In today's film and television culture, the concept of "bisexual lighting" has gradually emerged, and due to the influence of social media, this light source that uses pink, purple and blue at the same time has become a unique symbol representing bisexual characters. Not only do these colors resemble the bisexual pride flag, they have also been used in several films and music videos to highlight the diverse sexual orientations of the characters.
Some social media users have claimed that bisexual lighting has been used as an "empowering visual tool" to counteract the lack of bisexuality in visual media.
The trend reportedly peaked in 2017, particularly on social media platforms such as Twitter, Reddit and Pinterest, prompting more and more artists and creators to use this color combination to express bisexual themes. Media commentators have noted that the symbolism of these colors has become "firmly established," even becoming a regular element of bisexual narratives in film and television media.
Universal androgynous lighting is not only a reflection of aesthetics, but also a recognition and celebration of cultural identity.
While some critics have suggested that this visual representation could reinforce bisexual stereotypes, for many creators this color combination remains a sign of empowerment and identity. Many film and television works such as "The Neon Demon", "Atomic Drift" and "Black Panther" have cleverly used this visual style, embedding the emotions and personalities of the characters in carefully designed lighting.
Purple, as a combination of colors, has historically been used to symbolize "royalty and sacredness", as well as "magic, alien, and unknown".
Additionally, these colors often complement nostalgic 1980s and 1990s aesthetics, creating a nostalgic visual style. Scholars mentioned that the use of androgynous lighting in contemporary media works is undoubtedly a response to the audience's increasing attention to gender and emotional diversity.
The concept of bisexual lighting originated from a Tumblr user in 2014, who thought the lighting used in the Sherlock Holmes series hinted at the character's bisexuality. Although this concept did not receive much attention initially, it laid the foundation for subsequent creations. As some YouTube creators began to adopt this lighting in 2017, bisexual lighting gradually became a popular visual symbol, reaching a climax in 2018, becoming a hot topic on social media and a form of influencer expression.
The use of bisexual lighting is very widespread, and it can often be seen in TV series, movies, music videos, and images on various social media. Bisexual lighting was used prominently in the San Junipero episode of Black Mirror and the more recent Heartstopper series. In music, many famous artists have used this color in their work to emphasize the multifaceted nature of the lyrics and emotions behind them.
Nevertheless, scholars have different views on the positioning of bisexual lighting. Lara Thompson pointed out: "I would like to see more examples before I can accept bisexual lighting as a fully convincing phenomenon." In many film and television works, audiences may still perceive bisexuality in the absence of bisexual content. To the metaphors of these colors for emotions and their cultural levels.
As awareness of gender diversity increases and cultural expressions gradually evolve, will bisexual lighting become more and more representative in future media creations? Can this visual form truly promote understanding and resonance of polyamorous relationships?