The sweet 16 most significant women in the bisexual movement

This week is a time to commemorate significant women, so I've picked 16 of the most amazing women in the bi movement. Sunday (March 8) marks the Day for Women's Rights & International Peace, and the whole week is set aside to recognize the talents and contributions of women throughout the world. The Examiner.com suggested we look at females who are significant to our own special interests, and I've come up with a very diverse list.

Certainly the list is not exhaustive, nor are they the only bi women involved in the movement, but these are people I've known and worked with in the past nearly two decades of being out as bisexual.

They're from Toronto to San Diego, Florida to Boston. They're artists and philosophers, facilitators and ground-breakers, spiritual leaders and superb musicians. They've just-turned-30 or are grandmothers; they're from every color and ethnicity; they're single, partnered, married and some forever looking; and they're funny, intelligent, intriguing and multi-faceted.

The one thing that unites everyone on this list is that they are tireless activists. They've all contributed greatly to bisexual activities, both locally and at a national level. Nearly all of them are award winners of some sort, virtually all of them are distinguished writers, they all have Wikipedia entries, and all of them (I say with the risk of sounding sexist) are beautiful.

And, all of them, with a sense of modesty, would say, "Yeah, but what about so-and-so who's not on the list."

So, I repeat, this list is not extensive, it's not the only list of its kind, nor does it include all of the women ever involved in bisexuality, but it does give an amazing cross-section of bi women that anyone interested in bisexuality should know about, and people you should know—period.

The links on their names are going to give you more details about each of them, because whole books can be written about any one of them, so I'll tease you with a few highlights, and throw in my own personal favorite memories.

Here is my Sweet 16 List . . .

Amy Andre

An educator and activist who has a degree in sexuality studies and went to University of California, Berkeley, she single-handedly badgered the San Francisco GLBT film festival to be more inclusive in their B films, and started a Bisexual tract at the Frameline Film Festival.
My Favorite Memory: I've been so impressed with her story about working with the film festival up north, that we've tried to recreate the same awareness at Outfest in L.A., and she's instrumental in the success we've had so far!

Carol Queen

How can anyone so sexy be a doctor, too? Dr. Queen is a writer, speaker, educator and activist with a doctorate in sexology and author of some truly superb books. She'll also show you how to throw a truly memorable sex party.
My Favorite Memory: She's told this story, too, so I'm not telling stories out of school, but it was during one of her parties in Houston, Texas when I had a cast on from a broken leg that some Fundamental protestors pulled the fire alarm and I had to be carried down seven flights of stairs while the sprinkler system went off and we were all pulling our clothes on.

Cheryl Dobinson

Cheryl has impressed the heck out of me since I found out about her study on bisexual health that she did in Ontario, and convened the Bi Health Summit in 2003. She also started The Fence, specifically as a venue for bi women to express themselves.
My Favorite Memory: Cheryl invited me to speak at a very wonderful bi festival in Toronto and she, her husband and I have been pals ever since.

Debra Kolodny

Someone who has always stressed interacting with other GLT organizations, she has also proven that bisexuals can be spiritual too. Deb edited "Blessed Bi Spirit: Bisexual People of Faith" that deals with Paganism, Buddhism, Jewish, Christian, 12-step beliefs and more.
My Favorite Memory: At one of the more volatile bi conferences, Deb ended up being a voice of reason and taught everyone how to make decisions via consensus and how to get things done.

Denise Penn

A superb investigative journalist and longtime host for the "Gay and Lesbian Newsmagazine," Denise has been involved with many organizations, most significantly Bi Net USA and the American Institute of Bisexuality. She's also editor of Bi Magazine.
My Favorite Memory: Denise asked me to write a column for her in the Orange County Blade and she put in a goofy picture she took of me, and that ended up being the reason that my partner John looked me up, because he thought he may be bi, too. So, I've always credited my meeting with him nearly 13 years ago to her.

Ellen Huang

Ellen formed Queer Lounge, which helps GLBT film become more recognized and accepted in mainstream film festivals. She is quite interconnected with directors and stars throughout the world, and is very politically involved as well.
My Favorite Memory: I'm continually impressed with Ellen's connections and her ability to get things done. Most recently, we worked on putting together a rather successful bi panel at Outfest.

