We’ve just wrapped up #BiWeek2021, a week where we recognize and celebrate the bisexual+ community. Bisexuals make up a little more than half of the queer community, yet are often dismissed and mocked by queer AND straight folks alike. Bisexuals also face a higher rate of anxiety and depression, as well as struggles with substance abuse. As the years go on, bisexuality has become more accepted, with more prominent people coming out of the closet and and younger generations increasingly identifying on the bi+ spectrum.
Naturally, this growing acceptance goes hand in hand with increased positive and nuanced portrayals of bi+ characters on our screens. We all know that representation matters, and for so many of us, our own self-identifying journey began when we saw our own sexuality reflected back to us onscreen. The bisexual+ community is wildly diverse and multifaceted, and we’re just now getting the representation we deserve. Here’s a rundown of some of our favorite bisexual characters.
Chelsea Steiner:
Few franchises have a wider, more global reach than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while the MCU largely shies away from sex and sexuality in general, they’ve often punted on opportunities for bi inclusion (Valkyrie, anyone?). But Disney+ series Loki made a point to acknowledge canon bisexual Asgardian Loki Laufeyson (Tom Hiddleston) in an exchange with his fellow variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino). It was a moment that fans had long waited for, and it didn’t disappoint.
Bisexual showrunner Kate Herron fought for the scene, tweeting “From the moment I joined @LokiOfficial it was very important to me, and my goal, to acknowledge Loki was bisexual. It is a part of who he is and who I am too. I know this is a small step but I’m happy, and heart is so full, to say that this is now Canon in #mcu #Loki 💗💜💙”
From the moment I joined @LokiOfficial it was very important to me, and my goal, to acknowledge Loki was bisexual. It is a part of who he is and who I am too. I know this is a small step but I’m happy, and heart is so full, to say that this is now Canon in #mcu #Loki 💗💜💙 pic.twitter.com/lz3KJbewx8
— Kate “I am the Lizard Queen” Herron (@iamkateherron) June 23, 2021
The episode inspired a rush of fan art and the fullscale meltdown of bi social media. And while the scene was brief, it still transformed the subtextual into canon. And what’s more, it gave us something to cheer about in what has been another rough year. And the series commitment to bisexual lighting? *Chef’s kiss.
And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t include beloved bisexual Darryl Whitefeather (Pete Gardner) from Crazy Ex Girlfriend on this list. Darryl and fellow bisexuals Maya (Esther Povitsky) and Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz) made CXG one of the most bi-inclusive and celebratory shows ever. Not to mention it gave us our very own theme song:
Rachel Leishman:
When thinking of bisexual characters, my mind instantly goes to the bisexual prince of my dreams himself: Oberyn Martell. Played by Pedro Pascal on Game of Thrones, Oberyn was a lover and a fighter and a perfect example of what a man who wanted to express himself and his love was and I miss him every day.
Briana Lawrence:
Picking a favorite bisexual character is hard as I am always looking for characters who represent me. I’m happy that my list is getting longer, which means that instead of picking an all-time favorite (a cop out, I know) I’m gonna pick a recent addition: Zagreus from Hades (though I’m honestly of the mindset that everyone in Hades is queer in some way, shape, or form).
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
What’s nice about Hades is that the game just casually has queer representation there throughout the course of the story. Since we’re playing as Zagreus, we get to work on establishing different relationships, and as we do we discover more intimate details about the people around us – and we start being able to create bonds of our own. Zagreus is able to work things out with his ex-girlfriend, Megaera, but he’s also able to be in a relationship with Thanatos (the personification of death).
Not only was I surprised that you could have a male or female love interest, I was surprised that you could have BOTH! At the SAME TIME! You can be in a polygamous relationship and BOTH of your love interests are more then okay with it, as they get along with each other as well.
I adore that as the relationships progress, Zagreus will ask advice from the other gods (or the other gods will bring up the fact that he’s getting closer to one or the other or both). It’s surprisingly wholesome in a game where you always end up dying in the end. I also adore that not every bond he establishes ends in romance (ie: Dusa just wants to be friends) so you get queer characters in platonic and romantic situations. So yeah, Zagreus is my pick at the moment.
Alyssa Shotwell:
I think Fleabag would have been a lot happier if she pursued more women because all the men in her like are trash and/or unavailable. She isn’t perfect (stares at camera), but I want her to be happy and the longer I write this post the more I want to go back and re-watch all two perfect seasons.
Who are some of your favorite bisexual characters? Let us know in the comments!
(image: Disney+)
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