In celebration of Friday’s Bi-Visibility Day, Oxford City Council flew the bi-flag for the first time.
The flag’s appearance over Oxford Town Hall came after the Abingdon Town Council refused to fly the pride flag over its County Hall in July.
International Bi-Visibility Day, also known as Celebrate Bisexuality Day, is a celebration of bisexuality, bisexual history and bisexual community and culture. According to its co-founder Wendy Curry, it is celebrated on September 23rd as a nod to Freddie Mercury, whose birthday was also in the month.
Speaking to the Oxford Mail, Cllr Ed Turner, Deputy Leader of Oxford City Council, said: “As a council we are aware of the real problems still faced by the Bi community, and that having greater visibility will be important in tackling these.
“Flying this flag was an initiative of those with first-hand knowledge of these issues and we are very glad to be doing so, especially on Bi-visibility Day.
“We want Oxford to be a city which is welcoming and tolerant to all, and where discrimination has no place.”
The Oxford Campaign Bye Bi Phobia said: “Oxford City Council has set an amazing example that hopefully other regional councils will follow. Bisexual, pansexual and LGBT erasure on a larger scale perpetuates the treatment of the LGBTQIA+ community as second class citizens.
“Oxford Council’s decision to fly the bi-flag gives hope to many from both the bi/pan and LGBTQIA+ community that attitudes are changing and that these negative stereotypes of bi people can and will be broken down.
“However, it also reminds us of the challenges bisexual and pansexual people still face in their daily lives due to passive biphobia and commands us, regardless of whether you are straight or LGBTQ+, not to judge people based on their sexual orientation and instead stand in solidarity with them.”
