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The Trope of the Depraved Bisexual
An exploration and lukewarm celebration.
2018 has been a good year for bisexual visibility. We’ve got Janelle Monae and Nicole Cliffe; we have Valkyrie from Thor (though the scene confirming her bisexuality was cut), and Rosa from Brooklyn 99. Bisexual flag merchandise has been given greater prominence in Target’s Pride section this year; pansexual, a similar orientation, briefly became Merriam-Webster’s most-searched term (thank you Janelle). People are increasingly aware that bisexual people were integral to the founding of the LGBTQ rights movement, belong at Pride, experience unique oppression distinct from homophobia, and have a right to self-identify no matter who they are currently dating or who they have had sex with in the past.
Bisexual representation in media, like LGBTQ representation as a whole, appears to be at an all-time high in TV, film, and in comics. And refreshingly, some of that representation is fantastic, well-researched, and heartfelt. Take Daryl Whitefeather from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, whose character was given a full arc that involved discovering his bisexuality, coming out to family and friends, and explaining the ways in which bisexuality is distinct from being either gay or straight. If you’re bi, yourself, you’ve almost certainly heard his character’s song on the matter, “Gettin’ Bi”, but here it is for…
