Welcome to my first foray into the GW Blog-From-Abroad-o-sphere! My name is Robyn, and I'm a twenty-year-old junior hailing from Brookfield, Wisconsin. I'm studying Political Science and English Literature with special interests in comparative politics, human rights, ethnic conflict, and women's issues. After I graduate, I hope to go to law school somewhere in the Midwest; I'm still working out what comes after that!
Beyond academics and the occasional part-time job, I'm involved in a number of student orgs. I'm a founder and co-president of Speakers of the House: The GW Spoken Word Collective (formerly known as GW Spoken Word Collective), a supportive community of spoken word poets and enthusiasts of all experience levels.
I'm also the Spring Events Coordinator for GW Association of Queer Women and Allies (AQWA), and a member of Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity. In my (very limited) free time, I mainly enjoy cooking, socializing, and reading fiction novels of all genres and time periods.
But what exactly qualifies me as a "non-traditional" student? Simply stated, I'm bi. The reason why I so identify is pretty straightforward: since the eighth grade, I have been attracted to both men and women, though I didn't really come to terms with it until college. My sexuality is now a source of pride; embracing it doesn't mean changing who I am, but rather living as a fuller and more honest version of myself.
Until a little more than a year ago, my sexuality was a source of significant confusion, bewilderment, and anxiety. Even today, not everyone's response is positive. But I think it's important to acknowledge that the backlash I have faced for being bi (mainly embarrassing questions from acquaintances attempting to ascertain whether I'm really bi) is nothing compared to that faced by other LGBTQIA+ individuals. I'm lucky to have a supportive network of wonderful friends and family, and I benefit from the intersection of many other forms of privilege.
The real reason I'm sharing my experiences isn't to achieve personal catharsis. At the end of the day, I just want to become one more voice. One more voice to drown out bi erasure and ignorant stereotypes in mainstream media and parts of the LGBT movement. One more voice to draw attention to the unique challenges faced by the bisexual community as a whole. One more voice saying, "you are not alone."
A voice I would've given anything to have heard growing up.
Because despite it all, I have reached a place where I can find strength and pride in my identity as a bisexual woman. And that, I think, is my message for this blog: To all those who try to ignore us, we are here, and we're not going to be quiet any time soon.