Kinsey 1-5 Explores Bisexuality

A crowded Wilder main lounge was probably too busy watching the elections Tuesday night to notice as about 10 students filed up the stairway to a small room where Kinsey 1-5, a group for bisexuals on campus, gathered to discuss what no one else was talking about.

Senior Nick Boutros and alumna Sally McGuire (OC '99) founded the group in the spring of 1999. Senior Yvonne Piper, who has not been able to attend meetings this year, said, "There is a need for a group of people who would like to explore issues around, as I like to say, non-polar sexuality."

McGuire's friend, senior Jill Certos, said, "[McGuire] started K 1-5 because she felt that LGBTU wasn't addressing her needs because she wasn't a 'cast iron lesbian.'"

Last year's chair, senior Miranda Balkin, explained the group's name. "Alfred Kinsey, a famous scholar of human sexuality, devised a scale of sexuality on which 0 was 100% heterosexual experiences and desires and 6 was 100% homosexual," she said. "We serve everyone who is either in between or on a different scale all together."

The flyer identifies Kinsey as "the group for bisexual, fluid sexuality, unlabeled, unsure, and generally 'in the middle' folks." Queer, questioning, transgendered, transsexual and sexually non-polar were other terms used to describe group members. "K 1-5 welcomes everyone, mind you. Allies, questioning people and the generally interested are always, always welcome," Balkin said.

Piper described the meetings as "laid-back." She said, "Meetings - which I have regretfully not attended this semester - are fun. We play games, we eat cookies, we talk about bi life, films, fun stuff as such." The current leaders plan a discussion topic each week. Topics are chosen "from anything under the Kinsey umbrella," they said.

The current leaders of K 1-5 did not wish to have their names printed, but were cautious about appearing overly secretive. "Meetings follow a rule of confidentiality. They provide a safe space wherein people always have a choice as to what leaves the meeting and what doesn't.

"This is especially important for those who wish to remain anonymous outside of the group. The leaders appreciate this aspect of respect, but don't want to discourage people from contacting them or becoming involved with Kinsey," they said.

Each spring, Kinsey holds a High Bi Tea, also known as Bisexuali-tea, in Wilder Bowl. "We all sit on Wilder Bowl and drink tea and eat bi-scotti," Piper said. This year the group "would like to do new stuff," the leaders said. One idea was a week of films about issues important to the group.

"I feel like part of what I want to get out of Kinsey is educating the community about bisexuality and fluidity," one leader said. One topic of discussion that came up recently is "the perception of bisexuality in general Oberlin populace," a leader said.

The co-chair added, "I definitely know people who if I said I was bisexual wouldn't see that as a completely valid thing. I do feel like there is a lot of openness and acceptance on campus, I don't mean to undermine that, but it's something that's being under-discussed. We definitely want to have more of a voice here."

The leaders were uncomfortable with Kinsey 1-5 being known as just a sexuality support group. "It's not just about sex, it's about gender and identity," a leader said. The group meets every Tuesday at 10 p.m. in Wilder.