The Bi+ Book Club reading for December will be "Refusing to be a Man" by John Stoltenberg. We will meet on Wednesday, December 5 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Quatrefoil Library, 1220 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55407. Hope to see you there!

Summary: Since its original publication in 1989, Refusing to be a Man has been acclaimed as a classic and widely cited in gender studies literature. In 13 eloquent essays, Stoltenberg articulates the first fully argued liberation theory for men that will also liberate women. He argues that male sexual identity is entirely a political and ethical construction whose advantages grow out of injustice. His thesis is, however, ultimately one of hope - that precisely because masculinity is so constructed, it is possible to refuse it, to act against it and to change. A new introduction by the author discusses the roots of his work in the American civil rights and radical feminist movements and distinguishes it from the anti-feminist philosophies underlying the recent tide of reactionary mens movements.

Don't miss these two exciting opportunities to support BOP and BECAUSE this November! BOP is a volunteer-run 501c3 non-profit. Your contributions go directly toward building and supporting Minnesota's bi+ community. What can your donation accomplish? 

• Sponsor pay-what-you-can and no cost admission to BECAUSE, the largest and longest-running conference for the bi+ community in the United States.
• Support BOP's presence at local and regional Pride festivals.
• Provide free meals and food at BECAUSE and other BOP events, to make these programs more accessible to our diverse community. 
• Allow BOP to provide free social events and community spaces year-round, such as our Bi+ Book Club, Bi+ Discussion Meetups, Bi+ Walking Club, Bi+ Board Game Nights, "Pancakes for Pansexuals", and many more! 
• Help BOP to produce our annual Bi-Lesque performance, which has been hailed as "one of the most important burlesque shows in [the Twin Cities]." 

Bi+ individuals make up 52% of the LGBTQ+ population, and experience significantly higher rates of mental illness, sexual assault and intimate partner violence, substance abuse and chemical dependency, workplace discrimination, poverty, and social isolation than gay, lesbian, and heterosexual populations. However, according to Funders for LGBTQ Issues, institutional funding of bisexual issues and organizations has been the lowest of all LGBTQ+ demographics tracked since 2002, and most LGBTQ+ organizations still do not offer bi+ specific resources or programming. Your donations go directly towards helping the bi+ community thrive! 

Give to the Max Day
Thursday, November 15
Each time you make a gift during Give to the Max Day, you could help Bisexual Organizing Project  win  part of the $130,000+ Prize Pool! In fact, there are 191 chances to win during Give to the Max Day and Early Giving, beginning November 1! You don't have to wait until November 15, you can make your donation now! Click here to visit BOP's donation page! 

 #GivingTuesday 
Tuesday, November 27
In honor of #GivingTuesday, Facebook is partnering with PayPal to match donations a total of up to $7 million to U.S. nonprofits on Facebook. Match details.
How can you help? Create a Facebook fundraiser and share it with your friends on #GivingTuesday! Creating a fundraiser is easy and we welcome fundraisers with any goal amount. Start a Fundraiser

BOP has plenty of upcoming fun events to keep you connected to community! Hope to see you around! 
Bi+ Board Game Night
Thursday, November 1 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
St. Louis Park Public Library: 3240 Library Ln, Saint Louis Park, Minnesota 55426
Bi+ friends, come meet us for a low-key game night in the St. Louis Park Library meeting room. We will bring a few games to choose from. Feel free to bring some of your favorite games to share. Food is not allowed in this space. Water will need to be in a sealed container. The meeting room is near the entrance of the library. Bathrooms are accessible and there are drinking fountains. The room is limited to 40 people, but we will limit this event to 20 people to keep the event small and low key. Please keep your RSVP updated so we can plan for a good night. Also, feel free to just come and hang out and chat, knit, etc. Please avoid scents. Dress comfortable.

Bi+ Book Club: "The City & the City" by China Miéville
Wednesday, November 7 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Quatrefoil Library: 1220 E Lake St, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55407
Do you love to read and talk about books? Join Bisexual Organizing Project-BOP's Bi+ Book Club, a place to read fiction, biography, creative non-fiction, history, theory, and activist works. Come discuss readings and ideas about, for, and by bisexuals and other non-monosexual folks.

Summary: When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. To investigate, Borlú must travel from the decaying Beszel to its equal, rival, and intimate neighbor, the vibrant city of Ul Qoma. But this is a border crossing like no other, a journey as psychic as it is physical, a seeing of the unseen. With Ul Qoman detective Qussim Dhatt, Borlú is enmeshed in a sordid underworld of nationalists intent on destroying their neighboring city, and unificationists who dream of dissolving the two into one. As the detectives uncover the dead woman’s secrets, they begin to suspect a truth that could cost them more than their lives. What stands against them are murderous powers in Beszel and in Ul Qoma: and, most terrifying of all, that which lies between these two cities.

