‘Why? Why? Why do we have it? Why do we need it?’ Christopher Biggins moaned during today’s Good Morning Britain.
I could hardly stop my eyes rolling when I heard him utter the words.
Biggins was referring to the news that DC Comics is about to welcome a new LGBT superhero in Jonathan Kent.
Jonathan, the son of original Superman Clark Kent and Louis Lane, will embark on a same-sex romance with friend Jay Nakamura.
Speaking to presenters Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, Biggins claimed the introduction is ‘pandering to the woke system’, as if bisexuality is in itself ‘woke’.
How Biggins was even given such a platform in the first place astounds me.
Anyone familiar with his track-record won’t be too surprised to hear he has an issue with the man of steel’s son’s sexuality. In 2016, he was kicked off Celebrity Big Brother for suggesting that Aids is a ‘bisexual disease’ and that bisexuals are ‘the worst type’.
However, ask him for his version of events and he’ll tell you producers had plotted for him to leave anyway because he was ‘too popular’.
Five years on from the remarks, Good Morning Britain found the panto dame the most qualified expert to discuss Superman’s bisexuality, simultaneously proposing that sexuality is there to be debated in the first place.
While Biggins’ latest attack or attempts to squash progress for bisexuality may not come as a shock, it’s woeful evidence that Biggins has not, in the slightest, listened to a single critique or even tried to understand the upset caused by his comments about an entire community.
What’s more, it’s unlikely Good Morning Britain couldn’t predict the angle he’d take and harm he’d continue to impose on bisexuals or even anyone undecided by their sexuality by welcoming him onto the show. So why did they let it happen in the first place?
‘I do find it absolutely bizarre that this is what people want nowadays,’ he said.
‘Why can’t we stick to what we’ve had and been given? Why don’t they do some new characters, why don’t they create something new, something different, then go to a character we all know, we all love and we all know as this?’
Thankfully, he was challenged on air by podcaster Aamir Hassan, who, quite rightly asked why anyone would even take issue when a fictional character’s sexuality has absolutely zero impact on anyone else.
Well, according to Biggins we’re not thinking about the straight kids who as we all know by now never get to see themselves in the heroes on screen. ‘How do they react?’ he asked.
While gay men are now widely represented in most arenas, bisexual figures, especially men, are still so far and few between.
‘The idea of replacing Clark Kent with another straight white saviour felt like a missed opportunity,’ said Superman writer Tom Taylor, announcing the news this week.
‘Superman’s symbol has always stood for hope, for truth, and for justice. Today, that symbol represents something more. Today, more people can see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics.’
Growing up for me, I had very few examples of positive gay role models. When Boyzone singer Stephen Gately first came out as gay in 1999, his female fans in my class were distraught. That was the representation I grew up with, and was just one of the many memories I have which led to years of shame and guilt about my sexuality.
Finally having an actual superhero – and not just any superhero, one of the most recognisable and loved superheroes – be an openly bisexual man, isn’t tokenism or pandering to the ‘woke’ army, it’s life-saving. It’s telling the children who will read the comic – which I’m also assuming Biggins won’t be – that bisexuality exists, it’s wonderful and no matter your sexuality some heroes do wear capes and you can be one of them.
I recently had a close friend who identifies as being bisexual tell me past and recent partners that identified as straight have regularly mocked their sexuality as if it was fair game, like it was one of their quirks.
Bearing in mind, this is among a group of ‘forward-thinking’ liberals, possibly among the ‘woke’ brigade Biggins has incorrectly attributed to bisexuals or anyone who doesn’t have a problem with bisexuals being on television, films or comic books.
And that is why men like Biggins should not be celebrated with a spot on a show like GMB to share their harmful views.
As a gay man, I have some comfort in knowing that if anyone went on national television and called homosexuality ‘the worst’ there would be likely be repercussions. When the same was said about bisexuals, just 44 people complained to Ofcom and the TV watchdog ruled no further action would be taken.
‘What it is, is people not wanting to admit they’re gay’ was another one of Biggins’ quips during his stay in the Celebrity Big Brother house. While he may struggle to find many people who blame bisexuals for Aids, he’s not alone when it comes to misguided judgements that bisexuals are poking a toe out of the closet, especially among members of the LGBT community assuming bisexual men in particular are going through a phase on their way to accepting their homosexuality.
Biphobia is rife, it’s plentiful both in and outside of the LGBT community, as demonstrated by Biggins, who identifies as gay.
No wonder then for Good Morning Britain, many of its viewers, and Biggins, biphobia really isn’t worth the concern because, clearly – and tragically – it’s hardly recognised as a prejudice at all.
Metro.co.uk have reached out to GMB for comment and will update the piece, should they respond.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
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