Two Bi Guys

Interested in sponsoring this show or podcast ads for your business? Go to https://zen.ai/twobiguys0 and fill out the contact information so Zencastr can help you bring your business story to life. Alex is back to co-host! In this episode he and Rob have a free-flowing discussion touching on their recent dating and sex lives, how their bi identities continue evolving and expanding, other parts of sexuality that are just as important as gender preference or identity (sometimes more important!), demisexuality and how it can relate to trauma and boundaries (trigger warning: sexual assault), and the wonderful world of alt-Twitter. We also got political and discussed Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law -- as well as other anti-queer and especially anti-trans legislation being passed all over the country -- the stupidity and harm of Lauren Boebert and other fundamentalist politicians targeting queer kids and teachers, the continued damage being done by She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named with her unwarranted anti-trans rhetoric, and how to fight back against all this with radical acceptance and authenticity. Plus a bit about bisexuality in media, touching on the 2019 movie "Straight Up". Two Bi Guys is produced and edited by Rob Cohen Created by Rob Cohen and Alex Boyd Logo art by Kaitlin Weinman Music by Ross Mintzer We are supported by The Gotham Made on Zencastr #MadeOnZencastr You can get 30% off Zencastr for 3 months with promo code: twobiguys -- or just click this link: https://zencastr.com/pricing?coupon=twobiguys&fpr=ex42o. Start recording your own podcast or meetings today!

Follow Mark Wilkinson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkJoseph_82Follow Mark Wilkinson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markjoseph82/Mark's "Bisexual Oysters" paper: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1750481318817624Two Bi Guys is now sponsored by Zencastr! You can get 30% off Zencastr for 3 months with promo code: twobiguys -- or just click this link: https://zencastr.com/pricing?coupon=twobiguys&fpr=ex42o. Start recording your own podcast or meetings today! We're back with part 2 of our interview with Mark Wilkinson, a PhD candidate at Lancaster University studying media representation of the LGBT+ community, and we pick right up where we left off, analyzing the use of the word "bisexual" in the British press during the 80s, 90s, and through 2017. Mark discusses how the term became much more widely used during the AIDS/HIV crisis and the implications of that association, as well as how it shifted to becoming more of an identity in the 2000s as opposed to a word describing behavior or sexual activity.We also chatted about changes happening just in the last few years, like the rise of the term "pansexual" and a push for more "queer" spaces. Then we talked about challenging basic assumptions about sexuality, like the fact that gender is the basis for most labels, as opposed to, for example, what sexual acts turn you on or your preferred relationship structure. Finally we touched on queer politics and the power of linguistics to both divide and unite. Two Bi Guys is produced and edited by Rob CohenCreated by Rob Cohen and Alex BoydLogo art by Kaitlin WeinmanMusic by Ross MintzerWe are supported by The GothamMade on Zencastr #MadeOnZencastr

Follow Mark Wilkinson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkJoseph_82Follow Mark Wilkinson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markjoseph82/Mark's "Bisexual Oysters" paper: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1750481318817624Two Bi Guys is now sponsored by Zencastr! You can get 30% off Zencastr for 3 months with promo code: twobiguys -- or just click this link: https://zencastr.com/pricing?coupon=twobiguys&fpr=ex42o. Start recording your own podcast or meetings today!This episode is also sponsored by Vinovest. Discover wine investing with Vinovest -- get 2 months of fee-free wine investing with this offer link: zen.ai/twobiguys Though the bisexual/fluid community has always existed, the word "bisexual" has evolved significantly in popular usage over the last 60 years. Mark Wilkinson, a PhD candidate at Lancaster University, has been studying media representation of the LGBT+ community and the discursive construction of identity & community, using linguistics to understand how queer people identify themselves over the years -- and how others identify our community in the press.In part one of this two part interview, we discussed Mark's paper, "Bisexual Oysters", which analyzes how the word "bisexual" was used in The Times (of London) over the past six decades. In the 50s, 60s, and 70s, it was not used nearly as much as today, and it often did not describe sexuality but rather other aspects of gender or presentation, as well as androgyny, "co-ed" spaces, or "unisex" objects. Mark also discusses the prevalence of fictional characters as opposed to real people being described as "bisexual", contributing to bi erasure and invisibility. We also chatted about when and why these semantics are important -- especially to unite in solidarity for political purposes -- and when and why it's important to remember that "bisexuality" is not a universal identity across time and space, but rather a discursive construction that emerged at a particular time, location, and moment in our culture.Stay tuned for part two which continues tracking the use of the word "bisexual" in the 1980s through 2017, how the word grew in usage during the HIV/AIDS epidemic (with unfortunate consequences), and some history of the term "LGBT" and how the B has historically fit in (or not). Two Bi Guys is produced and edited by Rob CohenCreated by Rob Cohen and Alex BoydLogo art by Kaitlin WeinmanMusic by Ross MintzerWe are supported by The Gotham

