Finding and celebrating Bi+ media is something that speaks deeply to the hearts of the Bi+ community. Today, we’re digging deep on what it means to explore Bi+ stories through on-screen adaptations with guest Martin Rawlings-Fein. From volunteering with BABPN to the founding of BiCONIC, we reflect on what it means to bring together Bi+ history, art, and activism.

Martin Rawlings-Fein (MAR-tin RAW-lingz-FYN) is the founder of BiCONIC, a film festival celebrating Bi+ stories and filmmakers, and a longtime organizer with the Bay Area Bi+ & Pan Network (BABPN). Through BiCONIC, Martin uplifts underrepresented voices in cinema, fostering visibility and pride within the bisexual+ community. With BABPN, he builds local community, organizes events, and advocates for Bi+ inclusion across the Bay Area. A bisexual trans man, educator, and activist, Martin brings decades of experience in LGBTQ+ leadership to this work. His commitment to justice, storytelling, and connection drives his vision for a more inclusive future.

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. Get even more Bisexual Killjoy content by subscribing to our Substack and following us on instagram. 

As always, we want to hear from you! You can chat with us on our Discord Server, send us a message, or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Where to Find Martin Rawlings-Fein

Sound engineer: Richie Smith

Bi+ people are everywhere, and we know networks are crucial to our survival. This week, we’re diving into the history of BiNet USA, and the ripple effects of Bi+ collectives with our guest, Barry Saiff. From reflections on what makes an organizing team run smoothly, to tips for Bi+ fundraising, we’re determined to figure out what makes or breaks Bi+ collectives over the long term.

Barry Saiff has spent more than three decades shaping bi+ history as an activist, organizer, and community leader. He began his bisexual activism in the early 1990s with the Alliance of MultiCultural Bisexuals in Washington, D.C., and went on to co-produce the 1993 National Conference Celebrating Bisexuality, held alongside the historic March on Washington. With four keynotes, 50 workshops, and over 600 participants, it was the largest bi+ conference of its time. Barry later served as president of BiNet USA, where he helped secure the funding that made it possible to hire the organization’s first executive director, a turning point in national bi+ organizing. He has continued to speak at conferences and webinars across the U.S. and internationally, carrying bi+ visibility into new spaces. Beyond activism, Barry has led a long career in technical communications as a writer, manager, and entrepreneur. He founded Saiff Solutions, a technical writing firm in the Philippines, and currently works as a manager at DocuSign. Barry is also a dedicated volunteer and fundraiser, having raised millions for causes such as The Hunger Project. He is married to his Filipino husband and remains active in progressive organizing, including the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America.

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. Get even more Bisexual Killjoy content by subscribing to our Substack and following us on Instagram. 

As always, we want to hear from you! You can chat with us on our Discord Server, send us a message, or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Where to Find Barry Saiff

Sound engineer: Richie Smith

Welcome back to Bisexual Killjoy! This week, we’re exploring what it takes to begin a Bi+ history-keeping project and keep it going with the founder of Bi Community News, Jen Yockney. With stories of bridging tradition with contemporary times, and fabulous fashion tips, Jen brings laughter and joy to the long process of Bi+ history keeping. Together, we navigate multiple facets of the journey, from early volunteer days to finding trustworthy team members that can keep the vision alive. Join us as we uphold Bi+ legacy across the pond. 

Jen Yockney was born and raised in Wales before moving to Manchester, England, for university. That was meant to last three years, but more than thirty years on, she still hasn't reached escape velocity. Most notably, Jen notched up a double-first when she received the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for "Services To The Bisexual Community" from Queen Elizabeth II in 2016. It was the first bi activism honour, and the first time the title Mx appeared in the Honours List, which she says cemented Mx in the English language - as if anyone decides what constitutes "the Queen's English" then surely it was the Queen. The MBE reflected what is now over three decades of bi volunteering, centred on BiPhoria - the UK's longest running bi social and support group - and Bi Community News, the British print magazine which turns thirty this year. There are side projects too: having organised the only UK event to mark September 23 as a bi holiday back in 1999, two years later she started bivisibilityday.com, which to this day lists events marking the date around the world.

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. Get even more Bisexual Killjoy content by subscribing to our Substack and following us on Instagram. 

