I am Stiles: A Campaign for Bi Visibility in Teen

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[stilescampaign]

So Close

I realize things have been a bit quiet around these parts lately, but I feel like tonight’s episode is reason enough to warrant a discussion, so -

Brett!

Love him or hate him, there’s no question that as of tonight’s episode he’s being shown as at least being ~flexible~ in his orientation. 

First Caitlin, now Brett, and last week Stiles even joked with his father about dating women or men. But the B word (or P word) has yet to be uttered on Teen Wolf.

I find myself both pleased at some semblance of representation, but also frustrated - both at the glacial pace with which things progress, and the inability to use a simple word. 

We’re here… we’re queer… we won’t sprout poisonous spikes if you use our terminology on national television.

What are your feelings?

[theladyandthewolves]

While I feel the same frustration/rage/wtf-it’s-not-that-hard-to-say-the-word feeling, Teen Wolf never uses the words gay or lesbian either, they just show people with different sexual/romantic orientations nbd. It doesn’t feel like active erasure, not willingly ignoring the existence of bisexuality. 

I think it’s linked to the idea that Jeff Davis designed his world without homophobia, so by his logic I guess no hate means no need for positive labels? Teen Wolf is all about showing not telling, and damn tonight’s episode showed a lot, with Brett, Corey, Lucas, Mason, they’re characters who happens to be queer but it’s not all that they are, and it’s not a plot device.

I wish too they’d say the word bisexual on tv, be clear about it, let it sink into people’s mind, but the case of TW doesn’t make me as mad as OITNB and its clear erasure. Or all the other shows that don’t even try.

[codychristian]

So is this club mixed?

[stilescampaign]

So Close

I realize things have been a bit quiet around these parts lately, but I feel like tonight’s episode is reason enough to warrant a discussion, so -

Brett!

Love him or hate him, there’s no question that as of tonight’s episode he’s being shown as at least being ~flexible~ in his orientation. 

First Caitlin, now Brett, and last week Stiles even joked with his father about dating women or men. But the B word (or P word) has yet to be uttered on Teen Wolf.

I find myself both pleased at some semblance of representation, but also frustrated - both at the glacial pace with which things progress, and the inability to use a simple word. 

We’re here... we’re queer... we won’t sprout poisonous spikes if you use our terminology on national television.

What are your feelings?

[stilescampaign]

15 minutes a day late with starbucks ice cream cake

Happy Belated Bisexual Visibility Day!

It has hereby been decreed that you all get cake (no death). The line forms to the right.

[starmorgs]

HE’S FINALLY HERE!!!!

A few months ago I won the “I am Stiles” giveaway and now am the proud caretaker of a beautiful plushie made by @metakate. I CAN’T THANK HER ENOUGH!!!

[stilescampaign]

GLAAD Report on Television 2013

A while back, GLAAD put out their yearly report of "Where We Are on TV," this one focusing on the 13-14 television season.

It's not as though viewers like you or I needed evidence of the light years we still need to come in representation, but in case you're like me and enjoy research and pretty charts, I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

The above chart refers only to "Series Regular" characters, but the percentage is hard to swallow in and of itself.

They dive a bit deeper into the break-down, though this next chart is for all characters announced, not just regulars. So the number overall is larger, but don't be deceived - the percentage is likely the same or even smaller.

Even so, in the breakdown, our 21% (10 characters) to the 76% (35) Lesbian or Gay characters, while an increase from last year's 18%, is still dismally low. 

They report that there were an additional 42 LGBT series regular characters on cable television (pg. 3), with the following breakdown:

When it comes to sexual orientation, this year there is far less diversity among LGBT regular and recurring scripted characters on cable television than on broadcast. Gay men still represent the majority of LGBT characters on cable at 53%, while lesbians make up less than half as much at 24%. Bisexual women make up 15% of LGBT characters on cable and bisexual men make up 6%. (pg. 7)

And people still wonder why we're clamoring for representation.

(link originally found via bi-privilege)

[weregays]

stiles stilinski + liking boys

[stilescampaign]

I've been swamped the last few weeks, so no Monday Meta today, but let's take a moment to appreciate visuals of all of those Queer Stiles moments.

