Two Bi Guys

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 Cohen

Created by Rob Cohen and Alex Boyd

Logo art by Kaitlin Weinman

Music by Ross Mintzer

We 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 Cohen

Created by Rob Cohen and Alex Boyd

Logo art by Kaitlin Weinman

Music by Ross Mintzer

We are supported by The Gotham (formerly IFP)

Follow Vaneet on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nintendomad888

Follow 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 Cohen

Created by Rob Cohen and Alex Boyd

Logo art by Kaitlin Weinman

Music by Ross Mintzer

We are supported by The Gotham (formerly IFP)

Donate to Bi Women Quarterly!  https://www.biwomenquarterly.com/donate/

Robyn's Etsy Shop, "Bi-Products" (proceeds support Bi Women Quarterly): https://www.etsy.com/shop/biproducts/

Buy "Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men": https://www.etsy.com/listing/709911434/recognize-the-voices-of-bisexual-men?ref=shop_home_active_9&frs=1

Robyn's website: https://robynochs.com/

Follow Robyn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/robynochs

Follow Robyn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robynochs/

We're so excited to sit down with another Bi-con: Robyn Ochs! Most of us have come across Robyn's popular definition of bisexuality (especially if you've listened to this podcast), and many of us use it as our own go-to definition. There's a reason for that -- it's been honed over time and is the result of four decades of Robyn's Bi+ activism.

In this special episode, Rob chats with Robyn about when and how she realized she was bisexual, the liberation of finding a likeminded community and coming out, what Bi+ organizing was like B.G. ("before Google"), what we can and can't learn about people based on the labels they choose, Robyn's understanding of the gender spectrum and her own gender fluidity, how breaking out of the sexuality binary can help us see other false binaries in society, and why Robyn believes "questioning" is a feature, not a flaw, of identity.

We also discussed Robyn's recent and current work, including Bi+ Women Quarterly, a grassroots publication that Robyn edits; "Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men", an anthology that Robyn edited and published along with Dr. Herukhuti; and Robyn's interactive workshop called "Beyond Binaries" which she has been developing and performing for over two decades.

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 (formerly IFP)

Buy Jen's book and subscribe to their Bi+ newsletter: https://www.greedy-bisexual.com/

Follow Jen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenerous/

Follow Jen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenerous

We've all dealt with the stereotype that bisexual people are confused. But what's so bad about confusion?? The world is complicated!

We're back with Jen Winston (she/they), aka @Jenerous, talking about greed, confusion, and all the other "negative" stereotypes about Bi+ people that we love to play into. We discussed Jen's new book GREEDY: NOTES FROM A BISEXUAL WHO WANTS TO MUCH (out Oct 5!), in which they go beyond bi-myth-busting, question the very nature of stereotypes and why we often consider them bi-phobic, and present their authentic, messy, personal bi narrative in a funny, relatable, and honest memoir.

We also talked about the gender spectrum (a lot...), non-binary and transgender identities (and their intersection with bisexuality), Jen's non-binary identity and experience using both "she" and "they" pronouns, their slightly-later-in-life coming out process, their thoughts on male bisexuality and their relationships with bisexual men, that time they had a threesome (!!), the importance and lack of specifically-bi spaces (and how we might create them ourselves), bi men's unique ability to smash the patriarchy from within, how queer people blur the lines between types of relationships (and tend to stay friends with their exes), internalized bi-phobia and how it contributes to a cycle of invisibility, queer dating advice, bisexuality on TV, and much more! (Yeah, we covered a lot in this one.)

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 (formerly IFP)

Follow Shiri Eisner on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ShiriEisner

Buy Shiri's book: https://bookshop.org/books/bi-notes-for-a-bisexual-revolution/9781580054744

Follow Jacob Engelberg on Twitter: https://twitter.com/criticalprvrsn

We're back with the second part of our interview with Shiri Eisner, hosted by Jacob Engelberg, and it's the most queer-radical-Jewish episode you'll ever hear!

We talked about how our bisexuality affects our Jewish identities (and vice-versa), the current situation in Israel/Palestine and Israel's persecution of Palestinians, the history of resistance to Zionism and homo-nationalism within Israel and its relationship to radical bisexual politics, how we can be connected by oppression and as a result unite in solidarity, and what Shiri is currently excited about in the world of Bi+ and queer activism.

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 (formerly IFP)

Follow Shiri Eisner on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ShiriEisner

Buy Shiri's book: https://bookshop.org/books/bi-notes-for-a-bisexual-revolution/9781580054744

Follow Jacob Engelberg on Twitter: https://twitter.com/criticalprvrsn

We are THRILLED to have author, activist, and true bi-con Shiri Eisner on Two Bi Guys for a special 2-part episode! Shiri is the author of "BI: NOTES FOR A BISEXUAL REVOLUTION", a must-read for bisexual people and anyone looking to understand contemporary bi politics.  And we are excited to welcome back Jacob Engelberg, who has studied Shiri's work in the course of his own research, as our guest-host!

