Biphobia in Media: 3 Awkward Characters and 5 We Love

Written by Megan Plumtree, Amy Lambert, & Barbara Bordalejo

Every year on September 23, we celebrate Bi Visibility Day. And every year, it’s worth repeating: bisexuality is real & valid. That shouldn’t be a radical statement, but the way media handles bisexuality can make it hard to see.

Bisexual characters (if they exist) are often written as a punchline, a phase, or a scandal. If they’re not erased completely, they’re framed as villains, cheaters, or people who are "confused.” It might seem harmless, but these storylines don’t just stay on screen. They set the tone for how bisexual people are treated in the real world.

In healthcare, that looks like doctors assuming your partner’s gender tells them everything they need to know about your risk factors. It looks like bisexual patients being dismissed, patronized, or erased entirely when they talk about their identity. And it means worse care, higher barriers, and more isolation.

Representation matters because it shapes what people believe. When bisexuality is invisible or treated like a joke in media, it reinforces the idea that bisexuality is invisible or a joke in life. And when representation is good? It’s affirming, it’s joyful, and it reminds us that bisexual people deserve to be taken seriously — in relationships, in community, and in healthcare.

So in honor of Bi Visibility Day, let’s look at seven examples of bisexuality in media: three that are downright cringe, and five that actually get it right.

Awkward

1. Ramona Flowers (Scott Pilgrim vs The World)

Ramona Flowers in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a textbook case of the male-gaze. When confronted by Roxie—her ex—Ramona brushes her off with, “it was just a phase,” a line that not only dismisses Roxie’s feelings of abandonment but also reduces their relationship to something frivolous and unserious. The implication is clear that her time with Roxie didn’t count in the same way her relationships with men did.

The film doubles down on this erasure through Scott’s reaction. Upon hearing about Ramona’s relationship with Roxie, his response “you had a sexy phase?” frames same-gender love as spectacle. In his eyes, it’s not a relationship at all but an erotic detour meant for male consumption. This positions wlw relationships as desirable precisely because they aren’t treated as valid; they’re no threat to heterosexuality, and therefore safe to fetishize.

The harm here is subtle but powerful. The film reinforces the idea that attraction to women is temporary, that relationships between women are less real, and that queerness exists only when it entertains or excites men.

2. Piper Chapman (Orange is the new Black)

Piper Chapman’s storyline in Orange Is the New Black frames bisexuality through the lens of shame, privilege, and performativity. Her obsession with being seen as the “nice, straight, blonde girl” often leads her to invalidate or ignore the needs and feelings of the people around her, especially women she is romantically involved with. Her tendency to prioritize her own comfort over genuine connection makes her relationships fraught and frequently toxic, reinforcing stereotypes that bisexual or fluid women are unreliable or self-serving.

Piper underscores how internalized homophobia and societal stigma can distort personal growth. Her fear of being labeled or judged keeps her from fully embracing her sexuality, leading to emotional repression, dishonesty, and repeated hurtful behavior. This not only damages the people in her orbit but also models a harmful narrative for viewers: that queer women’s identities are inherently conflicted, experimental, or secondary to heteronormative expectations.

While not every bisexual character needs to be flawless, likable, or have perfect relationships, the repeated prevalence of messy, chaotic, or unfaithful bi characters contributes to a broader narrative that reinforces stigma—portraying bisexuality as inherently conflicted, unstable, or secondary to heteronormative expectations.

3. Todd (Scrubs)

Todd from Scrubs is one the only characters in the series coded as bisexual, but his queerness is consistently portrayed through sleaziness, crude jokes, and a disregard for consent. The problem isn’t that Todd is hypersexual—there’s nothing inherently wrong with a character who enjoys sex, or who is open to partners across gender. The problem is that his sexuality is never separated from his predatory behavior, leaving audiences with the impression that queerness itself is creepy, unserious, or wrong.

He objectifies people indiscriminately—commenting on bodies without consent, reducing attraction to a punchline, and treating bisexuality as the reason for his lack of boundaries. Even when the show hints at his fluidity or possible polyamory, it’s played as absurd, as if queerness itself is inherently laughable.

Instead of offering meaningful representation, Todd reinforces the stereotype that bisexual or pansexual people are indiscriminate, sleazy, and untrustworthy. While his catchphrases and antics are meant to be comic relief, they end up attaching queerness to violation and consent issues, leaving little room for viewers to see bisexuality as valid, healthy, or serious.

