“Nobody is actually bisexual.” “Bisexual people are just not ready to accept that they’re gay.” “People are only bisexual now because it’s cool.” Unfortunately, these are real arguments that far too many bisexual people have been forced to endure.
Bisexual people are often confronted with discrimination from both members of the LGBTQ community and the heterosexual community.
We have to embrace our bisexual sisters, brothers and non-binary relatives in order to build a genuinely inclusive community. So, here are 7 of my favorite bisexual characters on TV!
1) Rosa Diaz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
This bad ass detective came out as bisexual in 2017 and all the queer girls swooned. While Rosa’s sexuality was immediately accepted by her coworkers, her family wasn’t as understanding. Both Rosa’s mother and father insisted that her bisexuality wasn’t real and that she’d end up married to a man in the end. Despite loving their child deeply, Rosa’s parents couldn’t understand the concept of choosing to be with a woman if you could be with a man.
2) Rich Dotcom, Blindspot
The TV show Blindspot is quickly becoming one of my favorites (and it’s not just because I find Jaimie Lauren Alexander stunningly beautiful.) The plot is riveting, the characters are diverse and sexual orientation isn’t seen as a big deal. This is most noticeable in the portrayal of Rich Dotcom, a notorious criminal, who is openly attracted to both men and women. When he’s not hitting on Jane Doe, Alexander’s character, he’s flirting with FBI agent Kurt Weller. Rich makes no attempt to obscure his sexual orientation and openly discusses his escapades regardless of who’s around. He’s unapologetically bisexual and I’m here for it.
3) Kat Sandoval, Madam Secretary
Sara Ramirez, who recently came out as bisexual herself, is no stranger to queer characters. She played Callie Torres on Grey’s Anatomy and now assumes the role of Kat Sandoval in Madam Secretary. Kat is a strong, openly bisexual woman who refuses to be limited by gender binaries. In fact, Ramirez says she hopes her character can “continue normalizing, strengthening, and celebrating these types of inclusive outcomes in the world.”
4) Nico Minoru, Marvel’s Runaways
Nico Minoru and her love interest (Karolina Dean) from Marvel’s Runaways are my personal favorites. Karolina’s thirst for Nico has always been palpable but Nico was initially depicted as being romantically involved with Alex Wilder, a male character. However, my gay heart was able to rejoice when Karolina locked lips with Nico and replaced Alex as her partner. [Apparently, the pair will be kissing a lot more and become “the emotional core” of season 2!]
5) Darryl Whitefeather, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Darryl Whitefield, who is 1/8 Native American and incredibly proud, doesn’t realize his sexuality until later in life. However, instead of denying his feelings for men, Darryl embraces his newfound identity. Unlike other shows that refuse to use the term bisexual, Darryl literally spends three minutes singing a song all about it. Some of the lyrics he croons are: “I like ladies and I like guys….Now some may say, “oh, you’re just gay. why don’t you just gay all the way? But that’s not it because bi’s legit!” [An honorable mention goes to another Crazy Ex-Girlfriend character (Valencia Perez), whose bisexuality was also discussed very causally and candidly.]
6) Clarke Griffin, The 100
Admittedly, I stopped watching The 100 after the horror of episode 3×07. (I will never forgive Jason Rothenberg) But I always admired Clarke’s fluid sexual orientation up until that point. She was in love with Finn and she was in love with Lexa. There was never any consideration for gender. As showrunner Jason Rothenberg said, “The characters in the show are not concerned with those things. They are only concerned with whether they are going to live and die. … Nobody ever classifies anybody, as in, ‘She’s a woman leader,’ or, ‘He’s a gay soldier.’ It’s just not in our show’s vocabulary.”
However, it’s important to note that many people criticized Rothenberg for these statements and stressed the importance of actually using the term bisexual.
7) Kat Edison, The Bold Type
Prior to meeting Adena El-Amin, Kat Edison never really felt any sexual interest in a woman. However, as their friendship blossoms, Kat starts to develop romantic feelings for her friend. The Bold Type does an excellent job of exploring Kat’s curiosity and illustrating the dynamics of queer relationships.
Happy Bi Visibility Day!
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