In this episode, we discussed how and why Shiri wrote her book, why the rigid structure of masculinity harms men and how bisexuality offers men an opportunity to reimagine masculinity, why bi visibility is the bare minimum and does not equal acceptance, the ubiquitous and often-invisible bi-phobia in our society -- and television's frequent avoidance of bi-phobia when representing bisexuality, and what kind of bi representation Shiri would like to see on TV (more "messy bisexuals" please!).

Stay tuned for part 2 when we discuss the politics of Israel/Palestine (where Shiri currently lives) and how bisexuality can inform our understanding of oppression, marginalization, and erasure.

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 (formerly IFP)

Follow Max on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maxformasc_/

Max's GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-a-trans-man-become-a-therapist?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

Follow Ash on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queerfuneralguide/

Ash's queer funeral guide (free resource): https://queerfuneralguide.co.uk/

Follow Etienne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sequin_doves/

Follow Etienne on Twitter: https://twitter.com/e_sequin

Follow Etienne on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx2_NkhWnG1b-rqe_BKIU0w

Etienne's GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/az5zdx-top-surgery?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet

Follow and support guest-host Gabriel Novo: https://beacons.page/bisexualnomad

We've often talked about the solidarity and understanding shared by the bi and trans communities, but there's also a lot of overlap -- many bisexual people are trans or non-binary, and vice-versa. Today, we're spotlighting three bi trans men living in the UK, interviewed by guest-host Gabriel Novo.

Gabriel spoke with Max, a psychotherapist in training; Ash, who's working to make the funeral industry more inclusive for queer and trans folks; and Etienne, an audio engineer who works in film and television. They discussed how and when these men realized they were trans and bisexual (sometimes not at the same time), the coming-out process for each, the value of supportive friends and family (and therapy!), how their bi and trans identities intersect and influence each other, what it's like to transition both emotionally and practically within the UK healthcare system, shifting perspectives and feelings on masculinity during transition, how various facets of identity can affect one's sense of self, TERFs (but only briefly, because they're scary and dumb), the effects of the pandemic on their identities and transitions, and much more!

Thank you to Max, Ash, and Etienne for sharing their stories so openly and authentically, and thank you to Gabriel for his thoughtful and caring interviews.

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 (formerly IFP)

Follow our guest Gabriel Novo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bisexualnomad/

Follow Gabriel  on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BisexualNomad

Gabriel's writing at Unicornzine: https://unicornzine.com/author/gabriel-novo/

Gabriel's Patreon (with photography and more): https://www.patreon.com/bisexualnomad

More links to follow and support Gabriel: https://beacons.page/bisexualnomad

Get ready for a hopeful, optimistic episodes about the casual cruelty of our heteronormative society!

I spoke to my friend Gabriel Novo, aka the "Bisexual Nomad", a Bi+ writer, artist and activist currently living in the UK (and another Birequest alum!). We spoke about bisexual communities we've found (or struggled to find...), how those personal connections helped us go from knowing we "like everyone" to fully embracing a "bisexual" identity, Gabriel's previous marriage to a woman and the difficulties of not being fully out, the "life-changing" mental health benefits of coming out (and the privilege of being able to), the struggle of remaining in the closet at work to protect your livelihood, Gabriel's experience with a cancer diagnosis and treatment and how it related to his queer journey, how to navigate poly relationships and communicate clearly, and the importance of mutual aid and being there to support our chosen queer families.

We also dove into the "casual cruelty of heteronormativity", the harmful constraints of masculinity, the violence resulting from conformity and repression, the difficulty of shaking off expectations (and self-criticism when we play into them), detoxing from being in the closet and from het-masculinity as we become "more" queer, and most importantly the positive benefits of interrogating all those issues, both for ourselves and for our community, as part of a commitment to dismantling patriarchy and white supremacy. It's all possible if we lead with empathy.

Then we answered some listener-submitted questions about masculinity, fear of rejection, being open about our feelings, and media we're consuming with bi themes. So this episode covers... a lot!

AND -- we have a sponsor now! Thank you to MANSCAPED for their support, and check out the episode to hear about our groin-trimming experiences. (Spoiler: smooth balls are actually pretty nice!) Plus get 20% OFF + Free Shipping with promo code TWOBIGUYS at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod

Gabriel will be back next week as a guest-host, so stay tuned!

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 (formerly IFP)

Queerness isn't without its challenges -- many of them serious and potentially harmful -- but at the same time, it's also a gift, one that forces us to look inward and get to know ourselves, one that connects us to a likeminded and supportive community, and one that helps us build the tools to survive and thrive as we move through the varied challenges life throws at us.

In our season 3 premiere, Alex is back and joins Rob to discuss our Pride experiences back in June, how the pansexual movement has been beneficial in making bisexuality more inclusive, the wide spectrum of gender non-binary identities (and how those with cis-passing privilege can use it in solidarity), the special relationship between bisexuality and trans/non-binary identities (yes, again), and the trouble with "chasing". We're also answering listener questions! This week we answered Qs about bi-romantic aces, what "bi-dentifiers" we use in the world to signal our bisexuality or queerness, what media is in our "bi head canon" right now, and more.

Expect episodes on a more regular basis this season! And stay tuned for some bi-conic guests! (And apologies for the poor audio quality on Rob's end -- we're trying out a new system this year, and the issue has been fixed for future episodes.)

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 (formerly IFP)