Tom Hiddleston’s Loki has been revealed as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first bisexual lead character.
The news came to light in the third episode of the Disney+ series, which dropped on Wednesday (June 23).
So just what is the importance and significance of Loki coming out – and is it a good thing for the LGBTQ+ community?
Jen Yockney MBE, of the UK’s longest-running bi social/support organisation BiPhoria told us it could be a “mixed blessing”.
What happens in Loki episode 3?
If you don’t want to read any spoilers, look away now!
In the episode, which just happens to fall during Pride month, Loki is confirmed as the MCU’s first gay lead character.
Read more: Loki review – is it as good as we had hoped?
The news came during a chat about the definition of love between Tom Hiddleston‘s Loki and a time-hopping female variant called Sylvie.
Since Loki is a prince, Sylvie asked if there was maybe “would-be princesses, or perhaps another prince” lined up for royal matrimony.
Loki replied and said: “A bit of both. I suspect, the same as you.”
Marvel lead Loki coming out as bisexual is a ‘mixed blessing’
Speaking exclusively to ED!, BiPhoria’s Jen Yockney revealed that she thinks the news could come as a “mixed blessing”.
She said: “It may be a mixed blessing.
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“More representation helps bi people find one another, because otherwise we are read as gay or straight, and so to find one another for peer support, this is good for that.”
However, she added: “On the other hand, one of the tired old tropes about bis is that they can’t be trusted.
“For example, because some people think bisexuality isn’t real and so we can’t be telling the truth about who we are, or assume we can’t be monogamous.
“A dishonest, trickster character being ‘the bi one’ really doesn’t challenge that much. We need more characters who go beyond the now well-worn cliches,” she concluded.
From the moment I joined @LokiOfficial it was very important to me, and my goal, to acknowledge Loki was bisexual. It is a part of who he is and who I am too. I know this is a small step but I’m happy, and heart is so full, to say that this is now Canon in #mcu #Loki 💗💜💙 pic.twitter.com/lz3KJbewx8
— Kate Herron (@iamkateherron) June 23, 2021
Loki series director’s ‘heart is so full’
Loki series director Kate Herron, however, couldn’t be more pleased that her title character has come out.
Taking to Twitter, she said: From the moment I joined @LokiOfficial it was very important to me, and my goal, to acknowledge Loki was bisexual.
“It is a part of who he is and who I am too. I know this is a small step but I’m happy, and heart is so full, to say that this is now canon in #mcu.”
New episodes of Loki drop on on Disney+ every Wednesday.
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