History was never straight and neither were they.
Bisexuality is not a trend, a phase, or a quirky sitcom trope. It has existed throughout history and some of the most fascinating, boundary-pushing people openly embraced it. Here’s a look at legends who proved that attraction does not obey rules.
Sappho (c. 630–570 BCE)
The original poet of desire. Sappho’s verses overflow with passion for women and hints that her love was not limited to one gender. Her work survived centuries even though censorship tried to sanitize it. History could not erase a bisexual legend.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
Genius, inventor, painter, and occasional heartbreaker. Leonardo’s love life suggests attraction to both men and women. He did not just paint the Mona Lisa, he painted outside the lines of societal expectation as well.
Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)
Modernist writer, feminist icon, and bisexual extraordinaire. Woolf’s diaries and letters reveal romantic relationships with women alongside her marriage to Leonard Woolf. She turned societal rules on their head while writing some of the most enduring literature of the 20th century.
Freddie Mercury (1946–1991)
The ultimate rock god whose performances blurred gender and sexual norms. Freddie’s bisexuality was part of his unstoppable charisma and fearless expression. The stage, like desire, has no boundaries.
James Baldwin (1924–1987)
Author, activist, and intellectual powerhouse. Baldwin loved men and women. His writing captured the complexity of desire, identity, and social expectation in ways that remain shocking and essential today.
Frida Kahlo (1907–1954)
Iconic painter and unapologetic lover of both men and women. Kahlo’s bisexuality fueled her art, making it raw, sensual, and political. She lived life boldly and without compromise.
Bisexuality has always been visible even when society tried to make it invisible. These icons show that attraction is messy, fluid, and revolutionary. Their courage paved the way for generations to embrace both and all.
