What we're about
We are a safe, friendly, social environment for bisexual, biromantic, pansexual/romantic, polysexual, queer, fluid or other non-monosexual people (aka. m-spec, bi+). Bi-curious / questioning people and supportive partners, friends, allies also welcome: but please learn & understand (at least) the basics - don't ask the same biphobic questions we get outside this safer space or make equivalent assumptions of anyone here.
Come make bi+ friends, hang out, chat, have fun; see, learn and take part in some bi / LGBT+ culture, history, and activism; and feel part of a community in a (usually) free-to-attend, casual informal environment.
🟣 What do we do?
* Events
Most are social informal chatty hangouts on weekday evenings. We've always had monthly pub drinks evening in Soho on the same fourth Thursday (18+ age limit). Online events replace in-person when necessary (via Zoom/our Discord) without the age limit; the link is set as the location (sometimes in the event description).
Turnout is strong - reliably 40 or more for the in-person monthly bar socials pre-pandemic, usually 10-30ish for most other official meets, online socials tend to be smaller.
Others include clubbing nights, or regular cultural events (usually run by others but listed here for us to go to as a group) - e.g. cabaret/comedy/plays. In summer, picnics and walks, and we want to get back to the occasional dinner out too.
Several regular events are shared here from other London bi groups/organisers, e.g. Bi Underground, Bi Coffee, Opening Doors' Bi the Way meets, and (less-regular) the BiCHE dance club night & CaBiRet.
Members can suggest events too (but we'll remove+ban spammers of irrelevant commercial events; ask first) - either you can run them or an organiser may help if they have time/motivation. We prefer you've previously attended our own events, so we both know what to expect.
We also publicise, attend, and run groups / sessions at the largest local/national bi events and Prides like BiCon, Pride in London, London BiFest, Croydon and other local Prides (10 of them in 2019 including London, Croydon, Para Pride, Black Pride and Trans Pride).
We now have a Discord server under the group's name for text chat/updates between events (the Discord invite link is in your introduction email when you join, sometimes in event descriptions, or ask the organisers).
* Merch!
We support bi creators through our/their merch in our online shop.
🟣 Join in / Support Us!
Join and RSVP to try us out!
Besides our meetups, we invite you to follow and engage with our social network accounts for other discussions and what the organiser gets up to outside the group, plus wider community things (if you partake)!
See links page (bottom of): https://campsite.bio/londonbi
* Shop
Consider buying bi+/trans/pride/intersecting-identity supporting products (merch) or donating at our shop: https://londonbisexualsmeetup.sumup.link/
Organiser John produces the high quality, well-loved bi & trans pride full-size umbrellas ☂ (limited stock, no bi ones for now); via shop (above).
* Donations
Organiser John covers Meetup/other service fees out-of-pocket (can afford to); but appreciates help for extra costs (e.g. pride stalls often need insurance, travel/material/equipment/volunteer costs) – donate via cash/card at our pub socials/some other events, via ko-fi online; or even PayPal directly, by request.
🟣 Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility
People of all abilities, religions, sexualities, ethnicities and genders welcome as long as you respect other members, their identities, and appearance. Some regular events require ability to use stairs and will have background music/noise.
🟣 Rules
• Keep your main profile picture for this group 'family-friendly' or you will be removed or (for repeated/unfixed offences) banned; we are not a swingers or nudists group. You get one warning ever (by private message), ~ 1 week to fix it (and offers of help if needed).
• Don't be a dick! ie. Respect others, especially their privacy, at all times. e.g. get permission for photos, & what you'll do with them; don't "out" anyone without permission; try to assume good intent – you don't know what (else) is going on in people's lives. Disabilities & mental health struggles are not always visible/obvious.
• Abuse at events or via Meetup messages/actions will not be tolerated (organisers may need to be notified, they cannot see your private messages). Infractions will lead to the perpetrator's removal from the event+group, possibly a ban; reports presumed honest until evidence otherwise. Trivial first instances (level decided by target of abuse or representative if available) may be warned instead. Meetup also has ways to block/report users in messages or via profiles.
