Desperately Seeking Sessions

From Elizabeth Reiff, BiCon programme person 

Every year I’ve been to BiCon, I’ve always looked forward eagerly to finding out what’s on. Whether it’s old favourites or exciting new ideas, hearing about the sessions that are planned makes me ever more excited for August.

This year it’s my turn to put the programme together, and I love seeing all the great ideas for sessions coming in. It’s truly a thrill to witness the sheer amount of wisdom, creativity, joy, and craft that is on display in the bi community. We are a talented bunch!

This year we’ve got some wonderful stuff lined up. There’s the return of Queering Shakespeare, a chance to indulge your dramatic side with performances and readings of Shakespeare’s work in the way it was surely meant to be! And if that wasn’t enough for you, there’s a Stand Up & Comic Workshop where you can learn how to be the comedian you totally are in your head.

Then there’s a Jam Session and Music Workshop, giving you the opportunity to play the instrument of your choice surrounded by your fellow bis. You can also sing your heart out at our Campfire Sing-a-long. Or if craft is more your thing, pop along to the Summer Camp Style Macrame Friendship Bracelet Making — no experience necessary!

Arty type? Draw some fellow bisexuals at Drawing Bisexuals. Interested in delicious food? Learn how you can Make Food Your Medicine on Friday evening with Eddi.

We’ve got a Steven Universe Sing-a-long and the ever-popular session Bisexuality and Fandom. At BiCon, your inner fannish geek is entirely welcome.

If you’re in a gaming mood, there’s Fun and Games, Quick Board Games for New People, and Personality Snap all happening over the weekend. And if you’re feeling kinky, we’ve got BDSM for Beginners, as well a Pervertibles & Kink on a Budget session.

Here to find your folk? We have a Non-binary Safe Space, a BME Safe Space, an Ace Space, a Bi/Pan Parenting session, and a Survivors’ Safe Space all taking place throughout the weekend.

These are just a few of the great sessions we’ve got planned. But we could use more! If you’ve got an idea in the back of your head, now’s the time to act if you want your session in the handbook.

If you’re coming up empty but would like to run a session, here’s a few we don’t have which have been run before, or would be particularly useful this year.

We’ve got a session on polyamory, but nothing on monogamy or mixed-orientation relationships. If hosting safe spaces is your thing, we still need a neurodiverse safe space, or perhaps a more general safe space for disabled bisexuals. How about a women only or men only safe space? We’re all getting older, so maybe you’d like to have a session about bisexuals and aging. How about a little bisexual fat positivity? Or maybe you’re a working class bi, or you live in the countryside, and would like to have a chat with others in a similar situation?

If you’re more of an activist bent, it would be great to see the popular session Fitting and Misfitting in the Bisexual Community return again. Or perhaps a session on setting up local bi groups? We certainly have some experts out there. Or maybe you’re just tired and burnt out as an activist and would like to have a chat with others who are also tired and burnt out? A session’s as easy as that.

Fancy something a bit more fun? How about flirting with women for women, or flirting with men for men? Maybe a little body painting, or platonic speed dating? Or tea tasting, a very popular session a few years back.

In today’s fraught political climate, the issues facing bisexual immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers has never been more important. Do you have insight into this topic you’d be willing to share?

If you’re up for running a session, don’t delay! Deadlines are fast approaching, and BiCon itself is less than a month away. If you haven’t signed up for BiCon yet, book now, and then fill in this Session Leaders Information Form for each session you would like to run. If you have any questions, please email me at programme2018@bicon.org.uk.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all at BiCon. With your help, I know it will be another wonderful weekend for us all.

6 Replies to “Desperately Seeking Sessions”

  1. Hey, do you think I'd be suitable for facilitating/co-facilitating something on Body positivity, disability, or maybe working class bisexuality?

  2. The whole world is a men-only safe space, that's unneccessary. A men's brave space, led & run by women & non-binary people, where men dismantle their internalised sexism, is what men need to be doing.

  3. All us white bi+ people need to be supporting & heeding & amplifying the BME people who wish to attend & run activities at Bicon.

  4. Are you still looking for people to run sessions? I could run one about what it means to look queer

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