BiNet USA explained

BiNet USA
Full Name:Bi/Net USA, The Bisexual Network of the USA Inc.
Tax Id:36-4005814[1]
Status:501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:Faith Cheltenham[2]
Headquarters:Arlington, Virginia, U.S.
Revenue:174,000
Revenue Year:2020
Formerly:North American Bisexual Network

BiNet USA (officially Bi/Net USA, The Bisexual Network of the USA Inc.) was an American national nonprofit bisexual community whose mission was to "facilitate the development of a cohesive network of bisexual communities, promote bisexual visibility, and collect and distribute educational information regarding bisexuality. Until 2020, BiNet USA provided a national network for bisexual organizations and individuals across the United States, and encouraged participation and organizing on local and national levels."[3] They claimed to be the oldest national bisexuality organization in the United States.[3] [4] In 2020, all of the content on BiNet USA's website was replaced with a statement that the BiNet USA president, Faith Cheltenham, now identified as Christian conservative and was walking away from progressive politics entirely.

Programs and campaigns

Some of the work the organization has been involved in includes the following.

Campaigns

Policy initiatives

Conferences (partial list)

History and structure

Tracing its roots back to the 1987 Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, the group further coalesced in 1990 when BiPol convened the first National Bisexual Conference in San Francisco. At that time a conference track was dedicated to creating a national organization. This first conference was attended by over 450 people from 20 states and 5 countries, and the mayor of San Francisco sent a proclamation "commending the bisexual rights community for its leadership in the cause of social justice", and declaring June 23, 1990 Bisexual Pride Day.[7]

The following summer, the North American Bisexual Network was formalized in Seattle. Later its name would change to BiNet USA which coincided with the group becoming a nonprofit organization.

In its first decade, BiNet USA worked on a variety of campaigns, national policy initiatives and hosted/co-hosted a number conferences. Moving into its second decade, BiNet USA, like many other U.S. charitable organizations, was hit hard when funding dried up in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on the US mainland in September 2001. It was forced to lay off its paid staff and roll back its plans for new office space.

Faced with these new economic and logistical realities, BiNet USA begins to focus more of its efforts on Internet activism using the Internet as an organizing tool for community growth. It uses an "800" phone number, website, MySpace page, Facebook Group, and ListServ, established using Yahoo Groups, to facilitate communication between various and disparate bisexual, pansexual and fluid communities and activists nationwide.

In 2005, after a period of progress marked by growing acceptance in both the larger LGBT and straight communities,[8] the bisexual community suddenly came under a new attack [9] promulgated by the publication of a study entitled "Sexual Arousal Patterns of Bisexual Men" by the controversial researcher J. Michael Bailey. This study allegedly "proved" that bisexual men did not exist. With little critical examination, various media celebrities and outlets jumped on the bandwagon[10] and claimed to have "solved" the "problem of bisexuality" by declaring it to be non-existent, at least in men.

Working with other established LGBT institutions such as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force GLAAD, the Bisexual Resource Center as well as newer ones such as Bialogue, BiNet USA moved to co-ordinate a national response to this threat to the well-being of the bisexual community. It has now revitalized and updated its 'Rapid-Response Spokesperson Team' and now monitors and responds quickly to media portrayals of the bisexual community.

Starting in 2008 under the leadership of its then president Wendy Curry, who is herself a software engineer, BiNet USA greatly expanded its use of Internet activism taking advantage of the flowering of a variety of social networking venues including LiveJournal, MySpace and Facebook.

In September 2009, BiNet USA expanded its board of directors, making Gary B. North the new president.[11]

In October 2009, BiNet USA endorsed the National Equality March and helped organize a contingent of several bisexual groups that participated in the march.[12]

In 2014, BiNet USA declared the seven days surrounding Celebrate Bisexuality Day to be Bi Awareness Week, also called Bisexual Awareness Week.[13] [14] The week begins the Sunday before Celebrate Bisexuality Day.[15]

Structure

BiNet USA was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in Florida on February 14, 1994.[16] It has 501(c)(3) status.[1] Its headquarters are in Arlington, Virginia. Decision-making is by consensus by the board of directors with the advice and consent of the members of the Standing Committees and the various Regional Representatives.