[stilescampaign]

Kira and Malia

As a pansexual who usually tells people she’s a lesbian just cause it’s easier, that scene with Kira and Malia should make me be all “Awww, yeah, representation!” according to some people. The problem is, that wasn’t anything new we’ve seen.

That was male gaze lesbians, a la Kate Perry’s “I kissed a girl” and a shit ton of other portrayals of lesbians or bisexual ladies with other ladies that was for dudes to look at and go “hot!” In that same episode, after all, we got Malia making out with Stiles when their pack is being tortured, Breaden going out of her way to suddenly act like she cares about Scott and “his girlfriend” not kissing before they parted, and Hunters making Kira shock Scott for the evilz (like the lols only evil). The sexy dancing - the sexy dancing that Malia, as someone who spent the ages of 9 to 16(17?) in the form of a coyote in the woods, somehow knows with no explanation btw - was for the sole purpose of “blending in” and making sure the audience knew that yes, they were still on MTV, aren’t they edgy with their almost lesbians? And then they immediately went “BUT THEY’RE NOT REALLY LESBIANS, SEE THE DUDES THEY’RE WITH, THEY LIKE DICK AND DICK ONLY, MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER THAT!” It was a fairly classic example of the thought that girl x girl is only here for dudes to think they’re hot and want in on that action, not the idea that they’re there for themselves.

I would love it if the show had scenes of Malia flirting with both Stiles and Kira, hell Stiles and any girl, frequently and not seeing the big deal but with this show’s shitty track record and the PR that has been around for the last yearish, it’s clear that Teen Wolf is only looking for “Look how progressive we are, we have that one token in the background, praise us!” metals.

A counter-argument from themoosejthm - and I can't say I disagree with it. 

(I think the main difference in reaction, at least for me, is that I don't actually think it WAS any kind of representation - I just really enjoyed it because, well, sometimes I'm rather shallow. /confession)

The context of the rest of the show is definitely really important to keep in mind, too, as themoosejthm says.

[stilescampaign]

Hey! I guess I want to talk about kira and malia. I was excited to see the foreshadowing thing with Kira's father, but I am still assuming nothing because I don't want to be wrong. Reading the negative comments on the scene makes me question why I enjoyed it so much. Being potentially baited usually makes me mad but I just expect cool fanart and fic though so I can't bring myself to care, besides a little false hope.

Hey, Anon!

(Caveat: Though I'm saying this in the Stiles Campaign Blog, this is simply my (notmissmarple) personal opinion.)

I feel very much the same way, personally. I really loved the scene and how it played out - lovely awkward Kira not quite sure how to fit in, and Malia helping her out, and she didn't have any baggage attached to it, because why would you when you've been living in the woods for the last 8 years and your new boyfriend is totally bi even if he won't admit it to himself?

I definitely think it's easier for the show (not just this show, but most shows, especially those that aren't on subscriber cable, i.e. HBO and Showtime) to play around with female sexuality rather than male sexuality, because of prevailing attitudes, and I'm not sure that MTV/Viacom would've been as okay with the scene if it had been two guys instead of the two girls, but to me that's just one of those things about television that I know and accept as I go into what I'm watching. It's becoming less of an issue, but I know it's still enough of one that it doesn't strike me as odd, necessarily, that it would be with the two girls.

I don't make any assumptions, especially about the foreshadowing, as it were, in part because I try not to get my hopes up, in part because I'm not sure they would've done that much foreshadowing intentionally, and in part because I know they've got Stiles and Malia set up for this Big Romance or what have you (presumably alongside Scott and Kira).

.

But to me, it was a fun scene to watch. I'm sure it was baiting in part, but it's hard - if I got riled up every time one of my shows baited me, I'd spend all of my time furious, and while that works for some people, I'm not one of them. 

.

(Instead I'm going to chill here with my personal headcanon that, along the lines of Caitlin and her helping open Stiles' mind, Malia, sans baggage and societal expectations, has no problem with her own fluid sexuality, and will help lead him on the path to self-realization. But I realize that part will likely just stay in my head.)