Heather Cassell

An incisive and prolific writer herself, Heather also helps others get published from her San Francisco-based company that encourages progressive independent small presses.
My Favorite Memory: Heather was one of the first journalists to interview Nicole Kristal and I on our book, and she was not only probing, but fun—and she got me to say things I'm surprised I said!

Lani Ka'ahumanu

She gives safe sex workshops, organizes, advises and writes, but she also represents the spiritual center of the bisexual movement when it was prominent in the 1980s and 1990s.
My Favorite Memory: It has to be when my mom and I hugged her just after she got off stage after giving her incredible speech on the mall during the March on Washington in 1993. It was a great moment for bi recognition.

Loraine Hutchins

Rain and Lani (above) co-edited the book "Bi Any Other Name" which remains the longest bi book in publication, translated all over the world. She inspires people to meld the spiritual and the erotic sides of themselves, and was recently featured in the national polyamory journal Loving More.
My Favorite Memory: There are plenty of heart-felt speeches I can remember hearing her give, but my favorite moment has to be simply hanging out with her and friends at a small gathering in Boston after the huge Bi International Conference in 1998.

Nicole Kristal

Not only is she a really good singer and musician, but Nicole organized bi groups in college, and is a funny, acerbic writer. That's why we worked so well together writing "The Bisexual's Guide to the Universe."
My Favorite Memory: It has to be divided between watching her perform on the Sunset Strip with Dr. Fritz Klein and friends, and walking through Central Park the afternoon before we won our Lambda Literary Award, and the outdoor dinner in Hollywood with our families just after our book was published.

Regina Reinhardt

The German-born therapist from San Diego is also an amazing sculptor and managing editor for the Journal of Bisexuality. She helped start the long-running Bisexual Forum and is on the board of the American Institute of Bisexuality.
My Favorite Memory: We had so many good times together, but a significant memory was hearing her personally soothing words of consolation just after the death of our good friend Fritz Klein in San Diego after a memorial for him.

Robin Renee

Evocative, provocative, spirited and sexy, Robin's songs exude all kinds of emotion, and she organizes, writes and lectures in between.
My Favorite Memory: I remember being transfixed and transformed by her performance in Hollywood during one of the conferences, and everyone I know who's seen her feels the same way.

Robyn Ochs

The first "professional bisexual" I've met, Robyn is a dynamic speaker and educator, and she was one of the first same-sex marriages I'd ever known. I was so proud when she and Peg married in Boston.
My Favorite Memory: It was Robyn who helped coordinate and manipulate my first TV appearance on "The Phil Donahue Show" (with Lani) and she taught me how to  make it a positive experience.

Sheela Lambert

She founded the Bi Writers Association, Bi Mental Health Professionals Association and many other groups, as well as hosted the first bi TV series on the planet, Bisexual Network, on Manhattan's public access channel in 1993. Her sometimes overzealous activism does lead to change, a
nd getting the b-word added to a lot of titles and buildings.
My Favorite Memory: I first met Sheela when she was giving a Flirting Seminar at a bi conference in Washington, D.C., and we've been doing that ever since.

Susannah Layton

She coordinated bi comics, bi poets, bi filmmakers and other bi talent for a fantastic "Bi-Licious Show" which she plans to take on the road to places beyond the San Francisco city limits.
My Favorite Memory: Watching Susannah in action at the first Bi-Licious show was fairly inspiring. She throws together an entertaining show, and knows how to find an audience.

Wendy Curry

An always-enthusiastic BiNet USA activist, Wendy is never afraid to dive in and get her hands dirty to get things done. I've always loved her Curried Spam notes, which are still online for your enjoyment.
My Favorite Memory: It's always nice to get a welcoming hug from Wendy at whatever conference I see her at, but most notably, while wandering alone and rather lost in Toronto a few years back, I hear her shout to me from across the street with her bi shirt and bi buttons on and I knew I was among friends.

I hope this list will help the world get to know these wonderful women, too. The slideshow below gets to other pictures of them.

Again, this is by NO MEANS, the only bi women who are significant in the bi movement. There are many more, and I have continued the list on the bi lists to the right of my column, so keep inn touch with their work by clicking on their links.