Bisexual and transgender communities have a long and deep history of allyship and solidarity. Bi transgender people have stood at the forefront of the struggle for LGBTQIA+ rights: at Stonewall, at Pride, and in leadership positions in queer organizations and legislative bodies across the world.

Today, as transgender, cisgender, and nonbinary representatives of the bisexual, pansexual, fluid, and non-monosexual community, we are here to reaffirm that relationship and to show that we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the trans community.

Vitriol and hate directed against the trans community proliferates in the press and online and fuels real world violence against trans individuals. We cannot allow it to continue any longer.

Statistics from Stonewall confirm that many trans people feel uncomfortable existing in public spaces because of fear of harassment or violence. This is an indictment of all of us. We must all do our utmost to crush transphobia and strive for radical trans acceptance.

Bisexual trans people are one of the most vulnerable demographics within the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly in terms of sexual violence. Trans and nonbinary people of colour are especially vulnerable to rape and sexual assault. Our commitment against transphobia must be mindful of the ways it intersects with other marginalisations; especially racism, classism, misogyny, and ableism.

We see the wedge that some sections of the LGBTQIA+ community and their supporters are trying to drive between cisgender gay, lesbian, and bisexual people and our trans and nonbinary siblings. We see it and we are ashamed.

It was not long ago that bisexual people were not welcome under the rainbow umbrella. Even today we face significant biphobia from both within the LGBTQIA+ community and outside it. But we refuse to be silenced. We refused to allow biphobes to take our community backwards and exclude any member of the rainbow family and we refuse to let transphobes do the same.

The rhetoric of transphobia is driven by hate. It is hate not just for trans and nonbinary people but for all of us. We reject this divisive rhetoric and stand strong with our trans and nonbinary siblings. We stand with cisgender lesbian and gay trans allies.

We see those who seek to divide us dominating the conversation and we say ‘enough’. Our unity is our power. We will not be cowed.

Trans people are valued, vital members of the bisexual community and we will not let intolerant dogmatists divide us. We must continue to speak out for and support trans people of all walks of life.

The trans flag was created by Monica Helms after she was inspired by Michael Page design of the the bi flag, and we will always be proud to fly them together.

If you support this message and want to do more to help trans lives, please consider donating to:

The #BWithTheTManifesto was first published in October 2019. The primary authors were Lake Faith (they/them) and Libby Baxter-Williams (she/her)