It was never a phase for these bi-cons!
Gender is fluid, and so is the journey to understanding your sexual orientation. It can take years, maybe even decades for people to know who they are, who they like and how they want to identify—and there’s no harm in that! But the last thing we need in 2023 is to deny the existence and legitimacy of certain labels and communities. So in case you need a cold hard reminder: trans men are men, trans women are women and those who identify as bi are valid. So we bring you a couple of bi-cons to remind you that hey, bisexual people exist.
Michelle Dee
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With great power, such as the opportunity to push for advocacies and represent the country in one of the biggest beauty pageants in the world, comes great responsibility. And perhaps an even greater interest in her personal life. Since Michelle Dee’s coronation as Miss Universe Philippines, netizens unearthed photos from her high school days. You know, those nene pics taken with multiple filters and four-frame grids? Back then, she embraced a boyish aesthetic, one that she grew out of as she entered college.
But you know nosy people. So they ask and they ask, correlating her self-expression to her sexual orientation. So to take control over her narrative, Michelle Dee proudly proclaims, “I definitely identify myself as bisexual. I’ve identified with that for as long as I can remember. I’m attracted to all forms of beauty, all shapes and sizes.”
RELATED: What Is Bi-Erasure & Is It Damaging? (Spoiler: Yes)
Dove Cameron
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Dove Cameron, another bi-con, found herself embroiled in queerbaiting allegations despite all the casual hints she’s dropped about her sexuality. You know, the ones she peppered in her Instagram dumps and cryptic captions. Her 2021 song, We Belong, was immediately adapted into a bisexual anthem—until people thought she was queerbaiting with this choice. And so, she chose to come out to her fans via Instagram Live. She tells Gay Times UK, “I went on Instagram Live and said, ‘Guys, I really needed to explain something to you. Maybe I haven’t said it, but I’m super queer. This is something I want to represent through my music because it’s who I am.’”
Since then, Dove Cameron reevaluated how her art aligned with her queerness—and she’s felt better than ever. Her fanbase grew and, together, they carved a safe space for everyone to authentically be themselves.
Kit Connor
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The world fell in love with Kit Connor as he played Heartstopper’s star rugby player and fictional bi-con Nick Nelson. The British coming-of-age show received positive reception, even hailed as a great example of representation and solidarity. And hey, his allyship never ended with Heartstopper, as he and the rest of his castmates flipped off anti-LGBTQIA+ protesters during London’s Pride March. TBH, that in itself is already enough! His role as Nick gave many queer teens the on-screen validation they needed, especially in following their own pace to self-discovery and living their truth authentically.
But that same year, the actor felt the need to come out as bisexual due to the allegations that his role as Nick was just him “queerbaiting.” He said it himself: the circumstances and people who pushed him to confirm his sexuality missed the point of Heartstopper. But now that he’s out, let’s not do him a disservice and deny the fact that Kit is out and he is bisexual. If this ever changes, that’s a story that's only his to tell.
RELATED: A Letter to My Younger Self on Identifying as Bisexual
Halsey
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Even before their breakout with New Americana, Halsey has always been open about their sexuality. They’ve never shied away from saying it like it is, exploring her own woes in romance. As early as Ghost, she’s been depicted to date both men and women. Her 2017 album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom has Strangers with fellow bi-con Lauren Jauregui, focusing on female pronouns with the tumultuous single. Even in Manic’s Clementine, she sings of the boys and girls who’d call on her.
Halsey isn’t shy to be open about how they want to become a better representation of bisexual people, even actively writing in more pronouns in the lyrics she writes.
Frank Ocean
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While not many people agree with how his Coachella set turned out, we can’t deny that Frank Ocean has been a beloved queer icon—especially in the male-dominated hip-hop and R&B industry. Of course, we have him to thank for Chanel, the bi anthem where he alludes to “see both sides like Chanel.” And while Ocean spoke about loving people of the same sex in a 2012 Tumblr post, he hasn’t explicitly come out with a label. Regardless, he also speaks about the fluidity of experiences and romance—a struggle that bisexual people know all too well.
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It’s 2023, yet other members of the LGBTQIA+ community unknowingly commit to bi-erasure. A bi girl dating another girl doesn’t diminish her attraction to boys. Likewise, a bi guy’s attraction to men doesn’t end just because he’s in a relationship with a girl. It shouldn’t even be up for debate, but alas, we live in such a world that people under that label still feel the need to defend themselves to others. At least we have these bi-cons to keep our representation strong.
Art Macky Arquilla
