Ronete Cohen Joins Bi Social Network as Staff Psychologist

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MEDIA RELEASE

Contact:
Adrienne Williams, Founder & Web Producer
Bi Social Network
Email

Bi Social Network mental health initiatives kicks off with online support staff Psychologist Ronete Cohen

July 22, 2011—Bi Social Network moves into ground-breaking initiatives to help the bisexual community and its allies understand mental health education and how it affects every facets and demographic of youth, the elderly, race, class and gender—just to name a few. Psychologist, Ronete Cohen believes in our message to educate the public about bisexual life; along with supporting gay, lesbian and transgender members of our community.

“Bi Life with Ronete Cohen”

Ronete (Pronounced Ron-neat) will join us in two ways—first; she will take questions and answers (Q&A) which members will send via her email. The goal is when you help one person most likely you will help the population of the bisexual community with the same issues. It doesn’t matter where you are, our international network will support all types of questions regarding, sexuality, homelessness, self-worth issues, peer and family acceptance, just to name a few of the many topics that will be tackled—and all support will be held in the strictest of confidence under her practice via our web portal.

Secondly, Cohen will be a featured columnist called Bi Life with Ronete Cohen, where she’ll engage with our members by writing monthly thought provoking articles that will be current to the lives of our community, which will challenge us, celebrate us, support us and nurture our needs.

Ronete Cohen MA is an experienced psychologist with a BA and MA in Psychology from Leiden University in the Netherlands. Her further training includes: a 3-year theoretical and clinical course in Intensive Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (IE-DP) with Ferruccio Osimo MD, Psychiatrist (former President of the International Experiential Dynamic Therapy Association); and Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (STDP)/Affect Phobia Therapy (APT) training with Kristin Osborn MA, Psychotherapist (Associate and Researcher at the Short-Term Psychotherapy Research Program, Harvard Medical School). She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the Dutch Institute of Psychologists (NIP), and the Dutch Association of Child and Youth Psychotherapists (VKJP).

In the Netherlands and in London, Ronete Cohen works with children, adolescents and adults of diverse nationalities, cultural backgrounds, beliefs, sexual orientations and gender identities.  Her expertise includes: giftedness; eating disorders; affirmative bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender psychotherapy; and helping those raised in narcissistic families who often end up in abusive relationships and/or resort to self-damaging behaviours. Her practice, The Rainbow Couch, also offers low-threshold tolerant and affirmative online psychotherapy for members of the bisexual, lesbian, gay, and transgender community who would otherwise not have access to such therapy.

Ronete was Diva magazine’s (a UK lesbian/bisexual glossy) advice columnist from 2005 to 2009. She has been Zij aan Zij magazine’s (a Dutch lesbian/bisexual glossy) advice columnist since 2006. She is an active opponent of reparative treatment and has written various articles on the subject, helping (often behind the scenes) lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists in different countries who are trying to fight it. She has also written a chapter (Using Intensive Experiential-Dynamic Psychotherapy to Treat an Underachieving Gifted Adolescent) for a book, Theory and Practice of Experiential Dynamic Therapy (edited by Ferruccio Osimo and Mark Stein), which will be published in London by Karnac in 2012.

To contact Ronete Cohen MA, please email her at ronete.cohen@bisocialnetwork,com to submit questions for our upcoming featured column called Bi Life with Ronete Cohen or visit her website at www.rainbowcouch.com to learn more about her practice.

To contact Bi Social Network about our growing programs, please visit our contact page to learn more on sponsorship, advertising, membership and our other programs, such as Bi Talk Radio, BSN TV, events and more.

Bi Social Network is extremely excited as we move forward with mental health education initiatives, as a needed community services in our network of education, entertainment and connecting our lives to one another.

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About Bi Social Network:

Bi Social Network is the first interactive bisexual Network dealing with entertainment, sexuality, social events and community. We are particularly focusing on bisexual men, women, teens and social issues surrounding the biphobia and bi-erasure myths of bisexuality in the gay, lesbian and straight communities. Topics will cover areas of social media, entertainment (pop culture), events and community, while regarding our sexuality in an informative educational and enriching way.

We want to be the hub of bisexual events across the nation in the form of workshops, networking events and social entertainment.

entertainment. sexuality. sociability. community. is Bi Social Network.

