Bisexual activist Loraine Hutchins honored by Rainbow History Archive

October 22, 12:07 AMBisexuality ExaminerMike Szymanski

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Lorraine Hutchins, a most colorful bisexual in black and white

(with permission: Patsy Lynch@2009)

In the colorful world of GLBT activists around the world, few are as colorfully all wrapped up into one package as bisexual author, professor and activist Loraine Hutchins, who was honored Wednesday night (Oct. 21) as part of Washington, D.C.'s Community Pioneers.

She was one of 20 activists (and the only bisexual) to be honored this year, along with prestigious company such as poetess Valerie Papaya Mann of  the Sapphire Sapphos, Rick Rosendall, who helped organize the Gay Men's Chorus in Washington, civil rights lawyer Mindy Daniels and Toni Collins who co-founded the Transgender Health Empowerment, the first social services agency of its kind.

Others in this honored group include the late and loud Jim Zais, who was one of the first openly gay men appointed to a governmental position in Washington, as well as Dr. Theo Hodge Jr., a black doctor who helped educated the community about HIV/AIDS and Randy Shulman who founded the gay magazine Metro Weekly.

The Rainbow History Archive highlights those who have significantly contributed to DC history. The organization is dedicated to preserving this history and has honored pioneers every two years since 2003. Photos and profiles as well as oral histories are on the group's website at rainbowhistory.org.

"Not many out bi's have been honored," says Loraine. "I think only me and Billy Jones (in a past year) – but there may have been one or two other folks who identified quietly as bi, just not as a major aspect of their work/identity."

A fourth-generation DC native, Loraine is a tireless activist who has worked as a sex educator and helped kick-off important bisexual organizations such as the Alliance of Multi-Cultural Bisexuals in Washington, DC, (AMBi) and BiNet USA, the first national network of bisexuality.

For many people, and after many speeches, she has represented a serious, yet humorous, face of bisexuality and polyamory to the world.

She co-edited the book that became the "Bisexual Bible"—"Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out"—translated around the world and named as among the 100 most influential LGTB books of the 20th Century.

"Bi Any Other Name" co-editor and great friend, Lani Ka'ahumanu, sent Loraine a lei to wear for the honor. (Congrats to Loraine!)

Other stories about Loraine in the Bisexuality Examiner . . .

* Photos of the bi community at the National Equality March

* Bisexuality 101: How many bisexuals are out there?

* Bisexuals in the military—past and present—should also be remembered on Memorial Day

* Bi spiritual leaders—yes, you can be religious and bisexual, and was Jesus bi?

* The sweet 16 most significant women in the bisexual movement