Follow Benjamin Perry on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaithfullyBPSome queer theological resources recommended by Benjamin Perry:1. Radical Love by Patrick Cheng2. Indecent Theology by Marcella Althaus-Reid3. The Black Trans Prayer Book ed. by Dane Figueroa Edidi & J Mase III4. Bad Theology Kills by Kevin Garcia Two Bi Guys is now sponsored by Zencastr! You can get 30% off Zencastr for 3 months with promo code: twobiguys -- or just click this link: https://zencastr.com/pricing?coupon=twobiguys&fpr=ex42o. Start recording your own podcast or meetings today!This episode is also sponsored by Vinovest. Discover wine investing with Vinovest -- get 2 months of fee-free wine investing with this offer link: zen.ai/twobiguys It's about time for modern religion to not just accept queerness but to celebrate it -- and that's exactly what Benjamin Perry, a Bi+ Minister as Middle Church in New York City, is doing. In this episode we chatted about Benjamin's journey toward a bisexual identity, opening up to his wife and the experience of being married and bi, how he found his calling in theology and began to blend it with his burgeoning queerness, coming out in a religious community (a surprisingly positive experience for him), and the inclusive mission of Middle Church and how it reflects God's queerness. We also discussed the possibility that Jesus and his disciples were bisexual/fluid/queer, what the backlash to this "controversial" idea tells us about religious fundamentalism, and why queerness should not just be "acceptable" among the faithful but why it's actually vital to understanding God's love, community, and compassion. Two Bi Guys is produced and edited by Rob CohenCreated by Rob Cohen and Alex BoydLogo art by Kaitlin WeinmanMusic by Ross MintzerWe are supported by The Gotham 

Follow Dr. Herukhuti on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drherukhutiFollow Dr. Herukhuti on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_herukhuti/Buy "Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men": https://www.amazon.com/Recognize-Editors-Robyn-Sharif-Williams/dp/0965388174Bodeme in Harlem: An African Diasporic Autoethnography: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233134389_Bodeme_in_Harlem_An_African_Diasporic_AutoethnographyCenter for Culture, Sexuality and Spirituality: https://sacredsexualities.org/ Two Bi Guys is now sponsored by Zencastr! You can get 30% off Zencastr for 3 months with promo code: twobiguys -- or just click this link: https://zencastr.com/pricing?coupon=twobiguys&fpr=ex42o. Start recording your own podcast or meetings today! Two Bi Guys is produced and edited by Rob CohenCreated by Rob Cohen and Alex BoydLogo art by Kaitlin WeinmanMusic by Ross MintzerWe are supported by The Gotham This week I had the privilege of speaking with another bi-con, H. Sharif Williams, also known as Dr. Herukhuti -- he is an artist, sexologist, social entrepreneur, educator, and activist whose work operates at the intersection of race, culture, sexuality and spirituality. (FYI: there was an audio issue when he begins speaking, but we fixed it after a couple minutes!)We chatted about the book he edited with Robyn Ochs, "Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men"; his "bodeme" identity and how & when he chooses to use labels like "bisexual"; intersectionality and marginalization within minority communities; how love is commodified under capitalism and how he recognized himself as polyamorous as a result; the holiness of sex and what it means to be a "sacred whore"; American cheese as a metaphor for being racialized as "white" in America; Dr. Herukhuti's artwork and mission behind it; his documentary "No Homo No Hetero"; and much more.

Two Bi Guys is now sponsored by Zencastr! You can get 30% off Zencastr for 3 months with promo code: twobiguys -- or just click this link: https://zencastr.com/pricing?coupon=twobiguys&fpr=ex42o. Start recording your own podcast or meetings today!We are also sponsored by Manscaped! Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code TWOBIGUYS at MANSCAPED.com! Follow Court Vox on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtvox/?hl=enThe Body Vox: https://thebodyvox.com/Squirm: (Objects for Sensory Experiences) www.EverybodySquirm.com Two Bi Guys is produced and edited by Rob CohenCreated by Rob Cohen and Alex BoydLogo art by Kaitlin WeinmanMusic by Ross MintzerWe are supported by The Gotham We've talked a lot about fluidity among straight-identified people in the past -- this season, we're interviewing multiple gay-identified men who experience sexual fluidity or who are breaking down the gender binary within the gay community. This week, we chatted with Court Vox, a somatic wellness coach and surrogate intimacy partner, who identifies as queer in addition to gay. We discussed the fluidity that has long-existed in parts of the gay community, why queer people are often most attracted to other queer people, what it's like to be a "surrogate partner" and work with clients on practicing intimacy, how to explore pleasure in your body in nuanced ways and without the pressure to "perform", how accepting yourself and your desires allows you to show up for your partner(s), and how to break free from the narratives that we're taught are acceptable and reclaim your own authentic narrative. And remember to always ask for consent before peeing in someone's Cheerios!