🟣 Final Notes & Conventions
80% of getting anything out of being a member is about showing up and taking part, so turn up to a few events (or offer to run one - anything social, the main organiser John/others may offer help). You're sure to have fun! No need to be nervous about anything sexual, as its a regular social group; report and block anyone who is behaving inappropriately.
* Commercial event to advertise? - talk to the organiser first. Spam not tolerated - we block & remove it a.s.a.p.
* Show/researcher/casting agent wanting people? We have a Discord channel for that, or discuss with the organiser / post to our FB page.
* Member stars! Some members have 1-2 star(s) '★' under their name (in their title), they celebrate our best contributing and reliable members (who've run great events/are an activist here or externally); or a black mark '∎' hints of a failure to respect the group - e.g. not turning up for a limited-space ticketed event without letting us know or apologies, and shouldn't be relied on as much. Black marked members will not have guaranteed space at any limited-ticket event until they redeem themselves (getting the mark removed) by showing up enough, and would not be trusted to run events.
Upcoming events (4+)
This event, the London Bisexual Underground group meet (a separate group), is a regular monthly event on the 2nd Tuesday. Its a monthly social in a relaxed and quieter pub than our group's usual bar socials, but not far away from us, the other side of Oxford Street. Once at the pub, head upstairs, the group has Bi flyers & copies of BCN (Bi Community News magazine) on their tables.
You'll find it quieter than our event and more like a traditional pub. There are a lot of long-term regulars and people more active in the rest of the community, but its still very open to new people.
Its run by Vicki (also a member of our group if you wish to write to her and on facebook/twitter too).
- ASHY
- Barbara
- Jenny
- 14 attendees
Please note earlier date to accommodate Pride activities.
The Bi+ Brixton meet up, created by Libby (of Biscuit), is for bi, pan, omni, polysexual, fluid and unlabelled people and was created so bi+ people south of the river don't have to head into Central London every time they want to participate in bi social events.
This trans-affirming meet is advertised more widely so there will be people from outside the meetup group there too, and the public.
There will be some pride flags in a cup in the middle of the table to mark the space for the meet event.
This event is monthly on a Saturday and alternates sober/boozy month to month.
- Libby
- Ella
- Han
- 4 attendees
Incite! has been a popular queer poetry evening running since September 2010. It's run by the Camden & Islington Forum+ charity and hosted by Hannah Chutzpah. Currently running online, usually on the third Wednesday monthly via Zoom (with occasional in-person events throughout the year; but please check Facebook/message them for latest updates). August 2022 is online via Zoom.
Performance poet Hannah Chutzpah (TBC) will host an evening of poetry and spoken word performances via Zoom with a stellar open mic line up and a headline set from a special guest (TBD).
Incite! is London’s longest running LGBTQ+ poetry event and open mic slots are available by reservation (5 minutes max) to share your own poetry, music, stand up, or whatever else moves you - open mic slots are reserved for us queers. Read the FAQ below for how to get in on the open-mic spots. Incite is free to join and is for ages 18 and above.
Tickets via Eventbrite, see their Facebook https://www.facebook.com/IncitePoetry for details or follow Forum+ on Eventbrite to keep up with all their events.
⚫ Online Events:
To enter the Zoom: they use a Zoom waiting room. They'll admit people who have emailed them for a link, to avoid "zoom-bombing"/other abuse. If you haven't applied for the Zoom link by email/Facebook Messenger (see further info below).
For online events, email them at [masked] to ask for the Zoom link.
Every month features a headline poet. Details are on the facebook event details nearer the event, or by emailing to ask.
⚫ More Info:
Facebook events (for latest updates): https://www.facebook.com/IncitePoetry/events/
For more information (or apply for open-mic slot), please email [masked]
⚫ Incite! FAQs:
Q: I've got the Zoom link - can I share it with my friend?
