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New “Gossip Girl” offers unapologetic male bisexual representation

Bisexuality remains widely stigmatized and erased, either exoticized and hypersexualized, or denied and erased altogether, pending the gender of someone's current partner. Recent shows and movies, from Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in "Loki" to Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) in "The Good Place," have offered light representation of bisexual characters living their best, most chaotic lives. But in HBO Max's "Gossip Girl" reboot, we see our most unapologetic representation of a male, bisexual character yet.

The updated series takes place nine years later at the same elite private school and the same Upper East Side stomping grounds as its predecessor — with the caveat of social media, influencers, and this time, exorbitantly wealthy teens who appear to show some level of guilt and forced, scripted flickers of social consciousness. Among the tightly knit group of troubled rich kids is Max (Thoams Doherty), who appears to be the roguish "Chuck Bass" of this iteration. Max is certainly as promiscuous, darkly charismatic, arrogant, and reckless as Chuck, but his myriad sexual conquests include both girls and boys.

Within the first half hour of the show's pilot, Max is in the middle of a threesome with male and female classmates, and appears to have palpable sexual tension with two others in his squad, the elegant Audrey (Emily Alyn Lind ) and her diplomatic boyfriend Aki (Evan Mock). No one seems even vaguely uncomfortable or put off by Max's lifestyle, which isn't to say everyone in their obscenely privileged circle is a good person. But, for all the show's great many other storytelling flaws and blunders, the casual acceptance and welcoming of Max's sexual identity is refreshing.

It could easily be argued that the emphasis on Max's promiscuity is problematic, contributing to the general hypersexualization of bisexual people. But, specific to bisexual men, his character's tendencies subvert a prevalent stereotype that depicts bisexuality for men as a mere gateway to being gay. Bisexual men might sometimes eventually identify as gay, but contrary to biphobic stereotypes, they may also just be bisexual.

The erasure of bi men is particularly rampant. Bisexuality among women is often hypersexualized and treated as porn for the straight, male gaze. As problematic and dehumanizing as this framing is, there is, at the very least, often more recognition that bisexual women exist, whereas bi men are treated as nonexistent and simply gay. Bi men and women share the same heteronormative marginalization, and sorely need more and better representation on screen. That said, what's refreshing about Max's character on "Gossip Girl" is the powerful simplicity of its reminder that bisexual men do, in fact, exist.

Max also counters the stereotype that bi people are just straight or gay people who are struggling to choose. Rather, he simply isn't choosing, and isn't wrestling with any sort of internal conflict about who he should or shouldn't be with. Although plenty of bi people of all genders have preferences for the gender of their partners, Max seems equally attracted to boys and girls, which is entirely valid, too.

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by Anonymousreply 35July 30, 2021 6:04 AM

The most tiresome and irritating parts of the rebooted "Gossip Girl," so far, have been its strained and scripted dialogues about social justice between wildly privileged kids, who could arguably do a lot more good for society by just giving up some of their money than co-opting activist language to feel good about themselves. Julien Calloway's (Jordan Alexander) lines about being an empowering, girlboss-like influencer, and Obie (Eli Brown) and Zoya's (Whitney Peak) misplaced, awkwardly acted conversations about YIMBY-ism and economic injustice are some of the most unpleasant scenes to sit through.

In contrast, the painless and uncomplicated queer representation of Max's bisexuality has been a bright spot of the show, because of the lack of needless, overkill explanations to soothe and appease straight people. Max is bi — people who care about him get it, and people who don't care about him don't matter. His character is a celebration of queer self-acceptance, self-love, and steamy, sexual chaos.

by Anonymousreply 1July 11, 2021 5:57 PM

omg so brave

by Anonymousreply 2July 11, 2021 6:00 PM

So bisexuals are whores who will have sex with anyone?

by Anonymousreply 3July 11, 2021 6:00 PM

Awesome! More!

by Anonymousreply 4July 11, 2021 6:08 PM

I’ve seen people online complaining about this and that the new show is too gay and they should have kept it like the original.

by Anonymousreply 5July 11, 2021 6:09 PM

Of course, the morbidly obese ancient queens on here will all whine and cry that bisexuals just need to come out as gay!

by Anonymousreply 6July 11, 2021 6:10 PM

Bisexuals exist. Get over it. Some of us like it all.

by Anonymousreply 7July 11, 2021 6:11 PM

R7, bisexuals exist. In tiny numbers, however, excluding all the scores of "secretly gay but too much of a pussy to admit it" types – and definitely NOT in the context of "Gossip Girl," in which literally almost every character is "sexually fluid."

