By Barbara Oud
It’s Christmas Eve 2023 and I’ve closed my laptop for a two-week holiday. I’d answered all my emails, started my auto-reply, and locked my laptop away in the attic. I sit down on the couch and look at my phone. I remember to also block my inbox on my phone, because otherwise I’ll keep checking emails during the holiday. As I check it for the last time, an email pops up from the European Commission (EC) about the project proposal that we had sent in June. I run upstairs to grab my laptop and see that our proposal got accepted. We can start the two-year project that will lead to the founding of a European bi+ umbrella entity! I’m so excited I’m crying as I get in touch with my colleagues. The EC had a few more questions that needed to be answered within 10 days, so we skip the larger part of the holiday to work on those answers.
Building an organization by the community, for the community
Fast forward to February 9, 2026. On this day, Bi+ Equal was officially registered as a pan-European organization. We did it! The registration was a major milestone and a historical moment. While pan-European umbrella organizations for other groups under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella (such as trans, intersex, and lesbian people) have existed for years, a similar organization specifically dedicated to the bi+ movement, issues, and interests was lacking until now.
Bi+ Nederland (Netherlands) and Spectrum (France) joined forces to make this happen for bi+ people. I had the honor of being the director of the project. The Bi+ Equal project involved mapping bi+ activists and groups across the pan-European region. We conducted extensive research into their needs, experiences, and priorities. A crucial starting point was that the umbrella organization would be developed by and for the bi+ community, ensuring it would form a recognizable, safe, and representative space where bi+ people feel heard and empowered. The founding of Bi+ Equal was the end of a two-year project funded by the European Commission.
Founding General Meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania
Stepping onto a rollercoaster
The entire project was a rollercoaster from start to finish. It was one of the most wonderful projects I have ever worked on. One thing that made it special was the incredible dedication of the project team. We all have different stories to tell about the project. Here, I’m sharing some of my personal highlights.
As we got started, the project team travelled to France, at the invitation of co-director Soudeh Rade. It was an honest deep dive: Soudeh Rade, Zeynab Peghambarzadeh, Jantine van Lisdonk, Hilde Vossen, Monique Boesewinkel and I got to know each other, walked through the two-year plan, and enjoyed the fields of the beautiful small town. At that moment, we learned that working together would take effort. We were such different people, with different backgrounds and ways of collaborating. It took time to adjust, but we accepted the challenge, knowing this was our shot at building an umbrella organization.
We did the work and executed all the plans we made. The mapping of bi+ groups and activists in the pan-European region was extensive and yielded enormous results. The research that followed gave us answers to so many questions about what people needed. One finding stood out for me: the bi+ community in the pan-European region is severely underfunded. In 2023, 77% of bi+ groups had no budget or a budget of less than €5,000. When we compared this to a 2020 study on LGBTQIA+ groups, we found their budgets were significantly higher. This stark contrast highlights a key reason why the bi+ community has struggled to sustain its work on bi+ equality.
From milestone to milestone
Time went on, and we started planning for the Bi+ Equal Conference and Founding General Meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania. The three-day conference was largely organized by the amazing Daphne Hermsen and took place from October 20 to 22, 2025. It was an absolute game-changer. Fifty people from across the pan-European region gathered to participate in panels, workshops, fun activities, and governance discussions.
Those who know me know that I’m not much of a governance geek. Yet, I was amazed by how many people took part in the hours of conversation about Bi+ Equal’s constitution. Despite the late nights out, everyone was in their seats at 9:30 AM sharp for the Founding General Meeting on October 22. We voted on every article of the constitution, one by one. The phrase “For the community, by the community” felt truer than ever. It was a euphoric moment, a celebration when all the articles, the anti-discrimination policy, and the anti-harassment policy were accepted. That monumental feeling still makes me cry.
After that, the rollercoaster continued. Soudeh and I visited a notary in Amsterdam to officially register Bi+ Equal as an association in the Netherlands. What followed was a three-hour discussion about the constitution, then four months of email negotiations before we all fully agreed on the final version. Trust me when I say that for a non-governance geek, it was a real challenge to make it through these times.
Then, February 9 was our lucky day. The organization was officially registered! We celebrated briefly and got to work. Elections had to be organized to establish the first elected board of Bi+ Equal. Membership grew fast and wide: within weeks, Bi+ Equal had 100 individual and group members. The General Meeting Committee did an incredible job and organized the first Bi+ Equal General Meeting on short notice. On March 21, as spring began, the membership elected the first five board members: Aagje Ieven, Ieva Feldmane, Jace Rios Rivera, Nadja Arontschik, and Niek Rood. If you ask me, they make a wonderful Management Board that will guide Bi+ Equal into its next steps.
Barbara and Soudeh at the Notary
What’s next for Bi+ Equal?
You might wonder what’s up next. At this moment, we are working towards the Bi+ Equal Annual Conference, which will be part of the Bi+ World Conference in Amsterdam. As you might understand, this is another milestone event in the making. Imagine a few hundred bi+ people from all over the world together in Amsterdam, a three-day program with workshops, panels, and parties. Imagine one of those days being dedicated to the pan-European region, where you can meet the Board, the Membership, and all those wonderful bi+ people. Personally, I can’t wait for this to happen, and I’m truly honored to be part of the organizing team.
Back to the Bi+ Equal project: the two-year project funded by the European Commission has finished. All project activities have been carried out successfully. We are working on the final parts of the reporting. At times, it felt like never-ending work. Blood, sweat, and tears, literally. For me, it broadened my scope in ways I had never expected. I am so incredibly thankful to all project team members and for how passionately we worked together toward this common goal. I am thankful for the Membership that is forming and the Board that will lead us from here.
The founding of Bi+ Equal is not just a milestone for us. It is the result of decades of struggle, built on the shoulders of bi+ activists who fought for visibility and recognition long before this project began. Now, in the pan-European region, we finally have a common place to call our own. It fills my bi+ heart with joy and gratitude for those who paved the way.
Are you from the pan-European region? To apply for Bi+ Equal membership, please visit www.biplusequal.org
Do you want to be part of the Bi+ Equal Conference/Bi+ World Conference in July 2026? Please visit www.biplusworldconference.org
Read about the Bi+ Equal survey here: https://www.biwomenquarterly.com/research-corner-bi-communities-and-their-experiences-and-needs-in-europe-findings-from-the-bi-equal-survey/
Barbara Oud is executive director of Bi+ Nederland and director of Bi+ Equal project. She is 35 years old, lives near Amsterdam in the Netherlands with her blended family and is an absolute yin yoga lover.
Featured image: Start-up meeting in France