About ‘I am Visible’ Campaign:

The ‘I am Visible’ campaign goal is to make a difference in the lives of the bisexual community. We are a part of the gay, lesbian, transgender, and straight communities, we also know that there has been a high level of intolerance of late—particularly in our gay and lesbian communities in print, Web, entertainment, politics, and social media. We are here to tell our stories.

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Poll: Toyota’s New Swagger Wagon Commercial Racism or Capitalism?

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(Picture caption from MSNBC) Rachael Maddow Show with Rand Paul

I wanted to send this out to my homeys, or is it posses? Oh, I forgot the slang. Even when I was living on the southside of Chicago, I was laughed at by my brothers and sisters on the language of the day. (They stated I wasn’t black enough) Yes, I’m a geek! Deal with it! As a part Native American and Black, can’t we just get alone?

But this got me thinking, as I’m also doing a very big story, in July on racism in America! Oh, the things I’m finding out I never knew! Speaking of racism, did anyone check out Rachel Maddow brilliant interview with Rand Paul on perhaps letting the private sector get their 1950′s mentality back, on who can come in and who’s allowed at the diner counter. Oh, welcome to the Obama years in America!

As a person who lived in Japan for two years, I have my own thoughts on this commercial, but for right now, it’s not about me—but you. Take the poll! Side note: I do love those cute kiddies.


Swagger Wagon: Is the New Toyota’s Advertising Campaign Racist or Pure Capitalism?

  • Everything isn't Racist (47%, 16 Votes)
  • All Greed, Capitalizing on what’s hot at the moment (32%, 11 Votes)
  • Hidden racism (15%, 5 Votes)
  • Not Sure (6%, 2 Votes)
  • Don’t care (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 34

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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Don’t forget to check out Rachel Maddow’s geek week show Starting Monday, May 24th! Yeah, to the geeks!

Press Release: Bi Social News Becomes a Global Network

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Adrienne Williams, Founder & Web Producer
Bi Social Network
Email

BSN Has Officially Become ‘Bi Social Network’
sexuality. sociability. Community

Chicago, March 24, 2010—As we start to move into social media, connecting with communities and working across national and international lines, I began to think about long term strategies and what I wanted this company to be about. I knew that we were clearly a social media outlet—focusing on entertainment, events locally and nationally; along with personal stories. Yet, moving forward with the bi community, I felt we still haven’t touched on the idea of social community in the form of who we truly are. Yes, we have many activism sites for bisexuality, and we so need this. But to be clear, I wanted more of a community where we can get together online as well as offline. Support each other, support businesses that support us, and yet do more in the lines of sharing ideas, thoughts, stories and fun.

So in keeping in line with this though process, an idea was formed. Make Bi Social News become more! We are happy to announce that Bi Social News has changed its name to Bi Social Network.

sexuality. sociability. community.

In the upcoming days, weeks and months, our members and readers will start to see some changes in what we do. We’ll begin to redirect all our sites with the branding of Bi Social Network, first with our website. Presently, www.bisocialnews.com will now become www.bisocialnetwork.com. Yes, the current site will still exist until everyone is use to the change, but it will be redirected to the new Website. But this notice is to officially have you type in the new Web address starting April 1, 2010 or soon, depending when the changes take place! (I will keep you informed).

What’s our goal?

Well, to be truthfully, we want Bi Social Network to be the hub of all things bisexual. Whether it’s social fun, events, storytelling and purchasing great products—like e-books, merchandise to wear (coming soon) and sharing ideas across the community. We’ll focus on our bi radio show (Bi Talk), have workshops, social gatherings and even networking events. This is the direction that Bi Social Network will move into. We hope you continue to join us!

So sit back, enjoy the upgrades as we make everything official. If something is down for an hour of two, it’s because we are making it better for you! It will be very temporary! We hope you will continue to support us—as we continue to think of great ways to make this company even better!

Bi Social Network is all about sexuality. sociability and community—a great place to start!

If you have great ideas you want to share with us, please contact us and let us know your thoughts. If you want to get great updated information or social events as it happens, there are two ways! Articles on our site—just enter your email address  on the home page and you will be added to our list, where articles will be sent straight to your inbox.

and/or, our mailing list, where we’ll share special events information. Join one or both.

