May 18, 2022
Hilde (she/they) is a bi+ activist, both in the Netherlands and internationally, with a great amount of experience. She is co-founder and coordinator of the informal European Bisexual Network of Activists, co-organizer of the EuroBiCon in 2001 and 2016, and part of the Bi+ Equal team, to name a few. In this story, Hilde elaborates on co-organizing the EuroReBicon and EuroBiCon of 2016 in Amsterdam.
Putting the B in LGBT during EuroPride
In 2013 the ‘Landelijk Netwerk Biseksualiteit’, LNBi for short, (red. National Network Bisexuality) joined Pride Amsterdam in their bid to host EuroPride in 2016. In this bid, LNBi included a promise; to put the B in LGBT, by hosting another EuroBiCon. Hilde recalls: ‘I remember when I heard that Amsterdam had won. It was in the Dutch media that EuroPride was going to happen and, at that time, I was at work when I heard it. That was a day I remember well: where I was, how I felt. When I read the news, I immediately started crying, because I knew there was a lot of work ahead -I had been one of the organisers of the first EuroBiCon in Rotterdam 2001 as well-, and at the same time I was so happy because I knew I would give my life for that.’ The LNBi set up a team with three members: Erwin Heyl (then board member of LNBi), Emiel Maliepaard (researcher) and Hilde Vossen to organise the First European Bisexual Research Conference and the third European Bisexual Conference.
Hosting the EuroBiCon
The third European Bisexual Conference (EuroBiCon) was held in Amsterdam from July 28th to 31th, 2016. It started on the 28th with the first European Bisexual Research Conference (EuroBiReCon), a day dedicated to academic research on bisexuality, followed by a three day community organised event.
EuroBiCon brought together bisexual people and their allies from across Europe and beyond to share ideas, stories and have fun in a safe and friendly space. This multi-day event tied in with EuroPride celebrations, guaranteeing an exciting and action packed long weekend for all who attended. EuroBiCon was open to all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics. In fact, it seeked to increase dialogue and discussion amongst members of LGBTI organisations and communities.
The conference theme ‘Join our VisiBility’ emphasized the visibility of bisexuality. Bisexual people are the largest group of LGBTI people and the least visible. EuroBiCon wanted to be a place where attendees exchange information and experiences in the areas of freedom of sexual preference and the position of bisexuality within societies across Europe. As a platform for sharing and initiating projects, the EuroBiCon aimed to improve bisexual visibility throughout Europe.
By offering a diverse choice of over 60 workshops the conference was an inspiring experience for anyone who was involved with (bi)sexual identity. The overarching themes were: diversity, health, biphobia, representation and light & fluffy. Besides its attention to science and education, there was room for relaxing during informal gatherings, ranging from creative crafts to parties. With around 225 attendees from over 20 countries, Hilde attributes the success of the EuroBiReCon en EuroBiCon to the dedication of the team, who worked with great passion on a voluntary basis.
The EuroBiReCon and EuroBiCon had multiple important, long-lasting outcomes. The research conference resulted in two international publications: the Special Issue '(Inter)national research frontiers' of the Journal of Bisexuality and the book Bisexuality in Europe by Emiel Maliepaard and Renate Baumgartner. Because of the EuroBiCon international ties between bi+ activists were strengthened and after speaking at the conference the executive director Evelyn Paradis of ILGA Europe called for bisexual activists to join forces for ILGA Europe, making bi+ more present and visible within ILGA. Hilde notes: ‘After 2016, the representation of openly bi+ people at ILGA Europe Conferences increased.’
For the community, by the community
For the organisational team, consisting of nine core members, including the national bi+ community was very important. Around nine months before the conferences would take place, the EuroBiCon team held multiple engagement nights for the Dutch bi+ community. During these nights they presented the status of the EuroBiCon, collected programme suggestions, told about vacancies, revealed tips of the veil of what they already had planned, and requested community members to contribute in a creative way. Hilde states: “The logo for example, was suggested by attendees of these meetings.” They also recruited ambassadors, which resulted in a photo session with a 15 meter long Bi Pride flag. Many of the people who showed up at the engagement meetups, became super dedicated volunteers of the conference.
Another EuroBiCon on the horizon?
Hilde notes: “It has proven that it is very hard to seduce a nationwide bi+ organisation in a European country to start organising a EuroBiReCon and/or a EuroBiCon. After the EuroBiCon in Rotterdam (2001), Dublin (2003) and Amsterdam (2016), two countries showed interest in organising one. Unfortunately they did not manage it. One was too worried about the funding and the other did not have enough volunteers to start it. The EuroBiCon Amsterdam 2016 team consisted of volunteers only. They were super dedicated but for a solid basis it’s best started by professional staff nowadays.” Hilde emphasizes how important it would be for more EuroBiCons to be organized. They recall talking to an older attendee during the 2016 conference who said that he had never felt so accepted and acknowledged as a bisexual person than during the EuroBiCon. Having more international conferences like EuroBiCon would mean the world for many bi+ people and Hilde is hopeful that with Bi+ Equal promising steps towards that can be made.
Advice for organizing a conference
With a lot of experience internationally and co-organizing two EuroBiCons, Hilde shares her advice: “Would you like to organise a conference? Start with choosing a date and a venue. Then you can continue with recruiting people who would like to co-organise with you. Please look for folks who have certain qualitative skills, like fundraising, and who’d like to learn on the job at the same time."
Another advice is: organising an international multiple days conference will cost a lot of energy. Be fit while the conference is happening, and take time to look around and enjoy that this wonderful bi+ gathering was what you longed and worked so hard for. Hashtag Bi Joy!”
Want to know more?
For history’s sake the former co-chairs of the EuroBiCon 2016 keep the website online: https://www.eurobicon.org/
