Why, Hollywood?
So I've been thinking (a dangerous pastime, I know).
Why does bisexuality not exist on TV? Or rather, why does it exist but no one is willing to acknowledge it?
( see me ramble )
Why does bisexuality not exist on TV? Or rather, why does it exist but no one is willing to acknowledge it?
( see me ramble )
Comments 10
Can't speak for Grey's Anatomy, but for 'Buffy' I sort of agree. I think it was really just the fear that they would be perceived as homophobic if Willow "went back" to men after Tara, especially after the violent way that relationship ended -- it's either retcon her as 100% lesbian, or risk looking like Willow/Tara was just a phase and she was really still into guys. Neither option is very good. I mean, I'm sure there was a legitimate way to write her as bisexual without it reading like "fake gay", but it wasn't on their radar. :-/
Edit: Which, obviously, is the whole problem -- because everyone must be straight or gay with no spectrum in between, if the character's not full-tilt gay she must be actually straight, or something.
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I agree that's why. And I can understand that. And it's not like it's entirely unrealistic for someone who's bisexual to have so many same sex partners in a row that they seem homosexual. It's just that no one addresses the back and forth. At least on the shows I watch. TV characters aren't ever allowed to 'switch' more than once. That's more of an industry wide problem than a problem with either show I mentioned ( ... )
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I guess I just don't see Willow the same way. When I look at her relationship with Oz, and I look at her relationship with Tara, I don't see a great difference in the emotions involved. Her relationship with Tara doesn't feel any deeper or more meaningful to me. I don't see anything missing in her relationship with Oz, nor does Willow ever say or imply, that I can remember, that she felt something missing, even after she starts seeing women. In fact, doesn't she tell Oz, after she's realized her feelings for Tara are more than friends, that part of her will always be waiting for him?
And god, 13 on House. Grr. We see her with women when she's emotionally spiraling and falling apart, but of course it's a man she really needs! I actually really wanted her to stay with the one female patient she was involved with. They were cute.
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And I can see the Willow situation from both sides. She never does say out-right that her relationship(s) with men were lacking anything nor does she ever say that her relationship(s) with women were more intense. That's just how I read it.
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As far as Inara is concerned, I honestly just think she was more open when it came to her own sexuality. I don't think she was bisexual but I think she saw sexuality in a different way than we do, thanks to her profession. And I'm fairly sure the councilor was gay but I could be wrong about that.
Torchwood is my go-to show for sexually ambiguous characters and the one I most relate to. Every single original main cast member had some kind of sexual interaction with the same-sex and none of them used labels. (Tosh/Mary, Gwen snogged that alien, Owen and his threesome, Jack/Ianto)
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And Torchwood, as mentioned, defies labeling.
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May I also say how much i loooooove your hot sweaty sex icon? ;)
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