April Unscripted: Pride special

April Unscripted – Issue #7 (June 2026)

Hello wonders,

Happy Pride to my fellow rainbow community and to our allies!

Quick reminder: I’m not a medical expert. That said, I’ve been doing some research on this month’s topic, so there’s a bit more substance here than me simply gushing about the LGBTQ+ family.

Bear with me, because the first half may read a little negatively. But I found some comfort in it all. I actually don’t mind being a statistic (within reason). It helps me compartmentalise things, and it genuinely makes me feel less alone.

Putting the ‘B’ in LGBTQ+

First things first: I’m bisexual. I didn’t have to research that one, it’s been a fact for most of my life. For anyone who doesn’t know what that means, I’m attracted to both men and women. And for me, it really is down the middle, I don’t favour either side.

Where appropriate, I like to call those of us who are bisexual and bipolar the Mighty Bi-Bi’s.

In many ways, it was more uncomfortable “coming out” as bipolar. It’s less well known, or certainly it was back in 2018. It comes with a lot more small print than bisexuality, and we don’t even have a flag (we should absolutely have a flag!).

Survey says

So, here are my findings:

1. In UK population data, about 1–2% of adults screen positive for bipolar in large national surveys. It is most common in younger working-age adults (roughly 25–44). It is strongly associated with higher rates of unemployment, debt stress, and physical comorbidity.
2. Around 3–4% of UK adults identify as LGB, with bisexual people making up a large and growing proportion. Among younger groups (16–24), bisexual identity is now more common than gay or lesbian identity. In some UK datasets, over half of LGB young women identify as bisexual.
3. Bipolar is associated with one of the highest suicide risks of any mental health condition. Research also shows that bisexual people experience disproportionately high rates of self-harm and suicide compared with both heterosexual people and other sexual minority groups.
4. The Bi-Bi’s are also more likely to experience drug and/or alcohol issues.
5. The WHO, through Global Burden of Disease estimates, identifies bipolar as a major contributor to global disability, particularly in working-age populations, driven largely by years lived with disability.

Research also shows that structural stigma is linked to poorer health outcomes and higher mortality among sexual minority populations, with some studies estimating reduced life expectancy in high-stigma environments.

Shared experiences of stigma

Both bipolar and bisexuality are often misunderstood in very similar ways. Despite growing awareness of mental health, bipolar still carries a lot of stigma and misinformation.

Likewise, bisexual people often experience bi-erasure; the tendency to dismiss, ignore, or reinterpret bisexuality in history, media, relationships, and everyday life. These misconceptions can contribute to feelings of isolation, invisibility, and shame.

So… what is there to be proud of?

Okay April, so what is there to be proud of this Pride Month? I'm so glad you asked, thank you.

Look, I know these are complicated topics. I don’t want to invalidate anyone’s feelings or experiences. But my mission is always the same: to empower and celebrate people living with bipolar, and to fly the bi-flag as high as I can.

So listen up. No matter where you are in the world, no matter how you identify, you deserve to live your truth. You deserve to be seen. You deserve to love who you love, and be loved for exactly who you are.

Have you seen the state of the world? There are bigger fish to fry. So, if you come across someone who has a problem with who you are, remember: that says far more about them than it does about you.

There is no single way to be human

One of the things I love most about the LGBTQ+ community is that it reminds us there is no single way to be human. There’s no correctblueprint. There are countless ways to live, love, create, and build a meaningful life.

The world can be noisy. There is always another debate, another opinion, another person telling you who you should be. But your life is too precious to spend it trying to squeeze yourself into someone else’s version of acceptable.

A longer history than we’re taught

As of today, it’s legal to be queer in around 130 countries worldwide, while dozens of others still criminalise LGBTQ+ identities. But even where acceptance is limited, community exists. It always has.

Being queer is not a modern trend or a recent invention. LGBTQ+ people have existed throughout history, across cultures, continents, and centuries. Same-sex relationships were documented in ancient Rome, and the word “bisexual” first appeared in the late nineteenth century.

What gives me comfort is knowing that, wherever you are reading this from, you are part of a story much bigger than yourself. Others came before us, others will come after us, and together we’ve always found ways to connect, support one another, and keep moving forward.

You’re not alone

So, if you’re feeling alone this Pride Month, please remember: your people are out there. In fact, they’ve probably been waiting for you all along.

And if you're reading this and are straight, don't worry, this isn't one of those articles where I try to recruit you... unless that's why you're here. In which case, hello. Happy Pride! Let’s go dancing!

Lots of love,

April x