Bi+ Community Discussion
Thursday, November 15 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Boneshaker Books: 2002 23rd Ave S, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Come join our discussion group the THIRD Thursday of every Month. This is a safe and welcoming environment and a great way to navigate bi+ issues and bond with other community members. We are gathering at 6pm to chit chat and order food and drinks. We will change the location each month, so please keep an eye on where to meet. A Board member facilitator will bring topics to get the conversation started or we can talk about your questions and issues. Feel free to bring snacks!

Bi+ Board Game Night
Tuesday, December 4 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Minneapolis Central Library: 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401
Bi+ friends, come meet us for a low-key game night at the Minneapolis Central Library in the Mark E. Johnson Conference Room N202. We will bring a few games to choose from. Feel free to bring some of your favorite games to share. Food is not allowed in this space. Water will need to be in a sealed container. The meeting room is on the second floor - there is an elevator. Bathrooms are accessible and there are drinking fountains. This event is limited to 20 people. Please keep your RSVP updated so we can plan for a good night. Also, feel free to just come and hang out and chat, knit, etc. Please avoid scents. Dress comfortable.

The Bi+ Book Club reading for November will be "The City & the City" by China Miéville. See you 11/7 at 7pm at Quatrefoil Library!
Summary: When a murdered woman is found in the city of Beszel, somewhere at the edge of Europe, it looks to be a routine case for Inspector Tyador Borlú of the Extreme Crime Squad. To investigate, Borlú must travel from the decaying Beszel to its equal, rival, and intimate neighbor, the vibrant city of Ul Qoma. But this is a border crossing like no other, a journey as psychic as it is physical, a seeing of the unseen. With Ul Qoman detective Qussim Dhatt, Borlú is enmeshed in a sordid underworld of nationalists intent on destroying their neighboring city, and unificationists who dream of dissolving the two into one. As the detectives uncover the dead woman’s secrets, they begin to suspect a truth that could cost them more than their lives. What stands against them are murderous powers in Beszel and in Ul Qoma: and, most terrifying of all, that which lies between these two cities.

Sunday, October 14
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm 
Wellstone Center: 179 Robie St E, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55107
Room 212

BOP's 2019 Annual Meeting and Board Elections will be held at BECAUSE 2018! Our community's place is in the leadership of BOP, shaping the organization and the BECAUSE Conference. BOP and BECAUSE are ready to change how we operate; we are ready to create space, to listen, and to let others lead. We want to support other visions of what this community needs. We have a responsibility to bring this opportunity to our community, where our future leaders are waiting. 

Don't forget to register for BECAUSE 2018 to attend! Click here!

Our annual meeting is one of the most exciting days of the year for BOP, as we gather with our community to celebrate everything we've accomplished in 2018 and the possibilities that 2019 holds for our future.

BOP's annual presentation is a great way to learn about the history and operations of the organization, and will cover highlights from 2018 and discuss upcoming events and programs of note. The annual election will follow the presentation. Anyone attending the meeting may vote, and nominations are made during the meeting. If you are unable to attend, but wish to participate, please email bop@bisexualoranizingproject.org.

How do you get elected to the BOP Board of Directors?? To run for a position, all you have to do is show up to our annual meeting and be nominated, either by yourself or another attendee! Don't forget to bring friends to support and vote for you! The following positions will be elected:

-Co-Chair (two-year term)
-Treasurer (two-year term)
-Eight At-Large Directors (one-year term)

The BOP Board of Directors is a working board, rather than a governing board. As a BOP board member, you would:

- Attend monthly board meetings.
- Expect approximately 2 hours of involvement a week, plus committee and special project work.
- Help to shape BOP's strategic direction and planning for the upcoming year.
- Participate in BOP events such as BECAUSE, Twin Cities Pride, and Celebrate Bisexuality Day, as well as table at events and conferences.
- Provide organizational trainings about the bi+ community
- Make strategic planning decisions in cooperation with the rest of the board.
- Support BOP's goals and programming.
- Be a visible ambassador for BOP at events sponsored by other LGBTQ+ organizations.

Interested in a leadership role with BOP, but want to know more? Attend our "Annual Meeting 101: How to be a Director or Volunteer" workshop, on Sunday before the Annual Meeting, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm in the Fireside Room. 

This workshop will explore what it means to be on the Bisexual Organizing Project Board of Directors, what will take place at BOP’s Annual Meeting, and other ways to get involved with BOP! We will cover Board positions, terms, and responsibilities, and basic governance, as well as time commitments and expectations. Current and past board members will join us to share their experiences and answer questions. We will walk participants through what happens at the Annual Meeting, and how BOP’s elections work. Attendees will also learn about other volunteer opportunities and committee positions.