Leadership

BiNet USA was overseen by a board of directors. The members of the board of directors at the time of BiNet USA's re-branding from a progressive bisexual advocacy organization to a conservative nonprofit were as follows.[2]

Claims of copyright of bisexual pride flag

On April 28, 2020, BiNet USA president Faith Cheltenham claimed via the organization's Twitter account that they own sole copyright to the bisexual pride flag,[17] stating that they would be restricting the flag's use without direct authorization.[18] The tweets subsequently received many critical responses, including questioning the validity of a copyright claim, as previous documentation had established the flag as being within the public domain.[19] [20] Their original Twitter account was deactivated on April 29, 2020, and a new account was made and pointed to by Cheltenham.[21] [22]

On April 29, 2020, Dr. Lauren Beach gave a statement on her Twitter in which she stated that, as a board member, she was not consulted about BiNet USA's decision and that she does not agree with it. A day later, she confirmed that the board had an emergency meeting on April 30, 2020, and that a statement is to be released soon.[23] On May 1, Faith Cheltenham released a statement prepared by the BiNet USA's board onto the official blog page,[24] as well as tweeting it from the, now reactivated, official Twitter account.[25] Also on May 1, Beach stated she had resigned from the board.[26] Two days later, Cheltenham posted a statement that she had asked Juba Kalamka to be president of BiNet and that he would do so as of January 21, 2021.[27] The same day, BiNet USA posted a statement that began "As of May 2020, BiNet USA CEASES AND DESISTS OF ALL USE OF THE BISEXUAL PRIDE FLAG".[28] [29]

On May 25, 2020, BiNet USA's Twitter reversed its position, stating "We strongly reject and refute any assertion that BiNet USA claimed, or ever claimed the bisexual pride flag."[30] [31]

In November 2020, Cheltenham announced that she would retain control of the organization and identified as a conservative. She stated that she "and all bi content" would no longer be on mainstream social media.[32] [33]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. "https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/details/," Tax Exempt Organization Search. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  2. "Our Board ". BiNet. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  3. Web site: All About BiNet USA including the Fine Print . BiNet USA . 2013-08-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190120222255/http://www.binetusa.org/Pages/aboutus.html . 2019-01-20 . dead .
  4. Encyclopedia: Summers . Claude J. . BiNet USA . glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture . glbtq, Inc. . 2009-10-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140220100127/http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/binet_usa.html . 2014-02-20 .
  5. Web site: Marshall . Miller . Amy . André . Julie . Ebin . Leona . Bessonova . Bisexual Health: An Introduction and Model Proactices for HIV/STI Prevention Programming . National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, The Fenway Institute at Fenway Community Health, BiNet USA . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927043314/http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/reports/reports/bi_health_5_07.pdf . 2007 . September 27, 2007 .
  6. Web site: Timeline: The Bisexual Health Movement in the US . BiNet USA . https://web.archive.org/web/20191022104318/http://www.binetusa.org/bihealth.html . October 22, 2019 . June 10, 2007 . dead .
  7. Web site: BiNet USA . BiNet USA . 2019-08-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190207185405/http://www.binetusa.org/bihealth.html . 2019-02-07 . dead .
  8. Web site: New York Area Bisexual Network: A Brief History of NYC's Bisexual Community . Nyabn.org . 2001-07-12 . 2013-08-16.
  9. Web site: Bialogue Taking Action: Countering attempts to invalidate bisexuality . Bialogue.org . 2005-10-09 . 2013-08-16.
  10. http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2573
  11. Web site: BiNet USA's Blog: BiNet USA Expands Board of Directors . Binetusa.blogspot.com . 2009-09-15 . 2013-08-16 . 2014-12-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141217172815/http://binetusa.blogspot.com/2009/09/binet-usa-expands-board-of-directors.html . dead .
  12. Web site: BiNet USA's Blog: [BiNet USA]

    National Equality March Washington DC October 10-11 2009 ]

