Prominent New York Times columnist and author Charles Blow spoke at the University of Colorado on Friday to mark Bisexuality Day. The event, held in Eaton Humanities, was jointly organized by the Cultural Events Board and student groups Biphoria, and Queer and Trans People of Color.
Approximately 150 people attended, including Ayla Sullivan, communications coordinator at CU’s Gender and Sexuality Center, who facilitated a discussion with Blow for the first half of the talk and then turned the event over to the audience for questions.
Blow spoke on a range of topics, answering questions about his work as a visual columnist at the New York Times, his life as an openly bisexual man and father, his opinion on current events and LGBT issues and his memoir Fire Shut Up in My Bones, published in 2014. In the memoir, he wrote about his difficult childhood and young adulthood in the deep South. Blow, 44 years old at the time, also came out as bisexual in the memoir.
One issue Blow spoke about in depth at the event was the need for widespread awareness of what bisexuality is. He said there must be an understanding that not everyone who identifies as bisexual will experience their sexuality in the same way. He also expressed a desire for people to make space for those who are still in the process of discovering or relating to their identities, whatever they may be.
“The most powerful thing you can do as a human being is to embrace your truth,” Blow said.
After the event, Blow stayed to sign copies of his book, speak with audience members and take pictures.
“I am so humbled that we were able to have Charles here and I think it was a huge success. I think it was a really affirming event,” said Sullivan, in regards to the talk.
Contact CU Independent News Staff Writer Carina Julig at Carina.Julig@colorado.edu.
