Bisexuality in the world, or the freedom to love

“When I fall in love, I fall in love with a person. I don’t see a man or a woman” – Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie, Cara Delevingne, Kirsten Stewart, Amber Heard, Cameron Diaz and many others are declaring their bisexuality. Bisexuality among celebrities, has become almost commonplace. Or do movie stars not hesitate to show their sexuality to help change morality? Address “taboo” topics? Bisexuality is being talked about more and more and louder in the celebrity world. A world like no other has such a direct bearing on our behavior.

The right to love

Celebrities, especially female ones, claim the right to love whomever they want, whether male, female or both. Singers, actresses, models speak boldly about their bisexual loves. Why this sudden affirmation of bisexuality? “Bi” behavior is on the rise. Is it a fad or a fact of society’s transformation? Or maybe both? “Bisexuality can be equated with the ability to be eroticized indiscriminately by both sexes without any real preference. But true bisexuals are not many. It is not enough to engage in occasional homosexual behavior to be labeled bisexual,” says sexologist Esther Hirch. While a distinction must be made between “bi attitudes” and “bisexual identity,” bisexual behavior is clearly on the rise.

According to a U.S. survey of 33,700 people published in the scientific journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, the percentage of adults who had sex with male and female partners more than doubled between 1990 and 2014, from 3.1% to 7.7%. The percentage of men who reported having sex with at least one other man rose from 4.5% to 8.2%, and for women the percentage who had experience with at least one partner rose from 3.6% to 8.7% over the same period. In Europe, studies show the same increase in bisexual behavior and its growing acceptance in society, even though many people who exhibit bisexual behavior do not define themselves as such, but as heterosexual or homosexual. In doing so, it is important to remember that there is nothing abnormal about loving women, men or both at the same time.

Open door to libertinism

For Félix Dusseau, a sociologist at the University of Bordeaux and author of a treatise on bisexuality in France, “what we accuse bisexuality of is above all a mirror of what we fear in a couple.” From this point of view, bisexuality can be seen as an open door to libertinism, threesomes or infidelity. “We blame bisexuality for being a mirror of our fears as a couple,” added Félix Dusseau. Therefore, perhaps movie stars, living in a very laid-back world, find it easier to admit to this orientation. It is also easier to influence the attitudes of others. Shape and, at the same time, induce verification of certain behaviors previously considered to be valid dogma. The magic of cinema provides such opportunities. The reality of Hollywood for us is not just the moral principles from the movie ‘The Great Gatsby’. “What Happened in Madison County” or “The Mystery of Brokeback Mountain” teach us a different perspective on life. They allow into our consciousness issues we thought we were closed to.

affirmation of bisexuality — On freedom to love, or bisexuality in the world 4

Rigid sexual categories

Self-promotion has many facets. However, it should be remembered that being on the so-called “”The”. candlestick, whether in the field of cinema or politics, provides an opportunity to address topics that are of great importance to society as such. Whether or not one of them is moved is really indicative of the size of the star. Sexual orientation is not a matter of voluntary choice, but primarily a matter of desire. The choice of “sexual object” is due to a number of physical and psychological factors that scientists are still trying to unravel. Nevertheless, it seems that only a small minority of the population is truly bisexual, that is. does not prefer one gender more than the other. The ideal field of operation… In late 1940, sexologist Alfred Kinsey and a team of researchers conducted an extensive study of sexuality in North America. One of his main conclusions was precisely to show that we cannot classify people in rigid sexual categories, because there are many nuances.

Thus was born the famous Kinsey scale, which sexologists still use to measure our behavior and fantasies: at one of its extreme poles, exclusively homosexuals (5 to 10 percent); at the other end of the spectrum, exclusive heterosexuals and in between, all those who are a bit of both, to varying degrees. In Kinsey’s study, 37% of the population fell into the latter category (mostly hetero but having homosexual experience, or mostly homosexual but having relatively frequent hetero experience, etc.). In a 1974 study, Morton Hunt’s Survey of Sexual Behavior, 10% of married women admitted to having a homosexual relationship. Most sexologists believe, as does Kinsey, that most of us are not absolutely and definitively confined to one “sexual category,” but that our atiations can change over the course of our lives and encounters. This is consistent with the fundamental bisexuality of the human person, once invoked by Freud. The father of psychoanalysis believed that every human being carries a psychological bisexuality, which will be expressed more or less in accordance with the power of prohibition and repression.

The right to freedom

According to Chris Paulis, PhD in anthropology at ULG, “Bisexuality is on the rise for a variety of reasons, the liberation of morality, the acceptance of homosexuality and the ‘peopolization’ of society. After the liberation of morality, our society wants to explore sexuality and multiply experiences. Everyone wants prosperity and demands the right to freedom, to know themselves and to try out relationships with same-sex partners. Moreover, acceptance of homosexuality allows for these bisexual relationships.” The behavior of bi celebrities, who in the world of virtual reality are instantly known through social networks, does not so much popularize this behavior (because that is not the point, after all) as signal it as an immanent need for some of us. Woody Allen said: a bisexual is twice as lucky on a Saturday night. Only he could afford such a take on the subject.

Homophobia in the film industry

Many celebrities have admitted that they have had a bisexual affair or are attracted to both men and women. Kristen Stewart is a discreet woman. If he shines on the big screen, he prefers to stay in the shadows after he leaves the set. However, in an interview with the American version ofElle magazine, she opened up about her love life. “I am not ashamed get. The situation has changed. And it’s not just me. We have the right to encourage this new trend for development and well-being.” Kristen Stewart faced a dilemma after the success of “Twilight.” The star had to choose between her personal and professional life because, being an LGBTQ actress, she could be denied certain roles in cinema. Homophobia continues to be a problem in the film industry, which seems convinced that an LGBTQ actor is not as versatile as a heterosexual actor. Kristen’s dilemma illustrates this perfectly.

