May was packed with bi pop culture moments — from celebrities coming out and speaking candidly about bisexuality, to reality TV drama, fresh releases, and plenty of joy, visibility, and yes, lingering biphobia along the way. Here’s the bi pop goss on our radar last month, in case you missed it!
The Bi Girl Reality Check on Dating Women
This month, bi singer Victoria Monét got real about the challenges of dating women during an interview on the podcast Angie Martinez IRL. She explained that she’s looking for masculine energy in a partner, but that “Girls, they don’t really approach me seriously. They approach me sensually, and I would like it to be something a bit more serious”.
We often hear straight women joking about how much easier it would be if they were into women, but this is an important reminder that queer dating is so much more complex. Not only is homophobia very much alive (and often internalised, too), but it can feel overwhelming to date with no roadmap. Plus, when you’re bi, there’s the added joy of navigating biphobia from multiple directions. Welcome to the minefield…
It’s Never Too Late to Come Out
We’re also celebrating some later-in-life celebrity coming-outs, with Heroes and Bring It On star Hayden Panettiere, 36, opening up about her sexuality in her new memoir, and Hocus Pocus actress Thora Birch — who is married to producer Michael Benton Adler — coming out as bi at 44. They’re not alone!
Queer timelines often look so different, thanks to the heteronormative socialisation that can take so long to unravel, especially for millennials who launched their careers during a pretty biphobic era. But it’s never too late to step into your authentic self, no matter your relationship status. Congrats to both of them!
Bi Chaos Is Entering the Castle
The UK Celebrity Traitors Season 2 line-up has officially dropped ahead of its autumn release, and, more importantly, the bi representation is looking strong. We’ve got comedian Joe Lycett and Industry actor Myha’la heading into the castle. Plus, let’s not forget that bi icon and actor Alan Cumming is already serving camp, drama, and suspicious side-eyes across the pond as the host of the The Traitors US. Bring it on.
Yes, Bi Men Exist. End of Discussion.
In the wake of Heated Rivalry fever and increasingly positive mainstream representation of bi men, we love to see Australian bi singer Sam Fischer — who has previously collaborated with fellow bicon Demi Lovato — speaking about the importance of bi representation to support his new single, “A Heart Doesn’t Hurt Itself”.
“Being bisexual is part of my identity and even though I’m in a heterosexual marriage it doesn’t make it any less a part of my identity”, he explained to Attitude magazine.
I think even within the queer community there are a lot of misunderstandings about bisexual people, especially bisexual men, and I would love to… erase the shame in others that I felt growing up about it, and I’m just extremely grateful that I’m with someone who knows and loves me for who I am.
It’s the bi pep talk we all needed today!
Labels Can Change — and That’s Ok!
Model and actress Cara Delevingne — who previously identified as pansexual — spoke about her evolving sexuality during a recent Rosalía concert, saying: “If you didn’t know this already, I’m a lesbian and my weakness used to be straight women”. She also added, “I genuinely don’t think anyone is fully straight.”
One of the biggest myths about bisexuality is that it’s a phase. For some people, it might indeed be a transitional identity, and that’s ok! It doesn’t invalidate it for the rest of us. There are also plenty of monosexual people who explore their bisexuality later in life, because sexuality can be fluid, exists on a spectrum, and we’re all on our own timelines.
Bi Kings and The Vampire Renaissance
The third instalment of the Interview with a Vampire series, The Vampire Lestat — based on Anne Rice’s cult novels — is coming soon in June and follows the canonically bi character Lestat, who has multiple relationships with men and women. But you can check out the miniseries, The Vampire Lestat: Afterdark, for a behind-the-scenes tease, out now.
The Harmful Side of Bi Representation
Yes, bi visibility on screen can be powerful, but only when handled with care, nuance, and respect. Several bi women have recently opened up about how their sexuality has been mishandled and misunderstood in the public eye — which can be a platform for biphobia at large — including all of the ways that bi women are overly sexualised, villainised, and mistrusted. Reality TV star Julia Vogl from Married at First Sight Australia spoke to Glamour about how her bisexuality was weaponised during her time on the show, where she felt like her identity had been flattened into a storyline. Plus, Belgian pop star Angèle reflected in The Times on the trauma of being publicly outed as bisexual in 2019.
And that’s a wrap on all the bi pop goss, until next time!