About Bi Social Network:

Bi Social Network (www.bisocialnetwork.com) is the first interactive bisexual Blog and talk radio show (www.blogtalkradio.com/bisocialnews) dealing with sexuality, social events and community. We are particularly focusing on bisexual men, women, teens and social issues surrounding the myths (biphobia) of bisexuality in the gay, lesbian and straight communities. Topics will range in the area of social, entertainment (pop culture) and social events and community, regarding our sexuality in an informational, educational and enriching way.

We also will be the hub of bisexual events across the nation in the form of workshops, networking events and social entertainment.

sexuality. sociability. community. is Bi Social Network.

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Bisexuals Used as Scapegoat in Pro 8. California Case

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Can Bisexuals Be Monogamous?

Can Bisexuals Be Monogamous?

The bisexual community can’t seem to catch a break in the year of  “blame bisexuals,” for all BLGT woes, as misleading testimony has been entered in trial of Perry v. Schwarzenegger on Proposition 8—regarding bisexuals, possibility of being the cause for the threat to heterosexual marriage.

In court documents, “claimed that the evidence would show that Prop. 8 prevents a number of related harms because allowing same-sex couples to marry allegedly would: ….(4) “Increase the social acceptability of other alternative forms of intimate relationships, such as polyamory and polygamy”;

(5) Increase the likelihood that the recognition as marriages of other alternative forms of intimate relationships, such as polyamory and polygamy, will become a judicially enforceable legal entitlement…”

Facts: Are Bisexuals Polygamous in Nature?

No! In fact, having a polyamory lifestyle has nothing to do with being bisexual. Let’s find out what bisexual and polyamory really means!

Dictionary.com states that polyamory means, “participation in multiple and simultaneous loving or sexual relationships.” Which means, that heterosexual couples (married or not) could also be polyamorous. In fact, many straight couples are living the polygamous life style.

Now, dictionary.com also states the word ‘bisexual’ means, “sexually responsive to both sexes; ambisexual.” No were in this define group of words does it say, ‘group sex?’

In fact, It clearly states, [bisexuals] are attracted to both sexes—not together, not in a group or threesome—in clear terms, they like both sexes, period.

Why Do Straight and Gay Groups Alike, Confuse the Two Meanings?

To be clear, a lot of misinformation regarding bisexuals as a whole is out there, because straight, lesbians and gay groups do not understand how someone can be attracted to both sexes. It’s no difference than straights not understanding why gays and lesbians are attracted to same-sex parings. It’s called double standards or simple put, hypocritical at best.

Until both groups, heterosexual, and homosexuals come to the realization that everyone has a part to play in discrimination and acceptance of all groups. It’ll make your fight a little easier down the road, if the bisexual are accepted at face value, meaning we are real. If not, rights for all will be a long and painful process.

What is BSN’s Position on Pro 8?

Bi Social News (BSN) stands clear that we support rights to marry for all, but we also recognize that bisexuals everywhere have problems on both sides of the aisle. As a media outlet, will make no bones about exposing who they are—straight, gay or in between. If you want rights for yourself, figure out a way to be open to the rest of humanity and perhaps one day, the sea will part!

In the Media:

Adrienne Williams is the Founder and Web Producer of Bi Social News (BSN), which is a subsidiary company of AJW Media.

BSN Starts New Format with ‘Bi Talk’ Radio

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Bi Talk Radio

Bi Talk Radio

If you  missed our first co-hosted radio show called “Bi Talk,” don’t despair—it goes into podcast mode after 15 minutes of our live programming, where you can catch all the hot bi topics and dish that was discussed!

Peter Ruggiero and Adrienne Williams are the new bi duo—along with Maria who will be following all the action via chat, to answer your most heated questions and comments!

This is the beginning of a whole new Bi Social News! Why not get in on the action and let your bi voice be heard!

You can also go to iTunes and download our podcast under Bi Social News.

Catch the latest podcast streaming audio right now!

Valentine’s Day: A Personal Reflection!

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new year partyAs folks are getting ready to get down and funky with their loved ones, lovers and hookups…I thought, I would find the perfect video to share with our readers—the love I have for this holiday i.e., Valentine’s Day.

Because I hate this holiday more than life itself, what better way to share my single lady viewpoint via video! Enjoy this day, if you are coupled up or single!

Singles, go out there and share with the world all your joy and brilliance that makes you, you!

Now go out there and get business with it, with your fine selves! :-)

Couples, go forth and be safe!

