsey and colleagues published Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, reporting survey findings that challenged strictly binary accounts of sexual behavior and documented same-sex experiences among men.
1953
Kinsey and colleagues published Sexual Behavior in the Human Female, extending their research on the range of women’s sexual behavior and attraction.
1990
The Bisexual Manifesto was published in the bisexual community newspaper Anything That Moves, articulating opposition to assumptions that bisexuality is merely a transitional or incomplete identity.
1998
Michael Page created the bisexual pride flag, using pink, blue, and lavender to represent attraction to the same gender, other genders, and the overlap of those attractions.

Upcoming dates

Sources

Same day

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