In 2015, the actress was instructed not to disclose her relationship with Alicia Cargile to secure her place in future blockbusters after the success of “Twilight.” “I was told: If you want to do yourself a favor, don’t go out in public holding your girlfriend’s hand, you can have a Marvel movie “– said the star in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar UK magazine. “Sometimes I just wish I was straight,” confessed another star, Cara Delevingne. In 2015, the actress and model came out as bisexual before identifying as pansexual and becoming a spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ community. “I grew up with a lot of shame,” she admitted. I discovered all this very late. I am on a very personal journey regarding my own sexuality,” – she said. “But I still find it hard to be open – really open – about the fact that I love women,” she added. The actress and model, while touring Australia to promote her film “Paper Towns,” took the opportunity to call on Australia’s prime minister to consider legalizing same-sex marriage, as the United Kingdom and the United States have done. In an interview with the New York Times , Cara walked back some of the comments about her sexuality by dotting the i’s: “My sexuality does not phase me. I am who I am.” – she explained.

Bisexuality as an ignored phenomenon

For a long time, bisexuality was an ignored phenomenon. This was considered a phase of curiosity or a way of incompletely accepting one’s homosexuality. It turns out that, it is quite possible to love men as well as women. On the celebrity side, a number of personalities have recently proudly confessed their bisexuality. They are great examples for all those who are still reluctant to reveal themselves. If this is at the heart of their affirmative action then it undoubtedly constitutes an act ‘pro bono publico’. If people around you talk openly about their sexuality, you will probably realize that there are more bisexuals among your relatives than we thought. The openness behind which is the “sincerity of confession” of the stars. Psychological effect. Since someone so appreciated for his achievements is not afraid to admit his sexual orientation, it’s a signal to me that I can do it too. I don’t have to hide with it anymore, because it’s not “something” that discriminates against me (anymore).

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LGBT in cinematography

On the verge of divorcing Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie confided to Elle magazine Of his very inspiring vision of love: “When I fall in love, I fall in love with a person. I don’t see a man or a woman, black or white skin, teenager or quiqua, but a soul to which I am a complement.”

Celebrities demand the right to love who they want. If they do this in the name of the silent minority, which, unlike them, has no such “power of message,” it should be considered a laudable goal. If they are only doing it for personal motives aimed only at attracting attention, well, business is business. If the two reasons together, then the wolf is full and the sheep are whole. And so they will do a lot.

Either way, the stars managed to draw attention to the phenomenon of the lack of representativeness of LGBT characters in cinema. The Annenberg Inclusion Initiativein USC ‘s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism and Professor Stacy L. Smith analyzed 53,178 characters from 1,200 films made between 2007 and 2018, and noted that there is still insufficient progress, particularly with regard to the representation of female characters from the LGBTQ community . In 2018, only 1.3% of characters belonged to the LGBTQ community. Of the 500 films released between 2014 and 2017, only one transgender character appeared on screen. “These numbers show the extent of the erasure of female characters, especially those from underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds, the LGBTQ community and people with disabilities. As we continue to monitor the most popular films released each year, these numbers are a starting point from which we will continue to push for change,” said Marc Choueiti, director of the program Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.

Representation of minorities in cinema

Each year, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) monitors the media. Observes and analyzes the evolution of LGBTQ+ representation in the United States. Both on TV channels (public and cable) and on new SVoD platforms. According to her, 2020 was not a glorious year for LGBTQ+ representation on the small screen in the United States. According to the GLAAD report, last year saw a slight decline in queer viewership at US public broadcasters. Of the 773 recurring characters across all series, only 9.1% belonged to the LGBTQ+ spectrum. A significant drop from 2019’s record percentage of 10.2. A similar decline was observed on the SVoD platform side. The issue of minority representation in cinema arises in many countries. Every Oscar campaign in the United States, every campaign for the César in France, every festival competition is an opportunity to revisit the question of the place of sexual minorities in the highly visible industry that is cinema.

At the heart of Hollywood cinema’s closure to sexual minorities is the Hays code or movie production code. This censorship code was established in 1930 by Senator William Hays, president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association, and remained in effect until 1966. In 1920, several scandals hit the nascent Hollywood film industry. The Hays Code was therefore a preventive measure. A form of self-censorship, self-regulation to avoid a posteriori scandal. The code forbade anything that would undermine the viewer’s moral values. The goal of the Hays Code was clear: to avoid normalizing behavior considered morally wrong. Even today, while the mentality has changed in most Western countries (including the legalization of same-sex marriage), the LGBT community is largely unrepresented. A 2016 survey found that 6% of Europeans consider themselves LGBT, and the percentage of positive responses rises to 10% for those who consider themselves “not only heterosexual,” especially among those aged 14-29. At the time, it was 74.14 million people.

“When I fall in love, I fall in love with a person.”

“When I fall in love, I fall in love with a person. I don’t see a man or a woman.” – these words of Angelina Jolie capture the essence of the matter and reflect love itself. Who decided that the feeling of love is “two-way”, woman-man, man-woman? While celebrities have long kept quiet about their sexuality, Hollywood is slowly breaking free of “stereotypes” and more and more stars are no longer afraid to broach the subject of bisexuality. From Angelina Jolie to Lady Gaga, from Amber Heard to Megan Fox and Cara Delevingne, these celebrities loudly affirm their attraction to both sexes and approach their bisexuality with calmness and with the knowledge that there is nothing amoral about it as Hays believed.