Also, the second ep had Max – a teenager – instantly recognize a towel from the Tenth Street Baths (and used it to stalk a hot teacher hooking up there), never mind the not-so-minor detail that it's an actual *traditional* Turkish bathhouse, not a gay hookup joint! (I'm guessing a frauen wrote the ep and just figured all NYC bathhouses are for fucking, which is ridiculous.)

by Anonymousreply 8July 18, 2021 9:44 PM

R8 Good catch. Episode 2 was written by a woman.

by Anonymousreply 9July 18, 2021 10:07 PM

Yawn - a version of this article heralding the coming male bisexual revolution appears every few years. The only shocking thing is that "Salon" still exists! And wasn't there a bisexual male in the original GG?

by Anonymousreply 10July 19, 2021 3:38 AM

R10 Dan Humphrey was bisexual in the books but turned straight in the show. Other than that, there were some gay characters

by Anonymousreply 11July 19, 2021 3:42 AM

was he the dark haired guy? I didn't really watch the show very much but just assumed he was bi...

by Anonymousreply 12July 19, 2021 4:14 AM

I found the scene in the first episode when they stripped down to try on clothes fucking hot a shell.

by Anonymousreply 13July 19, 2021 4:18 AM

do a bump

by Anonymousreply 14July 23, 2021 4:49 AM

Episode 3 was GOOD!!!! Finally, I knew it would pay off if we stuck with it. The 2 dads, the cheating on Scruff, the product placement of Scruff, full frontal nudity, ass eating, drug use. I'm in now. The flamboyant dad reminds me of James St. James. I actually teared up a little bit at the scene with the 2 dads fighting at the play after party. Thomas Doherty is so good in this.

The GG thread is paywalled, so let's use this one to continue the discussion or not.

by Anonymousreply 15July 23, 2021 4:50 AM

Why would anyone want to see that anorexic blonde pretend to rim the dumb boy? Hilarious to pretend John Benjamin Hickey is the bad guy for not being attracted to a man dressing like a woman.

by Anonymousreply 16July 23, 2021 5:07 AM

The skater boy was also very skinny when the blond was eating his ass. He is twinky, tiny. I thought the trans-ish dad was always like that and figured that was why Max was so eccentric, but then the ending told otherwise. I wouldn't want to stay with him either, but I assume he is the blue blood in the family. I read Max comes from old money.

by Anonymousreply 17July 23, 2021 5:27 AM

Max and the teacher who looks like a young Hiram Lodge FINALLY kissed!!! I'm in for them and hope it lasts longer than next week's episode.

by Anonymousreply 18July 29, 2021 2:20 PM

Is Doherty out yet?

by Anonymousreply 19July 29, 2021 2:34 PM

Bisexual = Horny confused sluts that will throw you under the bus when it's convenient to be straight.

by Anonymousreply 20July 29, 2021 2:46 PM

R20 PRECISELY.

by Anonymousreply 21July 29, 2021 2:47 PM

I disagree. Jerri Blank is old enough to know what she likes.

by Anonymousreply 22July 29, 2021 2:49 PM

“I knew it would pay off if we stuck with it”

Imagine saying this about a 3 week old show.

by Anonymousreply 23July 29, 2021 3:17 PM

In the streaming era, hit status can come very fast.

by Anonymousreply 24July 29, 2021 3:18 PM

R24 shows do better in “the streaming era”. The first episode was a smash. It’s already a “hit”, dear.

Your comment was stupid.

by Anonymousreply 25July 29, 2021 3:24 PM

Not all shows, hon.

by Anonymousreply 26July 29, 2021 3:25 PM

Again, it’s Gossip Girl. Move along.

by Anonymousreply 27July 29, 2021 3:26 PM

Did you r the wrong comment, dear?

by Anonymousreply 28July 29, 2021 3:27 PM

Agreed with r20. Bisexual men are bullshit. Sorry. Either sex addict straight men who will fuck anything and end up married to fraus OR closeted gay men who god-willing come out eventually and end up with men.

Maybe this is changing with all the young people being fluid and sexuality is a spectrum blah blah blah. I just find it extremely hard to believe.

The hot bisexual kid on gossip girl reads as gay to me. He is desperate to get fucked by that hot older teacher. He doesn’t care about the anorexic blonde girl and seems more interested in the skinny twink boy.

by Anonymousreply 29July 29, 2021 3:34 PM

Bisexuals are real. Get over it.

by Anonymousreply 30July 29, 2021 3:36 PM

These 'kids' look old af. I'm interested in actual gay characters on shows so this is not really for me. But I'm glad the bi guys are getting some representation, even if it's just to stop their constant whining about bi-visibility.

by Anonymousreply 31July 29, 2021 3:45 PM

[Quote] These 'kids' look old af

Oh, Bryan.

by Anonymousreply 32July 29, 2021 3:46 PM

R30 Yes they're real and annoying.

Nevertheless Max is the only interesting and fuckable character on this show. Maybe it's revolutionary and they depict his difficult path from hetero normative bi-behavior to accept being gay.

by Anonymousreply 33July 29, 2021 4:13 PM

[Quote] And wasn't there a bisexual male in the original GG?

Serena's brother.

by Anonymousreply 34July 29, 2021 5:14 PM

Serena's brother was gay. He was in the mental hospital for trying to kill himself for being gay in the pilot episode and he is outed by Georgina Sparks in season 1.

by Anonymousreply 35July 30, 2021 6:04 AM
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