As always, we want to hear from you! You can chat with us on our Discord Server, send us a message, or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Where to Find Jen Yockney

Sound engineer: Richie Smith

Welcome back to Bisexual Killjoy! This week, we’re digging into the politics of memory, archives, and erasure with Mel Reeve of the Bi History Project. Mel’s work shines a light on the stories that have been fragmented, forgotten, or deliberately erased, making sure bi+ people are recognized in the past as much as in the present.

Together, we explore why bi+ history so often slips through the cracks, how power shapes what gets remembered, and why accurate representation matters, even when historical figures didn’t use the word “bisexual.” We talk about the labor of piecing together stories from fragments, the challenges of pushing back against erasure in LGBTQ+ archives, and the power of recovering the lives of those who came before us.

Mel Reeve is an archivist and award-winning writer. She is the founder of the Bi History project, host of the Bi History podcast, and an editor at Fear of Making Art Press. Mel works in archives with a focus on improving access to digital collections and LGBTQ+ histories. The Bi History Project shines a spotlight on the rich and complex past of the bisexual+ community. Through training events, workshops, lectures, podcasts, and consulting, it brings LGBTQ+ and bi+ history to life and encourages inclusive heritage practices. The project empowers those within and outside the heritage profession to engage with bisexual+ and LGBTQ+ history.

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. Get even more Bisexual Killjoy content by subscribing to our Substack and following us on instagram. 

As always, we want to hear from you! You can chat with us on our Discord Server, send us a message, or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Where to Find Mel Reeve

Sound engineer: Richie Smith

Welcome back to Bisexual Killjoy! This week, we’re exploring what it means to be a Bi+ activist who’s in it for the long haul with the one and only Robyn Ochs as our guest. This Bi+ visibility month we’re focused on sustaining our efforts by honoring their inherent fluidity. We discuss how Bi Women Quarterly began and its transformation throughout the years, the importance of crafting intentional legacy, and what happens when Bi+ voices are centered as a collective. From the lives recorded in Getting Bi to those in RECOGNIZE, we know that history is remembered when we’re together.

Robyn Ochs is an educator, speaker, grassroots activist, and editor of Bi Women Quarterly and two anthologies: the 42-country collection Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World and RECOGNIZE: The Voices of Bisexual Men. Her writings have been published in numerous bi, women’s studies, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ anthologies, and she has taught courses on LGBTQ+ history & politics at Tufts University, MIT, and Northern Vermont University. Among other things, she crafted the definition of bisexuality that is used by many bi+ activists around the world: “I call myself bisexual because I acknowledge in myself the potential to be attracted — romantically and/or sexually — to people of more than one gender, not necessarily at the same time, in the same way, or to the same degree.” Robyn is deeply committed to intersectional and sustainable activism, to working with others to build coalitions across identities and across social movements, to supporting emerging leaders, and to learning and growing. She is particularly interested in bi+ health, the experiences of bi+ people in the workplace, the global bi+ movement, bi+ elders, and bi and LGBTQIA+ youth. An activist for 50 years (so far), she is in it for the long haul. In 2024, she was named an LGBT History Icon. 

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. Get even more Bisexual Killjoy content by subscribing to our Substack and following us on instagram. 

As always, we want to hear from you! You can chat with us on our Discord Server, send us a message, or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Where to Find Robyn Ochs

Sound engineer: Richie Smith

S4E1: Bisexual Killjoys Lost in History

Welcome back to Bisexual Killjoy! Season 4 opens with a reckoning: what happens when your history keeps getting erased? Bailey and Jace reflect on how far the podcast has come, why bi+ history matters, and what it means to build legacy in a world that constantly pushes us to the margins. From Stonewall to the AIDS crisis, from forgotten activists to speculative bisexual icons, we’re taking a messy, curious, and determined dive into the cracks where our stories have been buried.

In this episode, we talk about how bi+ erasure shows up in history books, archives, and movements that claim to be “for all queers,” but consistently leave us out. We trace six generations of bi+ activism, dig into the blessing and curse of being a decentralized community, and wrestle with what legacy-building actually means. Spoiler: it’s hard, it’s frustrating, and it’s essential. 

This season is all about history, erasure, and resilience. Our goal isn’t to create a perfect archive but to give bi+ listeners a sense of place, belonging, and possibility. Allies, you’ll hear concrete ways to show up beyond rainbow reposts. Bi+ folks, this one’s for you: your history is here, your community is here, and you deserve to see yourself in it.

