You may have heard of the 2019 HBO show Euphoria, words like "controversial" and "daring" have been mentioned in more than one review. Honestly, we'd be disappointed if the hot new HBO show was missing that edgier element. However, I also found the show incredibly relatable.
The problem of representation is always about walking a fine line. Most people aren't perfect, yet many shows interpret positive representation as showing underrepresented groups as flawless humans. I love media that show the "messy" bis. It is challenging, but so much more relatable to see bi characters that are not perfect. It is in fact possible to show flawed bi people whose flaws are not symptoms of their bisexuality. So of course, I had to check out this show full of messy bis.
Euphoria is a teen drama that follows Rue (Zendaya) and her peers as they navigate love, sex, sexuality, trauma, addiction, friendship, and of course High School in a fictional small town in Southern California. It also features a great soundtrack, beautiful cinematography, and possibly more beautiful people.
From here on out there will be SPOILERS. Also, if you are unfamiliar with how the Unicorn Scale works, here's a quick refresher.
What I Liked:
I truly loved this show from beginning to end.
There are lots of intersections that this show touches on in relation to our sexuality and how we define ourselves through it. The exploration of our sexuality is portrayed as simply another aspect of identity and not the only element. I loved how it explored many of the problems that everyone has with their bodies, sexuality, sexual agency, romantic lives, and well... sex.
On top of that, this show has at least 4 bi characters, including the main character. Two of them, Rue and Jules (Hunter Schafer) are fairly positive portrayals of bisexuality.
Rue’s sexuality seems to be unexplored but fluid, she is clearly interested in men, women, and everyone else. Rue’s bisexuality is not shown as the cause or causing her drug addiction, it is simply another facet of who she is. Rue seems at ease without confusion over her attraction to Jules. Her nerves seem limited to the normal anxieties we all feel for our first love. Rue accepts her sexuality without much drama or much questioning.
Jules is a trans woman who is attracted to men and women, although the way she relates to men is often seen as toxic and harmful. She even notes that her attractions aren’t heteronormative and she describes her pursuit of femininity as more of a video game where she levels up to challenge people’s minds when it comes to gender.
In my opinion, Jules is one of the most positive trans and queer representations I have seen, she has come to accept herself just the way she is, even if others may see her as messy. She is open to whatever experience brings her closer to discovering who she is.
While I am a very adamant supporter of using the bi label to create visibility as well as normalization, I enjoyed that the show gave the characters space to develop their sexuality without trying to define or label their sexuality nor their relationship. At some point, Jules even tells Rue that she is in love with her and another girl in the city. Because not all, but some bis are poly, too.
What I Didn’t Like:
Even though there are many representations of bi characters, and I enjoyed the space they had to explore, not a single character managed to call themselves bi. However, there is a conversation in which Nate's sexuality is being discussed and someone explains how some people aren’t 100% straight or gay and that sexuality is a spectrum, explicitly stating that bi people do exist. So I am not going to judge this one too harshly.
The bi men of the show have a much harder time than the women. Although men definitely face different challenges when coming out as bi, there is a lack of sane bi men.
Nate (Jacob Elordi) clearly has anger issues that make him act aggressively and quite frankly psychopathic with other people. After meeting Jules through an app for casual sex, he realizes he is attracted to her. However, he goes on to blackmail Jules to hide his sexuality. He is unable to accept that part of himself and struggles when rumors of his sexuality are revealed.
Nate’s dad, Cal (Eric Dane), doesn't do any better. He keeps his sexuality a secret and cheats on his wife with minors. He cares deeply about how others in society perceive him and his family and is unwilling to fully embrace his sexuality as well. Instead, he creates a toxic web of lies.
Both of these characters are a clear example of what toxic masculinity does to men, especially bi men, trapping them in a not-so-fun narrative that again affects everyone around them. However, they also feed into almost every negative stereotype about bisexuality. They lie, cheat, manipulate, and are incapable of honesty with themselves or others.
The Rating:
While the content of the show isn’t quite entirely positive, that isn't necessary. Plenty of straight people aren't perfect and that doesn't mean they shouldn't be represented in the media. It is great to see a show with messy characters like Rue who are not messy because of their sexuality.
Overall, I think there is a good juxtaposition when it comes to demonstrating what some bi people might look like, with different worries, struggles, complexities, and good qualities in their characters. To me, this show represents the diversity of us sexually fluid people in both a positive and negative way, something that is as real as the world in which we live.
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