Out in the Mountains

ON THE OTHER HAND:
Yes Virginia,  
“Your Brother Doesn’t Have to There Are Bisexual Vermonters

Be Speaker for You to Make a Kin-bemwamnaxorstenusguv

  

° ° ° 99 BURLINGTON -- "To classify is not to understand and even less to comprehend 
D In  nomenclatures are working tools (not suitable) for tasks more subtle than external
‘Xi , - C_“"dm G""_8"'rh- arrangement" — Octavio Paz, Latin American poet, from The Bow and the Lyre
- National Coming Out Prryerr Spokesperson
M Perhaps in high school, you were the bookworm who wound your way through the halls
on noonlo who know Somoono from class to class with a book under your nose. You were the girl in the back row who fell

gay or lesbian are far more supportive of

telling her, but the fear stopped you. Besides, you had dated boys before — falling head over
_ A . heels for Tommy on the soccer team, or Robert in the band. So, sadly, you fell quickly into
d1V¢'S1fY Of the 83)’ C°mm“"“Y~ 3“? line,_ did the het thing for years, always wondering what it would have been like to kiss that
you don’: have to be related to someone friend in the dark on one of those tortuous sleepovers.

famous to take your next step. For more

gay issues. Coming out shows the true

Or perhaps you were the opposite, outgoing and brave, so completely in love with a

information about Coming out’ or girlfriend, you had to tell her and years later, single, ensconced in a warm and loving family

Candace is the lesbian sister afNewI Gingrich. “P°°mi“3 N""i°“"l C°"‘i“3 0"‘ Day of lesbian/gay friends, you have the dreadful task of telling them you're in love with
Speaker ofrhe House ofRepresenmriver events, please call 1-800-866-6263. someone new’ and his name is Matt wnm win happen? will you be branded a traitor?
, Kicked out of the circle of friends? This was somethin ou went throu h alread , when

Come Out. Get Involved. It Truly Makes a Difference. you Como out in high Sohoo1_ who could understand? g y g y

National coming out Project ‘

is an education and outreach program ol the

- I amfieifi .
PAIGN FUND
Bisexuality can be defined as the potential to feel sexually attracted to and to engage in

— sensual or sexual relationships

' ' - ' with people of more than one
gender. This month begins the first
of, hopefully, many articles to
address the issues of bisexual and
questioning Vermonters. We hope
to not only address issues, but
open a dialogue with the bi and
gay/lesbian people throughout the
state.

  

These experiences are far more common than either the straight or queer communities may
be willing to admit. The fact is, human sexuality is a fluid thing (literally and figuratively).
Ir1dividuals' attractions, behaviors and orientations are continually shifting and may not
' always fit into a neat category. As national bi activist Robyn Ochs states, even a sexual
"orientation that may not be permanent is still valid for the period of time it is experienced."

Over the past year, a network has
been slowly growing in Vermont,
a place where people can talk
about the complexities of human
sexuality. The Vermont Bisexual
Network is a very informal
collection of folks seeking to end
our isolation as bisexual and
questioning individuals. Last year
in Montpelier, over 40 people
from Massachusetts, Connecticut,
New York, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island and Vermont,
gathered for the first regional
BiNet community meeting, from
which the Vermont Bisexual
Network emerged. Our second
Annual Northeast Bisexual
Community Meeting took place
on May 6th in Putney.

The purpose of BiNet, the
National Bisexual Network, which
formed under a different name in
1990, is threefold: 1) to collect
and distribute information
regarding bisexuality and to
facilitate the development of
bisexual community and
visibility; 2) to work for the equal
rights and liberation of bisexuals
and all oppressed people; and 3)
to work to eradicate all forms of
oppression inside and outside the
bisexual community.

hands, kissing, sneezing, wrestiing or.

 You dodtgetitfrom coffeecups. You dancing.  , _ _ , C .
psinaschool According to the SurgeonGeheral,," ,

your best pr ‘ ection againstAiDS,  should be sent to the Vermont

Comments and future articles for
this column are welcomed and

Bisexual Network at P.O. Box

§d°w' 8124, Burlington, VT05402. V

For the fa 4-_  e

Vermont A

 

madly in love with your best fiiend, but never told her. Maybe you even came close to V