Audiences are learning to spot the pink, purple and blue glow of bisexual coding on screen, from Atomic Blonde to Heartstopper. But visibility is about more than colour: bisexual people can face exclusion from both straight and LGBTQ+ communities, while often being less open about their identity. Here’s why representation matters, and how to read the signals with care.

Essential Takeaways

  • Visibility can be subtle: Pink, purple and blue lighting has become a recognisable visual hint of bisexuality in some films and TV shows.
  • Coming out isn’t equal: Stonewall research found bisexual people are less likely than gay men and lesbians to be out to their families.
  • Stereotypes still linger: Bisexuality is sometimes dismissed as a phase or judged through assumptions about someone’s relationships.
  • Representation is growing: Recent screen examples include Heartstopper, Atomic Blonde and other contemporary dramas.

A flash of colour can say a lot

Pink, purple and blue light can turn a scene into a quiet nod to bisexual identity. The palette echoes the bisexual pride flag, and audiences have spotted it in everything from Atomic Blonde to Heartstopper. It’s a small visual detail, but one that can feel meaningful when bisexual characters have historically been easy to overlook.

The idea caught on after viewers noticed flag-coloured lighting in a scene from Sherlock. Fans wondered whether it hinted at bisexuality, though the show’s creators rejected that interpretation. Since then, bisexual lighting has developed a life of its own as a way for filmmakers to signal identity, whether deliberately or simply through a striking colour choice. (Sources: Flicker Magazine; Netflix Tudum.) [No reference numbers in body.]

Why bisexual visibility still matters

Bisexuality can be misunderstood as a temporary stage or treated as less valid than gay or straight identities. The American Psychological Association notes that bisexual people can encounter prejudice and stigma, including from within LGBTQ+ communities. That can leave people feeling caught between groups rather than fully accepted by either.

Nor does being in a different-gender relationship make someone’s bisexuality disappear. A partner or relationship doesn’t, on its own, define the full scope of a person’s identity or attractions. Research on bisexuality has also explored how stigma and social pressures can affect wellbeing, making representation more than a question of who gets a colourful close-up. (Sources: APA; Journal of Sex Research.) [No reference numbers in body.]

Coming out can be more complicated

Stonewall research highlights a striking gap: bisexual people are less likely than gay men and lesbians to be out to all their family. A person may feel that their identity is overlooked when others assume they’re straight, or questioned when they’re in a same-gender relationship. Either way, the work of explaining yourself can get tiring.

That doesn’t mean everyone wants to come out, or that public disclosure is the only measure of pride. People should be able to choose what they share, and with whom. Still, the lower visibility of bisexual people can make it harder for others to recognise their experiences as part of everyday queer life. (Source: Stonewall.) [No reference numbers in body.]

Screen stories are changing, but not overnight

Recent coverage of bisexual representation has pointed to a wider mix of characters and storylines, including in Challengers, Bridgerton and Heartbreak High. Meanwhile, Heartstopper has made bisexual identity part of a warm, accessible coming-of-age story, while Charlize Theron has spoken about the importance of her bisexual character in Atomic Blonde. These examples give audiences more than a wink from the lighting desk: they offer characters whose identities can be named and explored. (Sources: ABC News; Netflix Tudum; Good Morning America.) [No reference numbers in body.]

But no single character can stand in for every bisexual person. Stronger representation means variety: different ages, backgrounds and relationships, with identities treated as real rather than as plot twists or passing phases. And sometimes the most useful thing a story can do is make bisexuality visible without asking viewers to decode it first. (Sources: APA; ABC News.) [No reference numbers in body.]

A useful signal, not a substitute for a story

If you spot bisexual colours on screen, it’s fine to enjoy the possible reference, but lighting alone can’t confirm a character’s identity. The clearest representation comes when the story itself gives people room to name who they are. That distinction matters: a coded hint may delight fans, but explicit, thoughtful writing can reach far more viewers.

For audiences, a good rule is to stay curious without treating a colour palette as proof. For filmmakers, the opportunity is bigger than a clever visual cue: give bisexual characters space to be complicated, ordinary and unmistakably present. (Sources: Flicker Magazine; Netflix Tudum; APA.) [No reference numbers in body.]

Bisexual lighting can catch the eye, but lasting visibility comes from stories that let people be seen plainly.

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