Dad praised by LGBT+ community after building a 'bi-chair'
Design can now be purchased on Etsy
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Your support makes all the difference.A dad has been praised online by members of the LGBT+ community after he built a ‘Bi-Chair’ for his bisexual daughter.
Last month, a Brazilian artist called Ma Matiazi shared a drawing of a “Bi-Chair” on Instagram which was designed specifically for people “who can’t sit straight”.
The chair, which features arm rests at different heights and space for people to fold their legs, is a playful reference to an Internet meme about bisexual people who contort themselves while sitting.
The stereotype, largely created within the LGBT+ community itself, has become a harmless way for people to poke fun at each other.
After the post went viral, Israel Walker, a barista living in Iowa, reached out to Miatiazi for permission to construct the chair for real after his daughter, who identifies as “bisexual gender****”, found it amusing.
Sharing his creation on Facebook, Walker wrote: “My daughter (who identifies as bisexual genderf**k) thinks that her and other LGBTQ+ folks inability to sit 'normally' is hilarious.
“So I asked Ma if I could make my own rough style of Bi-Chair and she said yes! So behold in all its glory: the Bi-chair.”
Walker’s post has since garnered more than 2.7k likes and received hundreds of comments from people who are loving the chair.
“You are an awesome parent,” one person commented.
Another wrote: “If you build a bunch of them, I'm telling you, we bisexuals will throw our money at you.”
Matiazi says she has been shocked by the positive reaction her design has received.
“I was already amazed by the fact people were spreading my sketch so intensely around the world,” the artist told Pink News.
“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!”
Following the encouraging response, Walker went on to create a second version of the chair in collaboration with Matiazi.
The “Bi-Chair MK 2” is a more simplistic design that features a foot rest and arm rests at different heights and enables sitters to perch in a variety of positions.
Walker has even set up an Etsy shop where people can purchase the original "Bi-Chair" for £85.86 and the second version for £103.03.
Alternatively, Walker says he is happy to provide customers with the plans for free so that they can make it for themselves.
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