The Sex Lives of College Girls finale is out, and it’s not the only one! The third season has stirred up mixed feelings in the audience, especially with its handling of one of the show’s main characters coming out as bisexual.
The show initially costarred Renee Rapp, who played Leighton Murray, a well-loved character in the Sex Lives of College Girls universe, who was a wealthy legacy student and a closeted lesbian. Rapp rejoined the cast for one last hoorah before exiting the show on the second episode and passing the queer torch to another main character, Bela.
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Bela Malhotra, played by Amrit Kaur, is a complex, unique character who often makes mistakes and loves sex more than anything. But Bela’s toxic traits make for a nasty combo this season: in the past, she’s cheated on a former partner and given a round of hand jobs to members of a club that she wanted to join. Given her history, fans found many uncomfortable similarities between her behavior and common stereotypes of bisexual women.
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Unfortunately, bisexual women are still viewed as hypersexual, indecisive cheaters even in today’s landscape. While fans wanted Bela’s coming out to feel as comforting as Leighton’s, it didn’t have the same impact. Bela’s journey is relatable when it comes to exploring sexuality and identity in college, but why aren’t shows looking to give us bisexual representation that’s not centered on cheating or sex?
We have high hopes for what Bela’s new identity will bring in the show’s potential next season. The co-showrunner Justin Noble said season 3 is not a show finale, and they didn’t mean for it to feel like it. So, fingers crossed for another season and Bela’s bi arc!
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