Sowing seeds for our Bi+ Futures
Desiderium Gardens is a project idea born out of necessity.
Desideratum — a deep longing for something essential which is missing
Bi+ folx deserve competent mental healthcare & welcoming third spaces
Bi+ Washingtonians overwhelmingly identified mental health therapy & social programming for Bi+ folx as their most-desired services in a 2021 study
Bi+ folx face higher rates of intimate violence and poverty-- and report mental health crises, maladaptive coping techniques and self-harm at higher rates than their monosexual peers
Bi+ folx report medical discrimination when they do disclose their Bi+ identity to healthcare providers, and most report opting not disclosing their identity at all. This lack of Bi+ competent healthcare is leading to compounded social, mental, and physical health issues
There are zero Bi+ community centers in the world, and <1% of all LGBTQ+ foundational funding goes to Bi+ specific services
The Bi+ community is larger than previously understood, and WA has a higher LGBTQ+ population than any other state:
16.24% of adults in WA are LGTBQ+
Bi+ folx comprise 65.1% of all LGBTQ+ folx
In the four counties Desiderium Gardens will initially serve, ~58,000 people could be Bi+
Younger generations increasingly identify as Bi+, and women of color and Trans* folx currently identify as Bi+ at higher rates than do identify as monosexual
Growing a nurturing space for Bi+ folx
Bi+ folx living in Thurston, Mason, Lewis & Grays Harbor counties can use the therapy garden with their therapist. Therapists pay to rent the space like they would to rent office space. Clients can choose to garden or just enjoy the outdoor space. A small greenhouse is on-site in case of bad weather.
Once open, Desiderium Gardens will be open Wed-Fri year round for therapy sessions. The garden will be closed Sat-Tues to allow for caretaking of the space, and to allow time for small private and public events which will help pay for the operating costs of the garden.
