Yes, this time it’s about me and not Norway, although this country provided me with a safe space where I could reflect on and explore more my own queerness, despite being married to a man.
I knew I liked both men and women since I was a young teenager, but it really became obvious when I was 17 and started dating both. I then came out, telling my friends and also family without creating big reactions as, I guess, it was obvious and mostly accepted. I had to reaffirm it over the years, telling new people in my life who I was, and there again it was never a big issue. Lucky, I guess.
The issue came when I met my now husband and things started to get serious. Since we got married, I feel like that part of my identity has been taken away by the way society looks at me. It took me meeting and getting close to friends who are part of the LGBTQI+ community to come back to that part of me and reaffirm it. I had never felt that I was part of that community before, even less when living a straight woman life!
Bisexuality is often put aside by straight people as a « phase » and by some members of the queer community as an « easy » option. It gives me often the impression that bisexuality is not considered as a reality. All those people forget that, as being straight or gay or feeling a different gender or no gender at all, it’s not a choice. You don’t wake up one day saying « oh, I’m going to like both genders because it gives me options ». You don’t decide to become bisexual to be more attractive. You don’t back out of being gay by « facility ». You are queer, with all the reactions it can bring and difficulties along the way.
I had long talks with friends over the year, and they have pushed me to celebrate the Pride and, this time, owning it. As a part of myself, and as a part of the community. I feel really lucky to be surrounded this way and to live in a safe country that allows me to be who I am, and I wanted to share that feeling with you readers.
I’ll be in the streets tomorrow to celebrate our existence, and remember y’all, love is love!
Meanwhile in Norway... 