Bi Social News: Wishes Our Readers a Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year from Bi Social News

Happy New Year from Bi Social Network

BSN want to thank all our readers and members that come here every day, week or month to read up on the latest bisexual information—whether it’s entertainment, news, bi candy or politics and opinion, we are happy and honored that you continue to stand by us as we grow, change and reach into 2010—which will be even better!

BSN Partners with Center on Halsted
Our goal is clear; we envision bi programming on a national level. 2010 brings even more great exposure, as BSN has teamed up with Center on Halsted that will be chalked with bi events threes nights a Month in Chicago. This is a huge undertaking, and COH took a leadership role in making sure bisexuals will be counted in 2010 and beyond. We are happy that BSN will be a partner in this idea of showcasing more events around our fair city, and as we show the world—that the “B” really matters in the LGT community. If you live in Chicago and would like to help make these events happen by volunteering, please drop me an email at bsn@bisocialnews.com. Together we can make a difference.

The Bisexualist Road of Debate
Whether you are for bisexual or an ally, this moment is important. We might not agree on every idea of our lives like Obama and DOMA, if Lady Gaga is a great bi role model for the community or where the BLGT movement should be going in 2010—but our voices do matter and should be heard nonetheless—which ever the position. Our interactive Blog gives us this platform. We are always looking for Bloggers and Columnists that want to reach out, give back to the community and share their voice. Come join us!

Supporting the Bi Community
I have stated this before, the Lesbian and Gay community support, sponsor and give back in ways of volunteering, donations and time. BSN is no different! If you want bi programming to continue, though our content is free—it takes time, money and passion to keep this going. If you noticed we have a new tool where everyone can give a subscription donation [on the home page] to the cause. We are a for-profit company, so any amount will go into helping our current writers write, helping us gain more dynamic writers. Keep out site moving in a positive direction and giving you more products, Bi radio, a store, interviews, and beyond our imagination. The road is only going to get wider—we need your help to get there!

As we more into 2010, I can’t wait to get started and continue to move bisexual content into the 21 century! From all of us at BSN—may you have a happy and safe New Year!

Adrienne Williams

Founder of Bi Social News!

Barbara Walters: A Kiss is Just a Kiss? (Video)

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Walters' interview with Palin will air in segments starting with "Good Morning America," on Monday, Nov. 17. (AP Photo/ABC, Steve Fenn)

Walters' interview with Palin aired on "Good Morning America," November 17. (AP Photo/ABC, Steve Fenn)

Barbara Walters is a name that is almost synonymous with news. Throughout her career she has blazed the trail for all female journalists that would come after her. Her early career is especially noteworthy for breaking down the walls of the male dominated journalistic world. When Walters started her journalistic career as a writer at CBS News, she was extremely limited by gender politics:

According to Walters, she was not allowed to write for the male correspondents or to ask questions in “male-dominated” areas such as economics or politics, and she was forbidden to interview guests on-camera until all of the men on Today had finished asking questions. Source: Museum of Broadcast Communications

She went on to be the first official female co-host and regular on The Today Show for fifteen years. She joined Hugh Downs as co-anchor of the prime time news show 20/20 and she created and produces the morning magazine show The View. These are only her more well known accomplishments. Seeing her in this trailblazing light makes it even more difficult to understand what has happened on the most recent Barbara Walters Special “The Most Fascinating People of 2009”.

The aforementioned “Most Fascinating People” were: Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Glenn Beck, Tyler Perry, Kate Gosselin, Adam Lambert, Sarah Palin, Brett Favre, Jenny Sanford, and Michael Jackson’s Three Children. Walters’ interviews were handled with her usual penchant for asking “hard questions” that have been known to make guests squirm – as well as a controversy that is no stranger to Walters.

Two of Walters’ interviewees happen to be a part of the BLGT community – Lady Gaga, who stated in her interview with Walters “I’ve certainly had sexual relationships with women, yes.” and Adam Lambert, who states in his interview, “I’m a homosexual, deal with it.” and “It doesn’t really matter who I’m sleeping with. What matters is I’m singing, it’s my voice.” While there is no controversy in the interviews themselves, both straightforward pieces of journalism, the controversy lies in the handling of each of the star’s sexuality.

In Lady Gaga’s interview, Walters includes a statement notating that “kissing women and scantily clad outfits are not exactly a father’s dream for his little girl.” This statement is augmented by video clips of Lady Gaga’s video “Love Games” including a clip in which Lady Gaga shares a very steamy, suggestive same sex romp with another woman dressed as a police officer.