[sterekkiss]

[cupidsbower]

I’ll tell you what, if that was foreshadowing for real and they end up a couple I will be thrilled to bits. From what little we know of Malia, I think she and Kira could bring out the best in each other, not only because one is goofy and one is brash, but because they both have potential to be awesome tricksters. Can you imagine them gleefully pulling shit on each other and having a point system or something? Bickering about who had pulled the best prank? Malia could bring entire worlds of chaos, and Kira would just go with it and maybe boop her nose. So much potential.

However, until that happy day comes to pass, I’m gonna continue to assume this scene was for straight-male titillation value. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO BE PROVEN WRONG, JEFF DAVIS.

[stilescampaign]

Yes, can we talk about this?

I've seen negative posts and positive posts about it, and am curious what y'all think.

I personally loved it, despite knowing that it was likely basically for the straight-male titillation factor. But as a girl who likes girls, and is still in an old school fandom mindset where she doesn't actually expect to see representation on-screen, I had a hard time getting myself too worked up over that. However, context is everything, and in the context of the show, it's hard not to remember all the other teasing and dragging out we've had to endure. 

I personally felt like it fit in for Malia, who lived in the woods for 8 years and so didn't have any of the societal expectations of weight of having to define sexual identities on her shoulders (haunches?) - it made sense to me that she wouldn't have any baggage playing into the idea of just rolling with it. But I can't quite bring myself to believe they'll go any further down that road.

What do you guys think? Did you like this? Hate it? Hate liking it?

[stilescampaign]

Today's entry is from alexscat (if you haven't written one and wanted to, it's not too late!):

You’re not gay. I could be.

Stiles Stilinski can’t be gay. It’s not just that fictional characters, even in the gay-friendly Teen Wolf universe, are presumed straight until proven otherwise. It’s that there’s so much evidence that Stiles likes girls. He’s been infatuated with Lydia Martin for years. He’s kissed several pretty girls—Heather, Caitlin, Malia—and seemed to enjoy himself each time. And he’s certainly never shown similar interest in boys.

Wait.

Once is an incident. Twice is coincidence. Three times is a pattern.

Because Stiles is also the boy who wonders if he’s attractive to gay guys. He appreciates that Derek and Jackson are incredibly attractive. He befriends the local drag queens and expresses interest in both makeouts with Scott and sexytime with Danny.

Ever so casually, he tests that boundary over and over again. He’s straight. He likes girls. He does. But what if?

What if? What if? What if?

What if there were another choice?

So you also like boys? Absolutely. Do you?

Adolescence is confusing enough without a sexual identity crisis, and not every teen meets their Caitlin, someone to say that yes, both, all of the above is totally valid. Unfortunately, those same kids are unlikely to find bi role models in the TV and movies they watch or the books and comics they read. There are a few, but not yet enough.

But there could be Stiles, a character who so far has shown so many signs that he might be bisexual that some fans practically consider it canon.

For all the girls who crushed on the boy they shared a table with at school as much the cute counselor at Girl Scout camp.

For all the boys who couldn’t decide whether they’d rather kiss Buffy or Angel.

And for all of us who made it well past the teen years before we figured our shit out.

Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a character as awesome as Stiles to be just like you?

[fancyeliza-deactivated20200804]

10 Bisexual Celebrities That Everyone Keeps Labeling As Gay Or Straight

Here are 10 famous names that we all need to associate with bisexuality.

what a beautiful article

[stilescampaign]

Bi erasure isn't something that only happens to television characters.

[stilescampaign]

Reader Socchan has another graphic for us - and the folks over at Teen Wolf!

[stilescampaign]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Underage Relationships: Stiles Stilinski/Danny, Allison Argent/Scott McCall Characters: Danny Mahealani, Stiles Stilinski Additional Tags: Kissing, Banter, Hurt/Comfort, Canon Gay Character, Bisexual Male Character, Adolescent Sexuality, First Kiss, Flirting, Friendship Summary:

Stiles stopped flirting with him and Danny wants to know why.

