I'm Bi, Actually: Combatting Bisexual Erasure and the Impact of Representation in Netflix's Heartstopper
(2024) MKVM13 20241Media and Communication Studies
Department of Communication and Media
- Abstract
- This study explores the engagement of bisexual individuals with the Netflix series Heartstopper in the context of media representations of bisexuality. It delves into the intersections of media engagement, representation, and identity through a social constructionist lens. This thesis lends its voice to twelve individuals who experience attraction to multiple genders and identify as bisexual, pansexual, queer, or choose not to label their sexuality. Through qualitative interviews, it poses the questions of how this audience engages with media representations of their identity, particularly the case of Heartstopper, how they evaluate them, and lastly whether media representations play a role in the audience’s self-perception as well as... (More)
- This study explores the engagement of bisexual individuals with the Netflix series Heartstopper in the context of media representations of bisexuality. It delves into the intersections of media engagement, representation, and identity through a social constructionist lens. This thesis lends its voice to twelve individuals who experience attraction to multiple genders and identify as bisexual, pansexual, queer, or choose not to label their sexuality. Through qualitative interviews, it poses the questions of how this audience engages with media representations of their identity, particularly the case of Heartstopper, how they evaluate them, and lastly whether media representations play a role in the audience’s self-perception as well as their feeling of belonging within the LGBTQ+ community. Analytically, it employs the five parameters of media engagement, and identity and representation theory.
The findings showed a strong affective engagement and emotional involvement with the series Heartstopper, which was praised for its take on bisexual representation. The participants had developed a high degree of identification with the bisexual main character, Nick Nelson, and saw many of the commonly found stereotypes of bisexuality subverted in his portrayal. Moreover, the study uncovered disappointment with the lack of bisexual representation in the media on the part of the audience, as well as displeasure at misrepresentations of bisexual individuals. The interviewees expressed that they believed the absence of meaningful and nuanced representation had impacted them in their self-perception, and furthermore contributed to the perpetuation of bisexual erasure, binegativity, and biphobia in society. Heartstopper, as an example of nuanced and positive representation, was postulated as an opportunity to validate the experiences of young bisexual audience members in particular, and normalise bisexuality as a viable and stable sexual identity, combatting the discrimination bisexual individuals often face from both straight and queer spaces. This study has therefore underlined the importance of representation for a marginalised community that has historically been rendered invisible and invalid in academia, popular culture, and society at large. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9151430
- author
- Koch, Meret LU
- supervisor
-
- Joanna Doona LU
- organization
- course
- MKVM13 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- bisexual representation, media representation, LGBTQ+ media, media engagement, identity
- language
- English
- id
- 9151430
- date added to LUP
- 2024-06-12 08:37:23
- date last changed
- 2024-06-12 08:37:23
@misc{9151430,
abstract = {{This study explores the engagement of bisexual individuals with the Netflix series Heartstopper in the context of media representations of bisexuality. It delves into the intersections of media engagement, representation, and identity through a social constructionist lens. This thesis lends its voice to twelve individuals who experience attraction to multiple genders and identify as bisexual, pansexual, queer, or choose not to label their sexuality. Through qualitative interviews, it poses the questions of how this audience engages with media representations of their identity, particularly the case of Heartstopper, how they evaluate them, and lastly whether media representations play a role in the audience’s self-perception as well as their feeling of belonging within the LGBTQ+ community. Analytically, it employs the five parameters of media engagement, and identity and representation theory.
The findings showed a strong affective engagement and emotional involvement with the series Heartstopper, which was praised for its take on bisexual representation. The participants had developed a high degree of identification with the bisexual main character, Nick Nelson, and saw many of the commonly found stereotypes of bisexuality subverted in his portrayal. Moreover, the study uncovered disappointment with the lack of bisexual representation in the media on the part of the audience, as well as displeasure at misrepresentations of bisexual individuals. The interviewees expressed that they believed the absence of meaningful and nuanced representation had impacted them in their self-perception, and furthermore contributed to the perpetuation of bisexual erasure, binegativity, and biphobia in society. Heartstopper, as an example of nuanced and positive representation, was postulated as an opportunity to validate the experiences of young bisexual audience members in particular, and normalise bisexuality as a viable and stable sexual identity, combatting the discrimination bisexual individuals often face from both straight and queer spaces. This study has therefore underlined the importance of representation for a marginalised community that has historically been rendered invisible and invalid in academia, popular culture, and society at large.}},
author = {{Koch, Meret}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{I'm Bi, Actually: Combatting Bisexual Erasure and the Impact of Representation in Netflix's Heartstopper}},
year = {{2024}},
}