This past week, The Bi Life premiered on E! — a new dating show that is just for people who identify as bisexual.
A bisexual if you weren’t sure is defined by the Merriam Webster as “relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to members of both sexes.”
The contestants live in a Barcelona villa and much like how the Bachelor and/or the Bachelorette operates, goes on dates with others from outside the group.
“That support network in the house meant that there was such a strong bond and it was really quite magical,” says host Courtney Act.
Courtney is best known as a winner of Celebrity Big Brother 2018 as well as a contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
“It was such a fun experience to see them not having to answer to the traditional tropes and misconceptions of bi people.” she continued on.
And after the show’s premiere this past Thursday in the UK, the show has received good reviews from bisexual people.
“I was worried it was going to perpetuate the stereotypes that bisexual people are promiscuous, that we’re unfaithful, that we’re just in it for sex,” says Lois Shearing, who runs NetworkBi — an online bisexual support form.
Shearing says she is a fan of Michael — a man who went on his first date ever during the opening episode of The Bi Life.
She also shares how the show is “fantastic” at displaying diversity in the bisexual experience.
“I really liked how Michael’s character was displayed alongside characters like Daisy who are really confident in themselves and their sexuality,” says Lois.
“I think it really showed the range of experiences that bisexual people have.”
But Courtney wants the show to appeal to heterosexual viewers as well, not just the LGBT community.
“For straight people watching the show, they’ll still see straight people going on dates. They’ll see one bisexual person and one straight person going on dates,” she informed Newsbeat.
“It’s a common misunderstanding, that when a bisexual person is dating someone of the opposite sex that they are now straight, or if they are dating someone of the same sex they are now gay. The truth is that bisexual people remain bisexual regardless of who they’re dating, having sex with or are married to.”
Like many TV shows that involve dating — the intention is for the viewer to have a good time watching the fun experience play out — with the Bi Life as no exception.
And while Courtney believes LGBT representation is important on mainstream TV — she also goes on to say just how important of a role it plays in the midst of a mounting right-wing political environment.
“Historically, we always see three steps forward, one step back. Maybe this is two steps back, but there’s such an insurgence from minorities,” she shares. “There are gay people in every community, there are bi people in every community and they can come together with a bit of strength. It is more important than ever that young kids growing up in the face of all of this negativity see this.”
I can get behind that!
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