Israel Walker’s non binary bisexual daughter models the “bi-chair” (Facebook/Israel Walker)
Not sitting properly is bisexual culture, according to the internet, and the good news is that there’s a chair tailor-made for those who don’t sit straight.
You see, sitting flat on a chair, both feet on the ground, is a heterosexual custom that bi folk are resisting by half sitting, draping their legs over armchairs, and pushing their chins to their chest.
Or some go more of a spread-eagle set up, at least, bi people online claim.
But after a design doodled by Brazilian artist Má Matiazi went viral on Instagram, a father of a bisexual non-binary person took it upon himself to use it as the basis to build a fully-purposed “bi-chair”.
Israel Walker, a barista from Iowa in the midwest of the US, learned about bisexual sitting from his bisexual non-binary child and their pals.
He quickly reached out to Matiazi to ask if he could build a jerry-built version of her design. Matiazi gave it her blessing, according to a Facebook post written by Walker.
Bisexual chair: “You know you’re bi when that looks comfy.”
Both the design and Walker’s demo version are perfect for those unable to sit upright with their feet on the floor. Walker and his child even modelled it for Facebook.
His version has shorter, unfinished arms and a cutout section with a footrest replacing the two-tiered slope on the left side.
And it’s safe to say the LGBTQ+ Facebook community are loving the bisexual chair.
“You know you’re bi when that [chair] looks comfy,” said one user.
Another added: “Where can I buy this? Asking for me.”
“I can’t believe I actually do sit like this,” said Sarah Lawson*. She felt like the chair spoke to a side of her she didn’t even realise, considering she only came out as bisexual two weeks ago.
She told PinkNews that she “would definitely sit in the chair”.
Moreover, Walker confirmed on a Facebook comment that he is building a second version of the chair. He and Matiazi have “worked out something” and that he is “blown away” by the response.
Chair designer: “This went really far!’
Matiazi was amazed by the reaction her design has received. She told PinkNews: “The chair idea was just a joke. The concept is very simple: a ridiculous orthopaedic chair for anyone who sits like a bisexual (that’s another joke).
“It’s a joke inside another joke, and I thought it would be humour for some very specific members of the public.”
She added: “I was already amazed by the fact people were spreading my sketch so intensely around the world.
“To see it being in material life and really seated by a beautiful bisexual young person, wow, I thought ‘gosh, this went really far!’ And very far in all meanings, geographically, too!
Matiazi confirmed a miniature chair is in the works – she’s got the 3-D model at the ready.
But having the chair manufactured? “I wish I had a real-life-sized, I’d love to sit in one myself, but if I’m going to open a factory? No.
“But if Israel wants to, I’m all supportive!”
*Identities have been anonymised.