‘Queer as Folk’ and ‘It’s a Sin’ Creator Blasts ‘Loki’ and Disney+ for ‘Pathetic’ Bisexual Reveal – IndieWire
“Loki” delighted many fans across the world when it was confirmed in the series’ third episode that Tom Hiddleston’s eponymous antihero is bisexual. The confirmation comes quick: Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) asks Loki about his love life and suspects he’s been with a “would-be princesses, or perhaps another prince.” Loki answers, “A bit of both. I suspect the same as you.” But that’s as far as “Loki” goes in exploring the character’s sexuality, which makes all the buzz around “Loki” being so inclusive rather “pathetic” for “It’s a Sin” and “Queer as Folk” creator Russell T. Davies.
“I think huge, clanging warning bells are ringing as the giants rise up with Netflix and Disney Plus especially,” Davies said during a recent video panel on the state of queer representation in television (via Uproxx). “I think that’s a very great worry. ‘Loki’ makes one reference to being bisexual once, and everyone’s like, ‘Oh my god, it’s like a pansexual show.’ It’s like one word. He said the word ‘prince,’ and we’re meant to go, ‘Thank you, Disney! Aren’t you marvelous?’ It’s pathetic. It’s a ridiculous, craven, feeble gesture towards the vital politics and the stories that should be told.”
“Loki” director Kate Herron celebrated the moment on social media after the series’ third episode aired, writing on Twitter: “From the moment I joined ‘Loki’ 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.”
Herron acknowledged the show was limited in its representation of Loki’s bisexuality, but she later told Collider that she was hopeful future MCU projects could further explore the character’s sexuality now that the door was open.
“I don’t know plans for the future with Loki — I’m so focused on this story,” Herron said. “But I would say that part of my thinking was, well, if it’s canon and it’s acknowledged, then yeah I hope there’s obviously more road to travel with that aspect of his personality. And I hope it has opened the door to more stories, definitely.”
The first season of “Loki” is streaming in its entirety on Disney+. The streaming platform confirmed “Loki” will return for Season 2 at a later date.
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