Minutes of ``BASH -- The Future"

(Workshop at BiCon 14, Sunday Sept. 1st, 12.15--1.30).

Problems with BASH organisation and structure

The main problems were identified as:

The entrenched biphobia in many HIV/AIDS organisations, and the existing power structures, which mean that funders and funded organisations often have very close relationships that make funding for new approaches to bisexuals, and new organisations, very difficult.
There is often a complete misunderstanding of bisexuality, or a view that bisexually identified people are an insignificant minority and a low priority for health work. Sexism is also an issue -- BASH had made clear that bisexual women were very much in its remit, but women, and especially bi women, were not a priority in much established HIV/AIDS work.
The infeasibility of funding travel expenses for people to attend meetings in London, which had been maintained for 2 years in order to make the group accessible in the UK.
The inherent bureaucracy in the BASH committee structure, which meant that real project issues were often neglected in favor of organisational ones.
Absence of contact with the work of the EBG in Scotland in particular.
The lack of clarity in the distinction between BASH and PEP, particularly in terms of finance.

The meeting acknowledged the achievements of BASH, including:

The PEP project
The leaflets, bi awareness training, liaison with health promotion officers, safer-sex workshops, etc
Raising the issue of bisexuality in the HIV/AIDS field in the UK

The views expressed at the meeting were that:

The existing organisation and structure was not working, and that a network of local groups and projects, some based on the existing PEP groups (in Birmingham, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, London, etc) and some new ones, would be more effective.
These groups would be supported by workshops and regional conferences, enabling them to share experiences and information, and carry out training. Meetings could also take place at conferences like BiCon and PolyCon.
BASH money will be held in trust (by Ian Watters, Kevin Lano and Ann Saunders) to be used to help book venues for these workshops, and to support networking. Funding of projects and local groups would come from applications to local funding bodies.

Proposals for work that needed doing included:

More leaflets and resources, including material for partners of bisexuals, a leaflet (more explicit and visual) for people in the bi community, and for bisexuals using the gay community.
Liaison with other HIV/AIDS projects (eg, Gay Men's work), and local health authorities.
Support for existing peer educators and further training for them and new peer educators.
A resource guide to the HIV/AIDS industry -- how it works and how to get money out of it.

It was proposed that an initial bisexual health conference should be organised, with Bi Community News being used to initiate this.