Heartstopper’s Kit Connor calls out ‘shocking’ lack of bisexual representation
Kit Connor. (Getty)
Heartstopper star Kit Connor has shared his thoughts on the “shockingly low” amount of bisexual representation on TV.
Speaking as part of a Critic’s Choice Award panel alongside fellow Heartstopper star Joe Locke, Connor said the lack of visibility mattered as a “huge amount” of the LGBTQ+ community are bisexual.
“I think that the bisexual community is a community that has really a shockingly low amount of representation, especially male bisexual characters,” he said.
“It is shocking because a huge amount of the LGBTQIA+ community is made up of bisexual people. It’s a huge community but we really don’t get much representation.”
Connor said playing Heartstopper character Nick Nelson, who is bisexual, enabled him to portray all of the nuances that come with realising and understanding your bisexuality.
“It was a real pleasure to be able to portray that journey and those experiences,” he said.
“Playing those kind of moments — it felt like the main arc of the character if that makes sense.
“It’s not just so much of working out whether or not you are a boy attracted to another boy, it’s also, you know, discovering whether or not everything that [Nick] sort of previously thought about his sexuality is suddenly invalid, or whether or not it’s something that he wants to still acknowledge.
“I think that’s something that isn’t seen very often.”
In October, Kit Connor himself was “forced” to come out as bisexual on Twitter after facing queerbaiting allegations from so-called fans.
Having previously quit Twitter, he returned with: “Back for a minute. I’m bi. Congrats on forcing an 18 year old to out himself.”
After snippets of the Critic’s Choice Award panel were posted online, Heartstopper fans were quick to note and celebrate how Connor said “we” when referring to the bisexual community.
Other fans have commended the actor for speaking so candidly about bisexual representation and why it matters.
“Everything he says is so true. Nick Nelson is a huge step in the bisexual representation in media but we also need more of that,” one fan wrote.
Another added: “I just wanna thank him endlessly for playing Nick and giving us bisexuals the representation we wish we had growing up. I’m so proud of my boy.”
