Out in the Mountains

" addition the 
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The First Northeast

Plans for the Future

Kirsten L. Isgro and Shannon Williams

For the first time in New England,
bisexual people and their allies gathered
to meet, network, share resources and
begin to get organized within their
communities and states. On April 30, in
Montpelier, 35 people from Vermont,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and
Connecticut came together to break
down the individual and collective
isolation they face as bisexuals in the
northeast region.

The day—long meeting was co-facilitated
by Stephanie Berger and Laura Marina
Perez, the northeast regional
representatives of the National Bisexual
Network (BiNet USA). The day began
with introductions and large group
discussion, followed by two 1-hour long
sessions in which people met in small
groups to discuss topics of concern.
Issues addressed during the day
included strategies and struggles of
urban and rural organizing, how to set
up support groups as well as networks
in one's area, sex and sexual identity,
and support for married people and
those in "alternative" relationships.
Other areas of interest were coming out
issues, addressing the anti-oppression
work that needs to be done within the
bisexual community, and organizing a
culture and arts festival. There was
plenty of time to break and talk and
view an on—going video project created
by Jill Merkle.

A participant from Plainfield said, " I
didn't know what to expect. I've been to
a lot of different gatherings, but to have
the opportunity to meet other bisexual
people in Vermont was exciting. I was

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Bisexual Community Meeting

looking for kinship...the meeting went
beyond my expectations."

Sharokin Betgevargiz, a participant
from Burlington, liked the large group
discussion that ,developed the meeting
structure. _ "People were honest...in
bringing out their concerns...I totally felt
a positive, good connection. People
spoke the same language, and I didn't
have to justify myself to anyone."

Some of the ideas that came out of the
community meeting were planning a
regional bisexual conference in the fall,
organizing a bisexual culture and arts
festival in August, and creating a more
cohesive and visible Vermont Bisexual
network. Sharokin talked about the
viable future of a bisexual community:
"It's necessary for people in different
communities or support groups to call
each other and organize on the local
level, and communicate somehow to
each other."

This meeting was co—sponsored by
BiNet USA. The purpose of BiNet is to
collect and distribute information
regarding Bisexuality and to facilitate
the development of bisexual community
and visibility and to work for the equal
rights and liberation of bisexuals and all
oppressed people. Organizers.
participants, and ideas are needed for
the upcoming fall conference. For
information about BiNet and/or the
conference, contact (617) 338—9595.
To find out about the arts festival and
bisexual video project, contact Jill
Merkle at (802) 496-207]. V

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