Over the past several decades, an increasing number of lesbian and gay people have “come out” to their loved ones, communities and colleagues. Being open about their sexual orientation has helped many individuals to feel more fulfilled in their lives and careers, as well as encouraged some societies to become more inclusive.
Many bisexual people, however, have been far more reticent to come out even though ~35% of LGBT people identify as bi*. In this fascinating panel discussion, we explored what it actually means to be bisexual and tackled some of the myths associated with being attracted to more than one gender.
In addition, we discussed the specific challenges associated with the bisexual identity, including:
- Common negative stereotypes, including that bis are confused, promiscuous or untrustworthy, or simply don’t exist at all
- Being able to “pass” as straight or gay depending on their current relationship status
- Finding ways to talk about their attraction without making it sound inopportune or superfluous
*2015 study from the UK Office for National Statistics finds ~35% of those in the UK who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual identify as bi.
This event was jointly organised by the London Bisexual Network and IP Out and generously hosted by Allen & Overy LLP.
The London Bisexual Network is a professional network catering for those working in the legal, insurance, banking and professional services industries. LBN aims to provide education and visibility on behalf of the bi communities working within the city of London. While primarily focused on the bi community, LBN welcomes individuals from the greater LGBTQ and pan community, as well as allies. Find out more information at http://londonbisexualnetwork.co.uk/.
IP Out is one of the four communities of diverse groups of individuals and organisations that form part of the IP Inclusive Community, which is a collection of individuals and organisations in the intellectual property (IP) sector, who have come together to make our community more inclusive, diverse, open and fair. IP Out is for LGBT+ people and their allies working in the IP professions. IP Out provides support and networking opportunities, and typically aims to organise around four events each year. The events, which are open for all to attend, are a mixture of talks and panel discussions dealing with issues relevant to equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as more informal social events. Find out more information here.
Date: Wednesday 25 September 2019
Time: 18:30 for a 19.00 start. Refreshments and networking from 20.00 onwards.
Location: Allen & Overy, One Bishops Square, Spitalfields, London E1 6AD
Welcome: David Stone, is a partner and Global Head of Intellectual Property at Allen & Overy LLP. He works with the world’s leading businesses to protect their most valuable asset: their brands. David is a distinguished IP litigator specialising in trademarks and registered and unregistered designs.
Opening Remarks: Georgina Hart, is an associate in the IP department at Wiggin LLP practising primarily in the fields of trade marks, patents and designs. She recently joined the IP Out Committee and is an active member of Wiggin’s LGBT committee.
Moderator: Darren Smyth, is a UK and European Patent Attorney, practising primarily in the fields of patents and registered designs. He is a partner at EIP, where he heads the chemistry practice group EIP Elements. He has been on the committee of IP Out since its inaugural event in 2016, and is active in developing links with other LGBT+ networks.
Panellists: Netanya Clixby, is an associate in the Derivatives and Structured Products team at Latham & Watkins. Netanya sits on the Law Society’s LGBT+ Division Committee, and is also co-chair of the London Bisexual Network.
Jonathan Andrews, is a former board member at Stonewall and a current member of the national charity Ambitious about Autism. Jonathan is an associate in the Media team at Reed Smith and is co-chair of the London Bisexual Network.
Rob Davey, is a Senior Director of Global Markets & Strategy at CompuMark, a Clarivate Analytics company, having joined in 2007 as Senior Account Manager. Rob is the founder of Spectrum, Clarivate’s Employee Resource Group for LGBT+ colleagues and their allies, and is also a Trustee of Bi Pride UK (www.biprideuk.org).
Kindly hosted by Allen & Overy LLP
