Hey Super Friends!
Happy Bisexual Visibility Week!
In the spirit of awareness and because your very own Professor Ashley Victoria Robinson identifies as Bisexual we wanted to do a little spreading awareness of our own and provide you with a podcast playlist for you to put in your earholes this week.
First and foremost:
What is Bisexual Visibility Week?
According to GLAAD:
“Annually, from September 16-23, join GLAAD, the Bisexual Resource Center, and Still Bisexual in recognizing the bisexual+ community for Bisexual Awareness Week, culminating in Celebrate Bisexuality+ Day on September 23.
Co-founded by GLAAD, Bisexual+ Awareness Week seeks to accelerate acceptance of the bi+ (bisexual, pansexual, fluid, no label, queer, etc.) community. #BiWeek draws attention to the experiences, while also celebrating the resiliency of, the bisexual+ community.
Throughout #BiWeek, allies and bi+ people learn about the history, culture, community, and current policy priorities of bi+ communities.”
In case you have only been made aware of #BiWeek from Ashley’s recent Instagram post now you’re all caught up!
Now is the time to take our your podcatcher of choice - or simply follow the videos below! - and open your mind to just how many of your favourite fictional characters there are who also identify as bisexual.
So there are the obvious Disaster Bisexuals like LOKI and CONSTANTINE and KING VALKYRIE and KITTY PRYDE
A less well known Bi Icon is Mera: Queen of Atlantis. For those playing along at home with their Justice League bingo cards Mera has actually kissed two major leaguers. 1) her husband, Arthur Curry a.k.a. Aquaman and also 2) Diana Prince a.k.a. Wonder Woman! Most of Mera’s relationship with women takes place in the DC Bombshells title which has been part of our Recommended Reading before and almost certainly will be again!
Then there is, of course, the above-mentioned and very recognizable Wonder Woman, herself. Being raised an Amazon of Themyscira Diana would have no issue with romantic entanglements between women. We dive into this part of her identity often throughout the multiple episodes we’ve ascribed to her!
Alongside Diana another early headcanon Bisexual comic book character came directly from the DC Comics Universe and has been confirmed in contemporary continuity and that is (in Jason’s opinion), Bruce Wayne’s soulmate: Selina Kyle!
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention Ashley’s beloved Timothy Jackson Drake Wayne who recently came out in his identity:
… and on the Superman Family side of the equation following closely in Tim’s footsteps was the current Superman (at the time we’re penning this Geek History Lesson Blog), Jon Kent! Jon’s sexuality (and his growth into it), is a focal point of Tom Taylor’s current Superman run.
In the world of the Avengers we have professionally successful disaster bisexual, Tony Stark! If you’re sitting at home screaming that this is not the case I’d encourage you to double check how often there are men and women sleeping in a bed Iron Man often finds himself slipping out of to save the world. We’re claiming him!
Illyana Rasputiina has dated Kitty Pryde (mentioned above!), and is a character who has often come under fire for her oversexualized presentation. Even though the relationship didn’t last, she proved a wonderful partner for Kitty. Maybe it’s a lazy pairing being in the 616 we think of Kitty and Piotr Rasputin as being coupled up, but we have always liked it.
There are a whole bunch of other bisexual X-Men including Mystique, arguably the entire Summers clan (read House of X/Powers of X for the fun triad Jean Grey/Scott Summers/Logan has evolved into over the decades …).
Another popular couple where both character identify as Bisexula is HarlIvy!
That being Harley Quinn:
… and Poison Ivy!
When we had Harley Quinn: the Animated Series showrunner, Patrick Schumacker, he spoke passionately about the HarlIvy relationship and how it was always the cornerstone of the show.
Turning our gaze to the cosmic realm the new leader of The Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill, identifies as Bi. Aaaand, if you’re going to be romantically involved with aliens and intergalactic beings then falling under the queer umbrella should startle not a single soul.
Now this list is nowhere near complete or total. We hope you find it as celebratory as you mean it. Seeing ourselves reflected in the genres and amongst the characters we love the most is something we’re passionate about. Happy #BiWeek!
header image courtesy of GLAAD