Love

1. David Rose (Schitt's Creek)

David Rose gave us one of television’s sharpest, funniest, and most casually affirming explanations of bisexuality. The wine scene in Schitt’s Creek remains a masterclass in how to talk about sexuality with humor, clarity, and respect for complexity. Framing desire through wine, David explains that he drinks red, he drinks white, he’s sampled rosé, and even once tried a Merlot that used to be a Chardonnay—a playful but pointed reminder that bisexuality naturally includes attraction to trans and genderfluid people.

What makes this moment even more powerful is how it lands in the broader world of Schitt’s Creek. Nobody in this small hick town bats an eye at David’s sexuality. There’s no tired love triangle subplot, no casual biphobia played for laughs, no storyline hinging on his orientation as a problem to overcome. Instead, the show lets him exist in full humanity: complicated, dramatic, witty, and deeply loved. His relationships are treated with the same weight and normalcy as anyone else’s. As someone who grew up queer in a small town, the thought that this could be a reality fills me with hope.

That quiet refusal to center stigma is what makes the representation radical. Rather than spotlighting struggle, Schitt’s Creek imagined a community where queerness is unremarkable, where queerness doesn’t need justification or defense. Dan Levy has spoken about this choice, explaining that he wanted to create a world defined by acceptance: “I learn through experience, and presenting complete tolerance and acceptance across the board is the only scenario that should be existing right now.” It’s a vision that entertains, but also actively reshapes what audiences can expect of queer representation.

2. Paul Baker (Adults)

Paul Baker is one of our favourite new 'sexually fluid' characters to hit the screen in 2025. Adults provides us a look into the beautiful young lives of five roommates exploring friendship, careers, and love. There are many moments of hilarity that involve Paul Baker's sexuality, but none that ever make fun of him. It is refreshing to see bi representation where the character is fully realized, and their sexuality is an aspect of their character. Paul Baker is not focused on exploring his sexuality or consistently explaining it, but is fully affirmed in his sexuality as he navigates all of the complex, fun, and new realities of being in his 20s.

We hope Adults is renewed for Season 2 so we can see more of him, and the rest of the friends that made this TV show the hit it was. Not only is Paul Baker is a bi-con, but we see the reality of the sexuality spectrum explored via glances into other characters' lives. Many of the characters either express or experience some level of sexual fluidity, reflecting the vastness of the spectrum.

3. Oberyn Martell (Game of Thrones)

Oberyn’s bisexuality is portrayed unapologetically and without shame. He moves between relationships with men and women openly, and while the show does play on his sensuality, it never turns him into a joke or a cautionary tale. His character challenges the stereotype that bisexuality is just a phase or confusion: it’s a clear part of who he is, integrated into his life, politics, and identity.

4. Viktor Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy)

Viktor is one of my favourite characters because his bisexuality is treated with so much compassion. His relationships with both men and women are given real space and dignity. What makes it stand out is how it resists the trope that bisexuality is inherently unstable or duplicitous. Instead, Viktor is a complex, vulnerable person, and his queerness is simply woven into his journey, not a source of shame or spectacle.

Adam Groff & Ola Nyman (Sex Education)

Sex Education is one of the few shows that actually explores bisexuality in a multi-layered way. Adam struggles with internalized shame and homophobia, and his eventual embrace of his attraction to both men and women feels like a direct challenge to the stereotype that bisexual men don’t exist or are just “gay in denial.” Ola, meanwhile, is open and affirming about her bisexuality from the start. Together, their stories push back against the idea that bisexuality is invisible or confused.

Representation and entertainment are inherently intertwined, and we can consume our fave (and sometimes problematic) media in critical ways. The way bisexuality shows up on screen has real consequences for how bisexual people are treated in the world — including in clinics, hospitals, and doctor’s offices. Bad portrayals reinforce stereotypes that make it harder for bisexual people to get taken seriously, whether they’re talking about their identity, their partners, or their healthcare needs.

Good representation doesn’t fix everything, but it does something powerful: it tells bisexual people that their experiences are real, valid, and worth respect. And that reminder matters — on Bi Visibility Day and every other day of the year.

If you loved this list, help us make sure bisexual and queer people in southern Alberta don’t just see themselves on screen, but also in their healthcare. Donate to Pro-Choice YQL.