Married and Bisexual Men and Bisexual Women
Windsor Pride Community celebrates and supports all Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning people who are married in a heterosexual or bisexual relationship. You are not alone- there are others like you who live in the Windsor Essex County. Some men and women will be Bisexual and have long term relationships with both males and females over their entire life. Some men and women will have married in a heterosexual relationship earlier in life, and now accepted they are gay/lesbian or bisexual. Some of these men and women  will also be mothers and father to children. In some cities such as Toronto and Chicago there are support groups for Gay Fathers. Some Gay men and Lesbians who come out will separate from their partners, while others will remained married. Each situation will be unique. We recommend you review the Glossary and Terms found on this website so that you can become comfortable with the vocabulary and learn as much as you can.

Depending on your age you may have witnessed in your lifetimes very significant milestones in human rights legislation in Canada including decriminalization of homosexuality in the Criminal Code, inclusion of sexual orientation in the Human Rights Code, and gay marriage. Much has changed in the media and society regarding the acceptance and recognition of the contributions of LGBTIQ persons. Statistics Canada estimates the LGBTIQ population at 7% or 2,380,000 Canadians. Like all generations before us, change is inevitable and expected. Technology, media, social attitudes, and employment patterns in the period of one generation society have changed.

Looking for support?
Windsor Pride Community in collaboration with Family Service Windsor Essex County and the Windsor Family Health Team offers a Support Group especially for Married and Bisexual Men. Bisexual women are invited to participate in the existing Women?s groups in Windsor Essex. Windsor Pride groups are facilitated by qualified social workers and certified counselors. Groups meet weekly. They are operated at several locations throughout Windsor so that your participation can be private, and confidentiality can be assured. Check the website for the latest information about locations, dates and times. This will be a chance to listen and share common experiences from your own life. There are many factors which prevent youth and adults from coming out previously: fear of rejection, internalized homophobia, self awareness and maturity, lack of role models, family experience and expectations, cultural norms, religious upbringing, educational experience, and for those who come out later in life, marital status, children, and place of residence, income, and workplace acceptance.

   
Website resources written for men are  Bisexual Men of Toronto  http://bimot.org/   and Gay Fathers of Toronto  http://www.gayfathers-toronto.com/ and for women Bisexual Women of Toronto
http://www.biwot.org/

Discovery
Each life will be unique. Many LGBTIQ youth and adults will have lived a life of struggle and inner anxiety and find they no longer can hide who they are. While some people may think Bisexuals are experimenting and will eventually identify as straight, lesbian or gay, this is not the case for a bisexual who will have relations equally with men and women over the length of their lives. The nature of bisexuality is easily misunderstood by both gays, lesbians and straight people. The thought of a person that is attracted to both men and women can be confusing, especially within cultural models that classify sexuality as either one or the other. The middle voids the entire concept of sexuality as being fluid, instead of learned or defined. Plus, some use their misunderstanding of the concept of bisexuality to label themselves bi, when in fact they are in the process of accepting another form of sexuality.

Health and Safety
Many LGBTIQ persons know they are different at a young age. Some wish they would just fit in and that their feelings would go away. The closet is a term used to describe an individual who self identifies as LGBTIQ but has not shared the information. Perhaps you knew you were different. Coming out is a very personal decision. While it can strengthen and deepen relationships and improve self-esteem, it can be a very scary thing. In some situations, it can even be risky. Homophobic attitudes and behaviors are present today in many communities and workplaces like Windsor Essex. Personal safety is paramount. Coming out is often done in stages. It may be an individual?s choice to be out to a parent, aunt or uncle, cousin, one or two close personal friends and for those come out later in life colleagues at work and members of your family. Others may gradually come out to more people. Some people will want to move to a larger city as they move forward with their life.

Health and well being need to be important part of your life as a married gay man, lesbian or bisexual man or bisexual woman. We strongly encourage you to talk to your medical doctor or seek a new doctor so that you can get the necessary information to protect their health. Multiple partners increase the risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD?S) and HIV. It is very important to understand and practice safe sex. For those seeking a LGBTIQ friendly doctor please consider the Windsor Family Health Team   http://www.windsorfht.ca/    which has take a leadership role in primary care for our community. The team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, and dieticians.  

Celebrating !
Here are the most important things: Love yourself. Be true to yourself. Express yourself. Find your voice to speak to the world. Learn what others are doing. LGBTIQ people are some of the strongest people on the planet.