I'm guessing I threw off a lot of you with that headline. I'm willing to bet that 99.99% of you reading right now have never even heard of such a thing and are just here to see what kind of absurdity this is. Since when is Steve Rogers bisexual? Just what the hell is the internet trying to do to one of the most beloved superheroes?! Well, we're not trying to do anything. It's just something that started off as a conversation and now is leading to a possible phenomenon that could change lives. And no, I'm not really exaggerating.
I'm not sure where my introduction to bisexual Steve Rogers was but I know it just started off as a harmless conversation. I saw it, thought it was a nice idea, and moved on. But then I started seeing it more and more. People started taking it more seriously and started writing lengthy posts about it. And the more I read about it, the more I got into it. And it's not just some weird fanfiction fetish thing. It's something that can impact a whole community. This means so much to so many people. Imagine being a bisexual kid who's unsure of themself, who's scared of what others would think. You don't see any bisexual characters in media and if you do, they're most likely portrayed negatively. Now imagine being that kid and coming across stories of one of the most popular superheroes, Captain America himself, being bisexual. Now imagine being that kid, going to see a Captain America movie, and seeing it's true. It'll give kids like that (and even adults) confidence. It'll help them accept who they are because if Captain America is bisexual and he's amazing and kickass, then they are too! It'll help others be more accepting of the community because, believe it or not, they'll probably think that they can't hate bisexuals or any LGBT+ member because Captain America is one himself. (And if they still do then they're a bigot and aren't worthy of anyone's time anyway). I cannot fathom into words the significance this would have on bisexual people and just members of the LGBT+ community in general. All I can tell you is that as a bisexual myself, I get so excited and happy at the thought of having Steve Rogers identify as bisexual, I get really emotional and the waterworks start coming. And I'm not even going through any hard times about my identity. So imagine how it'd feel to those that are. And if you are one of those, then get excited about this idea! (And if you already are, then come celebrate with me).
If you're still not "seeing it", then let me provide some information for you. First and foremost, what makes you think he isn't bisexual? Has he actually stated it? (I'm talking about the movies here, so don't come to me with some quote from the comics). He was into Peggy so why can't he be into Bucky too? Sam? All of the above? Whoever said they were "just friends"? That's just the way you're interpreting it. His interactions with Bucky and/or Sam can very easily be interpreted as something more, and it has -- just not on the big screen. Don't call it "weird", don't call it "reading too much into it". It's not. If Sam Wilson would have been a woman, I guarantee you would see that relationship all over the place and people would be wondering what's going to happen between them, are they going to be the new couple, all that sort of stuff. But since they're the same sex, then that must mean they're just friends. Uh, have you ever heard of people being into the same sex? Have you ever heard Steve Rogers explicitly state that he isn't? No? Then it's very plausible that he is.
If that's not enough for you, then let me give you some background on where he grew up. The neighborhood that our beloved Steve Rogers lived in was actually one of the most prominent LGBT+ neighborhoods. This is by both comic book canon and MCU canon. The only difference between neighborhoods is that the one in the movies was more poor than the ones in the comic books. Now, of course, that doesn't automatically mean that he must identify as not-straight but it just lessens the shock factor. And it could mean that he'd at least thought about his sexuality.
I'm gonna end this on a serious, depressing, but totally real note. In case you haven't realized just how important this is and the impact it could have, were it to become real.
- A Suicide Prevention study in Australia found that self-labeled bi women and bi men were the highest percentages of suicide attempts. (35% and 29%)
- A 2002 survey of heterosexuals at University of Iowa's nursing school, 61% found bi men unacceptable and 50% found bi women unacceptable. For gays and lesbians, the number was 40%
- Bi youth between 14 and 21 are more likely to be suicidal than any other sexually identified group
- "If the same pattern of mortality were to continue, we estimate that nearly half of gay and bisexual men currently aged 20 years will not reach their 65th birthday"
- One out of three lesbians believed that bisexuality does not exist, giving responses like: "I was born [homosexual]; some are born heterosexual. I find it hard to believe that people can be bisexual."—survey of 400 participants at a woman's event conducted by bi author and researcher Paula Rust
And that's not even all of it. This isn't a joke, this is not all just fun and games. Gays and lesbians still are not widely accepted in society and what they face is absolutely despicable and horrendous. And yet, they are more accepted than those who identify as bisexual. I'm not trying to make this into a competition of "who has it worse", I'm just trying to show the significance this could have, were Marvel to listen to us and make Steve Rogers a bisexual. If Marvel were bold and brave enough, the number of people who are depressed and suicidal just because of their identity, would go down. This isn't just a movie like it is for so many of you. This is real representation. This is showing the world that yes, bisexual people exist, and yes, they are totally awesome and deserve to be treated as such. This is showing kids that it's okay to be who you are, because that just makes you all the greater. This is countering all the negative portrayals of bisexual characters who are known for being promiscuous, unfaithful, etc. This is showing that there are non-straight people out there that you may never guess aren't straight but it doesn't make a difference in their personality. Their sexuality does not define them. It shows that people are different, and that's okay.
I don't want superhero movies filled with a group of straight, white guys (yes, I know Sam Wilson exists and that makes me very happy but he's only one). They already run our country, so I refuse to believe they'd be the same ones to save the world. It's the 21st century, people, it's time for some diversity that shows the true colors of society and how any one of us could be a hero, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, or race.
(Note: If you want to help make this become a reality, there is a plan to trend #BisexualSteveRogers on Twitter on July 4th. See more here. If we brought Phil Coulson back to life, then we can do this too!)