Fanfic Friday Time! Today's is brought to you by @rivulet027

[bugchat-blog]

the word ‘bisexuality’ is a taboo

it isn’t said on tv. orange is the new black, for example, features a bisexual protagonist who points out the biphobia at one point in assuming she can’t be attracted to multiple genders, but no one Ever says the word and she is ignored and referred to as a straight girl or a lesbian depending on the situation

other bisexual characters later turn out to have been Really Monosexual All Along. or are attractive, promiscuous women with commitment issues

this isn’t a coincidence.

people who are attracted to multiple genders, when asked about it, often describe themselves as “Fluid”. “I’d rather not label it.” “I don’t need to define it.” “It’s just whatever.” as if people are afraid of even implying the b word

this isn’t a coincidence.

the word ‘bisexual’ gets you different reactions in different places. straight people think you’re either faking for attention or a deviant. straight men are afraid of bi men and think bi women are just particularly promiscuous straight girls who want to have threesomes with them

gay men accuse bi men of being in the closet. lesbians accuse bi women of being straight girls going through a phase. and the ones who don’t do either of these things still often assume bisexuals are promiscuous, indecisive, and can’t settle down.

the theme throughout is that bisexually is illegitimate, deceptive, and always a front for something else.

this isn’t a coincidence

people are constantly encouraged to ‘settle down’, to ‘just pick one’, to ‘not be greedy’. abandon bisexuality. you’re really gay. you’re really straight. you’re too young. how can you know you’re bisexual at 16? 18? 20? 25?

this isn’t a coincidence

the word ‘bisexuality’ is constantly, persistently manipulated, by people who aren’t bisexual at all. the meaning twisted on shallow rationale. accused of being transphobic, or of being exclusionary. this has been happening for over 20 years now despite the existence of outspoken trans and/or non-binary bisexuals. whatever they can do to make you not say the word. pick a different one.

this isn’t a coincidence

bisexual people - whether implied or literally, deliberately saying they are bisexual using the word - are constantly rewritten as gay or as straight. gay icon. he was never interested in men. bi actor comes out? headlines say ‘came out as gay’, or articles outright ignore it

it’s never, ever a coincidence. bi erasure is a constant, ongoing thing.

[stilescampaign]

Monday Meta: What's to Come

I'm not talking here about Stiles (that's another post for another week's Monday Meta), but rather the promos that have been littering the internet the last week or so.

Specifically, I'm talking about two scenes.

The first has been making its way around Tumblr, and I'm sure you've seen it - the pictures of Malia and Kira dancing together. It looks like this scene takes place in the first episode and while I'm sure it's just a for-fun dance, my little bisexual heart goes pitter patter at the idea of one or both of them having some interest in more than just the boys. Given, especially, Malia's wild upbringing, she at least doesn't have the weight of societal expectations in re: gender and sexuality weighing on her, so why not let her be a bit more open with her sexuality? Only time will tell, I suppose.

When we go back to the boys, we've got a few new characters filling in the roster. It's been widely announced that the character of Mason (played by Khylin Rambo) is going to be openly gay. I have to say, though, that I was then more than a little intrigued by this scene between Mason and Liam (Dylan Sprayberry) from the trailer released this weekend.

"You think he's hot, don't you?" "No! No. Maybe. Yeah maybe a little."

Now, why Garrett (Mason Dye) would be changing his shirt outside, in the middle of a game or scrimmage, I don't know. But more importantly, I want to know why Liam would be so invested in Mason's response. It could be curiosity, but that read as something more than curiosity to me. Could it be that Liam's a bit jealous of Mason's wandering eye?

While I remain firmly in the belief that Stiles is a bisexual character, and wait anxiously for the show to address that, I can't help but wonder if Jeff and those over at MTV will take to heart the fandom longing for bisexual representation that he claims he's heard, and give us more than just Caitlin.

What do you think we'll see come the new season? What do you hope we'll see?

[stilescampaign]

A Bisexual's Requiem for Game of Thrones

You'd think we'd have learned by now not to get too attached to anyone on Game of Thrones. The show seems to take perverse glee in destroying our emotions. Even knowing what was coming, though, didn't make me ready for it.

Warning: Game of Thrones spoilers within.

h/t to evil-erato for the heads-up on this excellent article.