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](https://londonbisexualsmeetup.sumup.link/).
🟣 **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](https://campsite.bio/london...)
\* Shop
Consider buying bi+/trans/pride/intersecting-identity supporting products (merch) or donating at our shop: [https://londonbisexualsmeetup.sumup.link/](https://londonb...)
Organiser John produces the [high quality, ](https://londonbisexualsmeetup.sumup.link/product/5424dd1c-... bi & trans [pride full-size umbrellas](https://londonbisexualsmeetup.sumup.link/product/5424dd1c-...) ☂ (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](https://ko-fi.com/londonbimeetup) 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](https://www.meetup.com/london-bisexuals/messages/boards/vi...) for that, or discuss with the organiser / post to our [FB page](https://www.facebook.com/londonbimeetup).
**\* 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.
