Robyn Ochs

Robyn Ochs, 2008

Robyn Ochs (born October 5, 1958 in Queens , New York ) is an author, editor, educator and activist of the bi movement . She takes up the theoretical approaches of Fritz Klein and develops from them a kind of political action program for the LGBT movement .

Childhood, youth and first contact with the bi-movement

Robyn Ochs grew up in Far Rockaway , a neighborhood in the New York borough of Queens . Her parents' house was feminist . Her dominant mother was active in local politics and was socially engaged in a variety of ways. The entire family environment was closely linked to the civil rights, peace and environmental movements. The protest songs of her uncle, Phil Ochs , famous in the USA , accompanied her through childhood and adolescence.

In the mid- 1970s, while at Westchester College in northern New York, she gradually became aware of her bisexual identity. In 1982 she moved from Far Rockaway to Boston. Here she made contact with other bisexual women for the first time and experienced her comig out with her surroundings and her family. In 1983 she co-founded the "Boston Bisexual Women's Network", an association of bisexual women that still exists today.

Professional and social engagement

From 1985 she was an administrative clerk at Harvard University in Cambridge (Massachusetts / USA). In 2001 she switched to a part-time job here in order to be able to keep work, volunteer work and private life in harmony.

Also in 1985 she supported the establishment of “The East Coast Bisexual Network” in Boston, which today under the name “Bisexual Resource Center” disseminates information on the subject of bisexuality worldwide and provides committed individuals and organizations of the Bi movement with advice and assistance. It also organizes bi-conferences, such as the fifth international bi-conference in 1998 in Boston.

Robyn Ochs writes papers and essays for various anthologies, publishes newspaper articles and gives numerous interviews. She distinguished herself as an expert on bisexuality, identity and attributions, homophobia and biphobia . As a pioneer of the bi-movement, she is a frequent guest on television talk shows.

In 1991 she began teaching at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge (Massachusetts). Here, as from 1992 at Tufts University , she initially lectured on bisexuality. She later expanded her teaching spectrum several times.

In the mid-1990s, Robyn Ochs made herself a spokesperson in the US “Marriage Equality” debate by campaigning for the legal opening of the marriage institute to same-sex couples. On May 17, 2004, she married her long-time partner, Peg Perble. It was the first day in the United States that same-sex couples could do this.

Important food for thought

Robyn Ochs deals with the question of the relativity of social labeling based on Klein's thesis of the changeability of sexual orientation and identity. It focuses on the social construction of categories such as "gay", "lesbian" or "bisexual". She recognizes the social significance of these ascriptions, but also thinks about overcoming them, which is reflected in one of her course titles: "Crossing the Lines: Gender and Sexual Orientation".

She urges the forging of coalitions among various groups, since her commitment to greater social recognition of her own group is always the common struggle for human and civil rights (“making space for everyone at the table”). The common struggle of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in the USA for more rights thus wins an important advocate.

Participation in conferences

Since the mid- 1980s , Robyn Ochs has continuously participated in bi-conferences at regional, national and international level. Many people consider her a brilliant freelance speaker and a workshop leader who is well versed in education . These conferences include:

1st International Bi-Conference in Amsterdam (Netherlands), 1991.

1st European bi-conference in Rotterdam (Netherlands) under the motto "Same preferences, different lifestyles", 2001.

2nd European Bi-Conference in Dublin (Ireland) under the motto “Loving the Difference”, 2003 (opening speech).

9th International Bi-Conference in Toronto (Canada), 2006.

Honors

In 1997 Robyn Ochs was the first to receive the "Reinaldo Jose dos Santos Memorial Award" for her involvement in the bi movement. It has been donated by the Australian Bisexual Network since 1997.

plant

Robyn Ochs published the "Bisexual Resource Guide" for the first time in the mid-80s. By the fourth edition (published in 2001) it will develop into a global directory of groups and organizations involved in the bi movement.

In 2005 she published an anthology called "Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World". It is a collection of first-hand reports from 184 people from 32 countries who see themselves as more or less “bisexual”.

Web links

• Homepage of Robyn Ochs, English
• Bisexual Resource Center website, English