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Bisexual representation in MM romance matters. Get it wrong, and you alienate readers. Get it right, and you create stories that validate, heal, and resonate. This guide covers the seven most common mistakes writers make with bisexual characters in 2025: and the practical fixes leading authors use to deliver authentic representation.
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Mistake #1: Treating Bisexuality as a Phase or Plot Twist
The most damaging error remains portraying bisexuality as temporary: a stepping stone from straight to gay rather than a valid, stable identity.
The Problem: Characters "discover" they're actually gay after one meaningful relationship with a man. Previous attractions to other genders disappear without acknowledgment. This erases bisexuality entirely and reinforces harmful stereotypes that bisexuality isn't real.
The Fix: Celebrated authors in 2025 treat bisexuality as a permanent, valid orientation. Characters acknowledge past attractions without dismissing them. A bisexual man in an MM relationship doesn't become gay: he remains bisexual. His identity doesn't change based on his current partner.
Actionable Tip: Include casual references to a character's bisexuality throughout your narrative, not just during coming-out moments. Let bisexual characters mention past attractions naturally, the same way any character would.
Mistake #2: The Promiscuity Stereotype
Writers frequently hypersexualize bisexual characters, portraying them as inherently promiscuous or unable to commit to monogamous relationships.
The Problem: This harmful stereotype suggests attraction to multiple genders equals inability to form deep, meaningful connections. Bisexual characters become plot devices for jealousy or conflict rather than fully realized individuals.
The Fix: Leading MM romance authors create bisexual characters capable of profound commitment. Attraction to multiple genders has nothing to do with faithfulness. A bisexual man choosing his male partner isn't "settling": he's choosing love.
Actionable Tip: Avoid making a bisexual character's loyalty a plot question. Challenge the stereotype directly by showing committed, devoted bisexual characters whose faithfulness is never questioned.
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Mistake #3: Making Bisexuality the Entire Character Arc
When bisexuality becomes a character's only defining trait, writers miss opportunities for genuine depth.
The Problem: One-dimensional portrayals reduce complex individuals to walking sexuality labels. These characters lack motivation, conflict, and growth beyond their orientation. Readers see stereotypes instead of people.
The Fix: Bisexual characters need dreams, fears, professional goals, and relationships that exist independently of their sexuality. Top authors in 2025 create bisexual characters with rich inner lives. Their orientation informs their experience but doesn't define their entire existence.
Actionable Tip: Ask yourself: If this character were straight, would they still be interesting? Give bisexual characters hobbies, ambitions, flaws, and family dynamics that have nothing to do with their sexuality.
Mistake #4: Avoiding Explicit Identity Confirmation
Many writers rely on subtext and implication rather than explicit identity confirmation.
The Problem: Ambiguity serves no one. Readers who need representation deserve clarity. If straight characters casually mention attractions, bisexual characters deserve equal explicitness.
The Fix: Use the word "bisexual." Let characters claim their identity out loud. Subtext isn't representation: it's erasure dressed up as artistry.
Actionable Tip: Include at least one moment where your bisexual character explicitly identifies themselves. This can happen naturally in dialogue, internal monologue, or conversation with a partner. Don't make readers guess.
Visit our Identity and Self-Expression Collection for stories that celebrate authentic identity.
Mistake #5: The Villainous Bisexual Trope
Bisexual characters are disproportionately portrayed as manipulative, untrustworthy, or morally corrupt in fiction.
The Problem: This pattern creates damaging associations between bisexuality and untrustworthiness. Readers internalize these portrayals. Young bisexual men see themselves reflected as villains rather than heroes.
The Fix: Cast bisexual characters as heroes, love interests, and protagonists. Let them be trustworthy, loyal, and morally complex in the same ways straight and gay characters are. Villainy should never correlate with orientation.
Actionable Tip: Audit your cast. If your only bisexual character is also your antagonist, rewrite or add positive bisexual representation elsewhere in your story.
Mistake #6: Ignoring Romantic vs. Physical Attraction
Writers often flatten bisexuality into simple physical attraction without nuance.
The Problem: Some bisexual individuals experience physical attraction across genders while developing romantic feelings more selectively: or vice versa. This complexity rarely appears in fiction. Characters become one-note when writers ignore these distinctions.
The Fix: The most celebrated authors in 2025 explore the full spectrum of bisexual experience. They write characters who might find multiple genders physically attractive but fall romantically for specific individuals. This nuance creates richer, more authentic representation.
Actionable Tip: Consider how your bisexual character experiences attraction. Physical and romantic attraction don't always align. Explore this in internal monologue or conversation with trusted friends or partners.
Mistake #7: The Straight-to-Gay Pipeline
The most erasure-heavy mistake is portraying characters who move from straight to gay without acknowledging bisexuality as a possibility.
The Problem: This false dichotomy reinforces the harmful idea that sexuality is binary. Characters who previously dated women suddenly identify as gay after meeting a man. Bisexuality never enters the conversation.
The Fix: When writing characters who have dated multiple genders, acknowledge bisexuality as a valid identity. Not every man who falls for another man is gay. Some are bisexual. Let your characters explore this possibility authentically.
Actionable Tip: If your character has attraction history across genders, address it directly. Don't skip over bisexuality to reach a "gay conclusion." Bisexuality is a destination, not a detour.
Why Authentic Representation Matters in 2025
Authentic bisexual representation validates reader experiences. Young men forming their identities deserve to see possibilities beyond limiting binaries. Every bisexual character written with care and accuracy contributes to a cultural shift toward acceptance and understanding.
Rather than reducing characters to stereotypes, genuine representation treats bisexual characters as complete human beings worthy of love, respect, and authentic storytelling.
Ready to read MM romance that gets bisexual representation right? Browse our complete Romance Collection today.
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