    . Binetusa.blogspot.com . 2009-09-15 . 2013-08-16 . 2011-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006131857/http://binetusa.blogspot.com/2009/09/national-equality-march.html . dead .
  13. Web site: Bi Brigade presents: Bisexual Awareness Week! - Proud Queer (PQ Monthly - Daily Online) . PQ Monthly . September 17, 2015 . September 25, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150925063247/http://www.pqmonthly.com/bi-brigade-presents-bisexual-awareness-week/23584 . usurped .
  14. Web site: Second annual Bisexual Awareness Week to held Sept. 20 – 26; events across U.S. and online . LGBT Weekly . February 14, 2011 . September 17, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150921055642/http://lgbtweekly.com/2015/09/16/second-annual-bisexual-awareness-week-to-be-held-sept-20-26-events-across-u-s-and-online/ . September 21, 2015 . dead .
  15. Web site: Angry African Girls United - LGBTQIA+ Holidays for the remained of the year . Angryafricangirlsunited.tumblr.com . March 17, 2014 . September 17, 2015 .
  16. "BiNet/USA, The BiSexual Network of the USA Inc." Florida Division of Corporations. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  17. BiNet USA . BiNetUSA. 1255317614139670529. April 28, 2020. The copyright of the flag is solely BiNet USA’s; it does not belong to any one founder and no founder can approve its use without the President and/or board approval. And yet @Target where can we send a letter? Cause you sell #biprideflags too? Where is our cut?.
  18. Lauren . Beach . laurenbbeach. 1255651973438767105. April 29, 2020. I want to clarify these are the views of #BiNet President @thefayth, who also was the person tweeting this content earlier today from the now-defunct BiNet twitter. I do not share the view that #BiNet owns or should seek to license the #bisexual pride flag..
  19. Web site: This Organization Wants to Be Paid for Use of the Bi Pride Flag. April 29, 2020 . www.out.com. en. April 29, 2020 .
  20. Web site: A group is threatening legal action & demanding payment for use of the bisexual pride flag. Bollinger. Alex. April 29, 2020 . LGBTQ Nation. en-US. April 29, 2020 .
  21. Web site: Mason . Jessica . April 29, 2020 . No, You Can't Copyright the Bi Pride Flag . The Mary Sue .
  22. Faith . Cheltenham . thefayth . 1255624412730028032 . April 29, 2020 . Talking to @binetcollective member about ensuring that folks know the true story of the pride flag for bisexuals; and the need to divest from support for pro profit work. To be clear this is an executive action I made as #BiNet President and remain in conversation with our board. .
  23. Lauren . Beach . laurenbbeach . April 30, 2020 . 1255944454940225536 . The board has convened an emergency meeting today and will issue a statement after the meeting ASAP. .
  24. Web site: About the bisexual pride flag...: A statement prepared by the board of BiNet USA . May 1, 2020 . BiNet USA . May 2, 2020 . May 2, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200502175634/https://binetusa.blogspot.com/2020/05/about-bisexual-pride-flag.html . dead .
  25. 1256390119252037632 . BiNetUSA . May 1, 2020 . BiNet USA . About the bisexual pride flag... A statement prepared by the board of BiNet USA. MYTH: The Bisexual Pride flag is open for use by everyone for any purpose, including the confederate flag. .
  26. Lauren . Beach . laurenbbeach . 1256390868812075008 . May 1, 2020 . Update: A statement about the bisexual pride flag was posted on the #BiNet USA blog by Faith Cheltenham (link below). I am unsure if any additional statement will be forthcoming. I have resigned from the BiNet board. .
  27. Web site: Faith . Cheltenham . Statement by thefayth About the Bisexual Community . May 3, 2020 . I, thefayth, Faith Cheltenham, have asked Juba Kalamka to step up into the presidency of BiNet USA; he’s agreed to begin serving on January 21, 2021. . May 4, 2020 . May 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200504035319/http://www.thefayth.net/2020/05/statement-by-thefayth-about-bi-community.html . dead .
  28. Web site: Statement on Use of Bisexual Pride Flag . Faith . Cheltenham . May 3, 2020 . BiNet USA . As of May 2020, BiNet USA CEASES AND DESISTS OF ALL USE OF THE BISEXUAL PRIDE FLAG . May 4, 2020 . May 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200504035758/https://binetusa.blogspot.com/2020/05/statement-on-use-of-bisexual-pride-flag.html . dead .
  29. Web site: BiNet USA president to depart after claiming ownership over bi Pride flag.
  30. BiNet USA . binetusa . 1265146325428875264. May 25, 2020 . We said what we said, again. BY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF BINET USA Last communication about this flag controversy: We strongly reject and refute any assertion that BiNet USA claimed, or ever claimed the bisexual pride flag. .
  31. Web site: "We said what we said, again." . May 25, 2020 . Twitter . BiNet USA . December 19, 2021 . https://archive.today/20200526183329/https://twitter.com/BiNetUSA/status/1265146325428875264 . May 26, 2020.
  32. Web site: BiNet USA . Faith . Cheltenham . November 12, 2020 . Press Release . December 19, 2021.
  33. BiNet USA . binetusa . 1327058252362780673 . November 12, 2020 . ...Official statement from Faith Cheltenham, ex..

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