It’s all about the pink, purple and blue, baby…
BY DANIELLE MUSTARDE
Bisexual lighting. That’s right. It’s a thing, and it’s glorious.
The release of Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe’s electro-pop tune Make Me Feel has breathed new pink, purple and blue life into the Twitter-based discussion which brought the term “bisexual lighting” star-jumping its way into the big, fat queer dictionary.
But what exactly is “bisexual lighting”?
The term describes the recent phenomenon where bisexual artists and characters in music and film are bathed in a delicious pink, purple and blue light – the colours of the bisexual pride flag. And boy-oh-boy, has this electro-camp colour combo been popular in the last 12 months…
Janelle Monáe – Make Me Feel
Janelle Monáe’s super sexy, unapologetically queer new music video is overflowing with bisexual lighting. Speaking about her new track, Janelle told The Guardian: “It’s a celebratory song. I hope that comes across. That people feel more free, no matter where they are in their lives, that they feel celebrated.
“Because I’m about women’s empowerment. I’m about agency. I’m about being in control of your narrative and your body. That was personal for me to even talk about: to let people know you don’t own or control me and you will not use my image to defame or denounce other women.”
Black Mirror – San Junipero
Another BIG one in the bisexual lighting conversation is the lovely, San Junipero, which features character Kelly (left in the middle GIF). One of the most fantastic bisexual characters to grace our screens in recent years. As the all-things-bi website, thisisbiscuit wrote: “Kelly is refreshingly different. She is presented from the off as an exuberant, caring woman.
“She is clearly someone who enjoys sex but isn’t deceitful or cruel in her pursuit of it. Kelly’s love interest in this episode is another woman, Yorkie, but this doesn’t mean that her bisexuality is erased.
When Yorkie asks Kelly when she knew she liked women, Kelly replies with a cheeky smile, “I like men too. Equal rights!” Amen, sister.
Atomic Blonde – Charlize Theron
In the run-up to the Atomic Blonde’s release, Charlize Theron was asked on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, why it was “so important” that her character is bisexual in the movie to which the actress candidly responded: “Why not? I mean, it’s just so strange when we talk so much about it, it should be normalised by now.
“It’s something that isn’t represented enough in cinema. If you’re gonna make movies and you’re gonna hold a mirror to reflect society… you should reflect society.”
Speak that sweet, sweet truth, Charlie T.
And not forgetting… Demi Lovato
In Demi’s documentary, Simply Complicated, the pop star revealed that she’s open to dating guys and girls:
“I am on the dating app with both guys and girls. I’m open to human connection, so whether that’s through a male or female, that doesn’t matter to me.” And she appears to be very much embracing this in her music videos too – well, that and bubbles.
Now, where can I get my hands on a bisexual lighting lamp..?
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