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. 

Were you a Bisexual Killjoy this week (or since we saw you last)? We want to hear from you! Follow us on @bisexualkilljoy on Instagram or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Sound engineer: Richie Smith

Welcome back to Bisexual Killjoy! Here we are at the end of another season, and boy, are our arms tired. We ran the gamut from mental health, from race to economics, spirituality, class, parenthood, and neurodiversity. And by talking about these big topics, we were able to learn more about ourselves and each other. In this episode, we recap the season, meditate on community, and make predictions on Pride.

We’re off for the summer but are already planning for season 4. Until we meet again, keep being a Bisexual Killjoy. Stay bisexual, and stay strong.  

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. 

Were you a Bisexual Killjoy this week? We want to hear from you! Follow us on @bisexualkilljoy on Instagram or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Welcome back to Bisexual Killjoy! What does it mean to survive as a bi+ person in a world structured by class? In one of our most expansive and layered conversations to date, Bailey and Jace are joined by educator, activist, and musician Alicia Ortiz to unpack the taboo of talking about class, especially in queer spaces. Together, we explore how class functions as a sticky object in our lives, how bi+ people uniquely navigate systems of poverty and power, and why the myth of meritocracy doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.

From identity politics and the legacy of the Combahee River Collective to Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò’s Elite Capture, we examine how movements are co-opted, how queerness is commodified, and how bi+ people are often excluded from both straight and gay narratives of respectability. We also dig into how upward mobility—whether through the military, education, or sex work—is often pathologized, and why coalition-building is essential for a liberated future.

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. 

Were you a Bisexual Killjoy this week? We want to hear from you! Follow us on @bisexualkilljoy on Instagram or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Where to find Alicia Ortiz

Welcome back to Bisexual Killjoy! What does it mean to become a bi+ woman in a world that says you’re either too much or not enough? In this episode, we dive deep into the messiness of womanhood, gender socialization, and bi+ identity. Grounded in Simone de Beauvoir’s iconic quote, “One is not born, but rather becomes, woman,” we unpack the violence of gender norms, internalized misogyny, femmephobia, and the social construction of sex itself.

We talk about the personal and political stakes of being bi+ and femme in a world that demands your compliance—and punishes your refusal. From the erasure of bi+ women in relationships to survival strategies shaped by patriarchy, this conversation is a powerful reminder that womanhood isn’t a fixed truth; it’s a battlefield of expectations, agency, and becoming.

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. 

Were you a Bisexual Killjoy this week? We want to hear from you! Follow us on @bisexualkilljoy on Instagram or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Welcome back to Bisexual Killjoy! In this episode, “Sacred Spaces, Queer Faces,” we sit down with Dr. Samantha Costa to explore the fraught and fascinating relationship between bi+ identity and faith. From the lingering trauma of “pray the gay away” ideologies to the quieter pressures to suppress bi+ness in religious spaces, we unpack how bi+ people navigate spiritual lives in the face of erasure and exclusion. Together, we ask: Is it possible to hold onto faith without organized religion? Can bi+ people build spiritual practices that reflect their whole selves? And what might a theology of in-betweenness look like in a world that demands certainty? This conversation honors the sacred in the liminal and invites listeners to imagine new forms of queer belonging, both spiritual and communal.

Samantha Costa is a queer non-binary scholar, survivor, and storyteller exploring the sacred in the wake of religious trauma. A professor and social researcher, their work focuses on LGBTQIA+ mental health, gender identity, and spiritual reclamation. Raised Catholic in an Irish-Italian family and later disowned alongside their transgender parent, Dr. Costa, now helps others navigate the long road from exile to integration. They earned their PhD in Philosophy and Religion from CIIS and developed the “Seven Freedom Milestones” to map queer journeys toward spiritual wholeness.

Hosted by bi+ academics, writers, and advocates Bailey Merlin and Jace Rios Rivera, Bisexual Killjoy talks all things bisexual (pansexual, omnisexual, plurisexual, and overall bi+ness) because bisexuality isn’t a phase; it’s a phenomenon. 

Were you a Bisexual Killjoy this week? We want to hear from you! Follow us on @bisexualkilljoy on Instagram or email us at [email protected]. 

Resources

Where to find Samantha Costa