Bi Visibility Day Friday 23 September

[caption id="attachment_2660" align="alignleft" width="132"] Mia Rees, Bisexuality lead[/caption] This week it has been great to see so much support for Bi Visibility day. Both Welsh and UK Government Ministers have tweeted their support of the bisexual community and at the Liberal Democrat conference Brighton there was even a bi visibility flash mob! The National Assembly for Wales came third in Stonewall’s Work Place Equality Index and I am proud to work in an organisation where diversity is valued, respected and welcomed. We all know that people perform better when they can be themselves and being able to work in a supportive environment is important to all of us. After the election I sent out an e-mail to all the AMs and Support Staff who work for the Welsh Conservative Group asking if they would be interested in being Allies of the Assembly’s OUT-NAW LGBT Network. The response was great and I was so pleased to see members from my own party supporting their colleagues. We now have 140 Allies at the Assembly which illustrates the strong commitment people who work here have to creating an inclusive working environment. However, I have not always been able to be open about my sexuality and have become used to being told that as a bisexual woman I am greedy, just seeking attention from men or plain confused. I am none of the above. Bisexuals make up the biggest proportion of the LGBT community but we are often dismissed and misrepresented. Simply put, Bisexuals have an emotional and/or sexual orientation towards more than one gender. That’s it. We want to work hard, get on in life and be able to be with the person we love. I know that my sexuality does not affect my work and therefore it should not affect the way that my colleagues view me at work. Bi Visibility day is the perfect excuse to have a conversation and remember that we are all just trying to do our jobs to the best of our ability and although I am bisexual and it is part of who I am it doesn’t define me or the work I can do. If you have any questions about bisexuality or if you are having issues with your sexuality effecting the way others view you at work please don’t hesitate to contact me or any of the OUT-NAW team – we are here to support you. Mia Rees (Mia.Rees@Assembly.Wales) Lead for Bi issues