Two Bi Guys is now sponsored by Zencastr! You can get 30% off Zencastr for 3 months with promo code: twobiguys -- or just click this link: https://zencastr.com/pricing?coupon=twobiguys&fpr=ex42o. Start recording your own podcast or meetings today!We are also sponsored by Manscaped! Get 20% OFF @manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code TWOBIGUYS at MANSCAPED.com! Follow our guest Anna (@BiandPrejudice) on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biandprejudice/Buy Anna's book, "Bi & Prejudice": https://www.debutbooks.com.au/bookshop/p/bi-prejudice-by-anna-kochetkovaLearn more about Anna's work: https://goodsocialonly.com/ Season 4 has arrived! We're kicking things off with Anna Kochetkova, a Russian-born Australian author, poetess, and Bi+ activist based in Sydney. Anna's book, "Bi & Prejudice", a memoir about her bisexual journey, was recently published by Debut Books, and she also runs the "Bi & Prejudice" Instagram space.Anna's story is both specific and universal -- her multiple identities affected her experience in a unique way, but her Bi+ journey hits a lot of common themes that many of us have experienced. We chatted about her book and Instagram space, how growing up in a conservative & pro-authoritarian family affected her identity and allowed her to repress her bisexuality for a long time, how moving to Sydney opened her up to new people and experiences, the ways that all her relationships have "queered" since coming out (not just romantic relationships), her experience with fluid sexuality while identifying as "straight", why she chose to come out to her friends when she did but has not yet come out to her parents (although she has "tested the waters"), why she set an intention to attend more play parties and meet queer & poly people in a sex-positive space, how her queerness affects her poetry -- and vice versa -- and much more!

Donate to the Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/donate/We're back with part two of our special interview with civil rights and queer activist ABilly S. Jones-Hennin and his husband of over forty years, Cris Hennin-Jones. We talked about what it's like to be Bi+ community leaders and elders, what fluid sexuality looked like decades ago before the term "bisexual" was used, how to know when you're ready to come out, the hidden history of queerness among ABilly and Cris's family and close friends and how it affected their own development, the personal level of activism that everyone can be part of, advice for raising kids as a queer parent -- and for raising queer kids, how to navigate polyamory (as it intersects with different sexualities, races, religions, etc.), and the importance of sex and sexuality even as we grow older.Thank you to ABilly and Cris and all our season three guests! Two Bi Guys will be back with more in 2022!Two Bi Guys is produced and edited by Rob CohenCreated by Rob Cohen and Alex BoydLogo art by Kaitlin WeinmanMusic by Ross MintzerWe are supported by The Gotham (formerly IFP)

In this special two-part episode, I had the privilege of chatting with ABilly S. Jones-Hennin, a civil rights and LGBT+ activist for over six decades, and his husband Cris Hennin-Jones, who has been by his side for over forty years. In this oral-history-esque interview, we talked about their journey toward a bisexual identity at a time when the queer community was even more binary than today, what it was like organizing pre-Internet, how ABilly's civil rights and anti-racist activism intersected with his queer activism, how ABilly and Cris met and navigated a relationship in the midst of other relationships, their experience as an interracial couple, the importance of getting in touch with our authentic sexual selves, how to support a partner while giving them space to explore themselves, and how to live life without limits.Stay tuned for more with ABilly and Cris in our season three finale!Two Bi Guys is produced and edited by Rob CohenCreated by Rob Cohen and Alex BoydLogo art by Kaitlin WeinmanMusic by Ross MintzerWe are supported by The Gotham (formerly IFP)

Follow Vaneet on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nintendomad888Follow Vaneet on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nintendomad888/ Ever scoffed at the idea of telling yourself you look hot in the mirror? What if it actually works? We chatted with Bi+ activist and soon-to-be-author Vaneet Mehta about how to accept external validation and then repeat it and internalize it until it becomes a closed loop of confidence.Like many Bi+ people, Vaneet struggled for years to identify and accept his bisexuality, and on top of that struggled within the strict confines of masculinity in the predominantly Indian/South-Asian community of Southall, West London. We talked about how Vaneet gained confidence in his identity and came out in that environment, how it affected his mental health (TRIGGER WARNING: talk of suicide and suicidal ideation), finding a queer community with common interests outside of queerness to "bridge the gap" (like "Gaymers"), the book he's writing on bisexual men, why he created the hashtag #BisexualMenExist, and the journey from self-discovery to paying it forward by helping others. Two Bi Guys is produced and edited by Rob CohenCreated by Rob Cohen and Alex BoydLogo art by Kaitlin WeinmanMusic by Ross MintzerWe are supported by The Gotham (formerly IFP)