Sheela Lambert
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Sheela Lambert is a writer and noted bisexual activist. She is a senior organizer with the New York Area Bisexual Network, Bialogue and the founder of the Bisexual Writers Association.
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[edit] Work for bisexual rights
- Gay Men, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Sharing Our Lives: A Forum on Bisexuality, held May 1992. Co-sponsored by the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, New York Area Bisexual Network and BiPAC
- On-Air Host and Producer 1992-1993, Out in the 90’s, live NYC public access cable TV news and information show for the lesbian/gay/bisexual community. Also distributed to several other major US cities.
- In 1993, Lambert was the Executive Producer/Host for the first television series by and for the Bisexual community. Bisexual Network airs for one season on New York City's public-access television.
- Produced a Bisexual Health Care Report for NYC Dept. of Health in 1993, examining barriers to service for bisexual people accessing health and mental health services.
- Bisexual member of Educational Coalition on Lesbian and Gay Youth (1992-94)
- Fought to save the Children of the Rainbow curriculum in New York City's Public Schools. (1992-93)
- Women’s Safer Sex Workshop series for bisexual women and lesbians, held March 1992 through Dec 1995 and was Co-sponsored by New York Area Bisexual Network; Department of Health, Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns, Lesbian Health Project; Gay Men’s Health Crisis Lesbian Health Project; Community Health Project (CHP) Lesbian Health Program.
- Sexual Orientation: Experience, Identity and Fantasy a workshop with Fritz Klein held Jan 199? At the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Services Center.
- Friends, Allies, Community Members, Lovers, Bisexuals: A Part of Our Community. A program of song and poetry performance and panel and group discussion, held Oct 1993. Co-sponsored by the Mayor's Office for the Lesbian and Gay Community, BiPAC and Bisexual Women of Color.
- Protested the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization's (ILGO) exclusion from the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade in 1994. Was arrested with 102 other protesters including Christine Quinn and Tom Duane and went to trial in 1998 over this incident
- In 1996 Lambert joined Heritage of Pride, in which she was an active Gay and Lesbian Pride organizer for two years to promote the bi-inclusive agenda as a member. In 2002 Heritage of Pride renamed New York City's Lesbian and Gay Pride events to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride March, Rally, Festival and Dance.
- Community, Inclusion, Unity: The Fourth Tri-State Bisexual Conference held at New York University, Oct 2000. Keynote speakers Dr. Eliyahou Farajaje-Jones (now Dr. Ibrahim Abdurrahman Farajajé), [Fritz Klein] and Deb Kolodny. Co-sponsored by BiNet USA, New York Area Bisexual Network, Pride Month at NYU, Office of LGBT Student Services at NYU, BiZone and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Services Center.
- Together with transgender activist Pauline Park, Lambert formed the Coalition for Unity and Inclusion in 2000. The Coalition has successfully lobbied many LGBT-related institutions to make their names more inclusive. Some organizations include New York City's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Services Center (formerly the NYC Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center) and the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Film Festival (formerly the New York Lesbian and Gay Film Festival]].
- In 2005 in response to the misinformation put out by the academically disputed Bailey Study, Lambert worked as a senior member of a joint Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)/Bialogue task force that began to create information packets to provides facts about bisexuality, dispel myths and stereotypes, and educate the public about issues bisexuals face, as well as provides guidelines for various professionals.
She has helped in the response to Dr. Ruth and Dr. Joy Brown’s recent public incidence (and discovered long-term history) of bisexual erasure.
Dr. Ruth made statements in her nationally syndicated advice column that “everyone is either straight or gay” and there “is no such thing as being bisexual.”
Dr. Joy Browne (on her nationally syndicated radio show and Discovery Health channel TV show) told a young woman confused by her attractions to women and men that she must decide: “Am I gay or am I straight?” because “saying that ‘I’m bisexual’ just means ‘Do me!’ That ‘I don’t care who does me as long as some body…”
Working together with BiNet USA, BRC and GLAAD, Lambert was a senior member of the Bialogue task foce that participated in letter-writing campaigns and the designe of specialized packets of educational materials on bisexuality and forwarded to the respective Drs.
The syndicated columns and TV shows of the above advice gurus have been monitored closely since the beginning of each campaign and no further incidences of bisexual erasure have been observed since they were contacted.
The Bialogue/GLAAD Bisexuality Packet for Mental Health Professionals is now available online on Bialogue’s website. It is designed as a series of documents that can be printed, copied and distributed as handouts for workshops, trainings and classes or viewed online. Additional packets for teachers, media and health providers are in development.
She is currently working on:
- a National Media Education Campaign on Bisexuality. A campaign designed to increase bi visibility, inclusion and accuracy of reporting in both the gay and mainstream press.
- Formed the Bisexual Writers Association
[edit] Partial bibliography
- Bisexual Health Care Report for NYC Department of Health (1993)
- Out in the 90s (1992-93)(also Producer & Correspondent)
- Bisexual Network (1993) (also Executive Producer & Host)
- Bialogue/GLAAD Bisexuality Packet for Mental Health Professionals (2005)
- Interview with Ann Herendeen author of "Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander" in BiMagazine (2006)
- Interview with Fritz Klein in BiMagazine (2006)
[edit] See also
- New York Area Bisexual Network
- Bialogue
- Bi Writers Association
- biphobia