Check out her video:

By contrast, in Adam Lambert’s interview, Walters chose to show a clip of Lambert’s controversial performance at the American Music Awards of his song “For Your Entertainment.” And as in Lady Gaga’s interview, Walters made a statement about the performer “You groped a female dancer, you kissed a male musician, why did you do this?” though in this interview, she chose to forego the clip in favor of another statement: “He also turned the music industry inside out doing things we won’t show you here.”

Check out his full video:

If you missed out on the guy on guy kiss, don’t think you can just pop over to YouTube and see it – the full AMA performance is blocked there. A low-res video does exist, however.

This latest example of the saying “same sex relationships are okay as long as both women are hot” is the last thing to be expected from a journalist of Walters’ integrity and reputation – the journalist herself having shared a same sex kiss with Julianne Moore, not once but twice, most recently  on The View. It has been immortalized in song that a kiss is just a kiss. Madonna, Lady Gaga, Julianne Moore and several other women have made it okay for women to kiss each other on television and in movies, but Barbara Walters “Ten Most Fascinating People of 2009” leaves us with the knowledge that a kiss is not simply a kiss when shared between two men. Adam Lambert himself put it best in his interview with Walters “Freedom of expression should be alive and well, and sadly its not.”

Bi Talk: Lady Gaga on Barbara Walters (Video)

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Here’s a great interview with Lady Gaga and Barbara Walters Top 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009.

Lady Gaga Website

BSN: Celebrating a Year of Bi Programing

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Bi Social News Logo Small

Bi Social Network Logo

I want to take this time to thank everyone who has made Bi Social News (BSN) what it is today. December 1, 2009 will be our first year anniversary (wow)—I had to check the Website domain expiration date on that one! But I can’t believe we’ve come so far!

Moving Into a New Direction

Our readership has grown from 198 hits a Month to almost 10,000 and growing! It’s because of your commitment to see more bisexual content, news, entertainment and hot topics that are keeping us moving in the right direction.

We have received many emails thanking us, wanting us to go farther, hit heated topics, more bi radio programming, more bi activist interviews, more bi entertainers and just more in general. We heard you and 2010 will be packed with all that you asked for. BSN is an interactive Blog—but more than that, it’s a place were we focus on entertainment news, social issues, politics and everything in between. It’s about people, ideas, removing bias about teens, bi men, women, people of color and everything which says—bisexuals don’t exist!

Why Does BSN Exist?

When I started this project, I wanted to go to a place where I read and connected to topics which concerned me and our issues. Why were the Lesbian and Gay communities removing themselves from the bi community? Why, when I went to a gay or lesbians bar, it felt like I wasn’t wanted or welcomed? Why are bi men discounted, dismissed and disowned? I created this site for you, for me, for all of us to counter the media that is coming full steam ahead that we don’t exist!

Social Status

We started a social media network on facebook, twitter, and myspace.  We’ve been featured in great BLGT communities like Logo, BiNet, Bi Women Boston and Queer United, who started it all for BSN and gave us a shout-out! (Thanks!) We started back on track with Bi Talk Radio and started partnerships with Fence Sitter Films, Queer/Bi Meetup and Center on Halsted (COD) (2010, more to come on COH) Thanks for supporting us!

Thanking the Many

The job is big, the need is great, and BSN is ready for the challenge—but I alone didn’t get here all by myself. Without the great work of our Contributing Writers—Peter, Maria, Adam and others who are about to come on board in the next few weeks, I want to thank you! Your passion for thinking outside of the box, your commitment to seeing BSN grow and become something bigger than yourself is a testament to your drive for the cause and your need for change! I love each and everyone of you! With your help, bi-erasure will soon be but a distance memory.

Thank you interviewees, the sponsors now and in the future and last but not least, thank you for your readership each and every day that you come to our little world and learn something new and fresh on our sites! We love you, and keep coming back, share our articles with others in our community and anyone that are supporters. Support bi writers, and movies, events and companies that cater to the bisexual needs! Shop on bi sites, (like this one, see BSN Store) and give back by donating to groups like this and others that can’t do it alone! You want bi programming (See Donate button on top)? Help everyone by keep it all going!

Mata ne… (Until next time…) “Speak out. Live out. Voice out. Be heard.”

Adrienne

Adrienne Williams
Bisexualist, Founder, Web Producer
BSN


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