Who goes to BiCon?
Up to a few hundred people.
They have a variety of sexualities, gender identities, ethnicities, ages, and typically many other interests. From the start of the event back in 1984, it's always been a majority female-presenting group.
It'd be surprising if there was no-one like you.. and unthinkable for everyone to be the same.
Do you need to identify as bisexual to attend BiCon?
Absolutely not!
Most attendees do identify somewhere that's part of the bi+ umbrella – bi / pan / queer / flexible / curious / polysexual / multisexual /omnisexual / fluid and many more – but BiCon has never cared what you identify as so long as you're bi-friendly and behave.
Can I bring a straight or lesbian/gay partner?
Yes, of course – so long as they behave.
What will happen at BiCon?
I don't know – it depends on what attendees offer.
They'll offer a host of possible sessions..
.. some serious, some not..
.. some talky, some more practical..
.. some where most people just listen, some where most people get involved..
.. some with a very bi topic, some with no connection apart from it being at BiCon..
.. and we'll pick a balanced programme from them.
We don't 'make' BiCon, you do!
Will there be any women-only / men-only spaces?
There might be – it depends on what's offered.
Note that BiCon was an early adopter of accepting people's self-identified gender for all purposes at BiCon, including single-gender spaces.
We had the discussion back in 1993 and to our knowledge, there have been zero problems as a result over the past 31 years. It is not up for debate. If you disagree with it, we suggest you do not attend any BiCon.
Do I have to prove my income (or lack of one!) to get the lower prices?
No!
The actual cost to BiCon per person is expected to be around twice the lowest rate for a weekend ticket, so if you could easily afford to pay one of the higher prices but don't, you do risk there not being a future BiCon because we don't have the money to book a venue.
Will there be an online BiCon this year?
Possibly – we have people looking at doing the necessary work.
If there is, there will be a single option of what to do in any 'slot' rather than having a choice, as you'd have with the in-person event.
Sign up for the BiCon News mailing list to know more when we do.
I don't live in or close enough to London to 'commute' to the Alexandra Palace area and back each day, do you know anyone I could stay with?
Needing to sort your own accommodation if you're not in or near London is one of the downsides of being non-residential this year.
Sorry. It does make the other bits much more affordable though.
If you've no family or friends in London, and paying to stay somewhere isn't possible, you can try asking around. If you've been to BiCon before, you will probably have a link to the unofficial BiCon Attendees Discord chat. It'd be surprising if no-one looked or offered there. (And if you haven't been to BiCon before, we'll send you the link to it when you've paid.) There's also apparently an even more unofficial BiCon group on FB.
Any such arrangements are nothing to do with us and we strongly advise people take the usual care when staying with someone new.. or having someone new stay over. If you don't know someone, do you have any friends in common? Does someone know where you are (you don't need to tell them you're going to BiCon) and who you're with?
Is there any race training needed to attend BiCon 2024
No.
We don't have the rights to the recordings made of previous years' excellent training. Even if we did, making it compulsory would make it difficult to offer day tickets in a city where past experience tells us we are likely to get considerably more than the usual number of day visitors.
London has far more racialised minority people than any other UK city. Access will be increased by holding it there and in a way that they can attend with a low commitment. There is a huge difference between the barriers involved in being able to use Transport to London to BiCon and back each day compared to having to travel to a university somewhere and paying upfront to stay there for a long weekend.
The four years of training has generated a large body of white attendees who should be much more able to spot inappropriate behaviour and realise the importance of speaking out about it, including reporting it, at the time. (If it hasn't, it is arguable that making the training mandatory hasn't worked and another approach is necessary.)
Will there be any WiFi at the venue?
Sadly not: it's a school and they don't have this available for us.
For mobile data, there is good 4G reception and, if you're close to a window looking in the right direction, you may get a 5G signal.