A: Feel free to share it with trusted friends & invite them along, but please don't put the link in public spaces because trolls are a thing and we'd rather they stayed under bridges.
Q: I'm not LGBT+ but I'd like to attend & hear this great poetry. Is that allowed?
A: Yes! Absolutely. Respectful allies are extremely welcome in the audience.
Q: Can I do the open mic? How does that work?
A: We have about 8 open mic slots, 5 mins max each, which people request ahead of time. If more people sign up we can keep one or two in reserve in case someone can't make it at the last minute, etc. Open mic slots are reserved for people who are some part of the LGBTQ+ community. Email/message them directly to request a slot (John/this meetup group cannot help with that).
Q: I'm from a minority group but not LGBTQIA+ - does that count? Can I do the open mic?
A: No. Sorry. You're still very welcome in the audience, but the open mic slots in this event are reserved for queers because this is a queer space. There are plenty of other poetry nights we can recommend that aren't specifically for LGBTQ+ people.
- External
- Balogun A.
- 2 attendees
CaBiRet is back again with an evening of bisexual cabaret. This show is also part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe. Words, music, and magic! A new venue this time, in Balham, just a couple of minutes walk from the tube/train station. Get your free tickets at this link!
There is usually a collection for bisexual community causes (the acts are paid out of a Patreon you can also support) so do consider keeping something for a donation on the evening, after all Marcus' and the performers' efforts.
Your host is bisexual activist magician Marcus Morgan (well known and respected in the Bi community - see BisexualIndex, and a member of the magic circle), with several (5 or so?) more acts to enthral and entertain you. The acts cover a range of genres; usually some comedy, songs, maybe drag and burlesque, and spoken-word (e.g. poetry/story).
Get ready for an evening of the bisexual variety! Get your tickets (via the Fringe website)!
⚫ Tickets:
Sign up for Free tickets! Just RSVPing here doesn't guarantee you a seat (but I would hope you'll be allowed in if they're not overwhelmed - signing up shows there's interest though and helps them manage expectations about seating, so please do).
⚫ Accessibility / Travel:
The venue is wheelchair accessible, with an accessible toilet. It is on the junction of Balham Station Road and Bedford Hill, next to the railway bridge.
Balham train station is on the line to Victoria via Clapham Junction and has a lift to platforms 1 & 2 (the main platforms, Victoria/Sutton/Croydon/London Bridge) after a slope from the ticket barriers (so step-free access). Platform 3/4 is used during engineering works and is not step-free.
Balham underground is on the Northern Line (Morden branch), with an escalator and steps from the platform.
Busses - the 249, 155, 355 stop on the main road (A24) at Hildreth Street Market. The 315 goes past the pub from station/main road but its next stop past the railway bridge is almost as far from the pub as the main road is (and the 315 is only every 20-30mins) - the 315's station bus stop (terminus) is much closer to the pub (but if you walk from the station to that stop, you're not far from the pub anyway, just keep going and cross the road, you can see the pub from the station).
Venue website: thebedford.com (don't confuse with other Bedford Arms). The pub is dog-friendly in its bar area and al fresco Yard (even provide water bowls and doggie treats if you beg nicely), but please keep them on a lead.
⚫ More Info:
Timeout bar review: [the Bedford Arms] "has the best Sunday roast in the area". Joe Lycett and Ed Sheeran have played there.
Marcus' Social Media: MischiefMental (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook)
Support CaBiRet's artists for this and future shows (had been once/twice yearly until 2020):
https://www.patreon.com/cabiret
A previous facebook event (2019), to get more of an idea about it (different venue): facebook.com/events/[masked]/
- John G
- Sid
- External
- 11 attendees
Past events (1,131)
- Vicki
- Dee
- Anna-Bella
- 14 attendees
