Bi? Shy? Why?

Bi?Shy?Why? was a bisexual advocacy organization based in Madison, Wisconsin in the 1990s. The name highlighted the feelings of isolation, invisibility, and insecurity ("shyness") that many bisexual individuals experienced due to biphobia both outside and inside the broader LGBTQ community. 

From 1992 to 1996, the organization published Bi-Lines, a newsletter featuring news, commentary, literature and other material related to bisexual life and issues.

Bi?Shy?Why? was an active voice in Madison’s bisexual and broader LGBTQ community. Members contributed frequently to local publications, including the Wisconsin State Journal, addressing issues affecting bisexual people and the wider queer community.

The organization also worked with its parent organization, The United, and other UW–Madison LGBTQ organizations, including the Ten Percent Society, to support LGBTQ advocacy and community-building efforts on campus. Bi? Shy? Why? sent a contingent to the 1993 March on Washington.

The UW-Madison LGBTQ Archive and the Wisconsin Historical Society have ownership of the Bi?Shy?Why? Collection, including Bi-Lines newsletters from 1992-1996.