I'm not well versed on cliched representations of bisexuals, other than the most obvious one, ie the bisexual who will sleep with anything, ie Jack. (I've been poking through Bisexual Characters In Film for some ideas.) But I wonder if Ianto's sexuality is not intended to be "really heterosexual", but undefined. This could be reflected in his uncertainty about what his and Jack's relationship exactly is.
"Only Jack" could mean "I am not attracted to men other than Jack" but it could alternatively, or additionally, mean "I'm in a monandrous relationship" - especially if he suspects his sister assumes he's promiscuous, or at least playing the field.
If RTD has a political intention here, it may be to subvert the insistence of both straights and gays on defining who is "really" bisexual - related to the "quaint little categories" thing, where sexual identity is a phase the culture's going through. Given his past record, though, I think it's more likely the whole thing serves a story purpose instead: Ianto is committed to Jack but isn't sure if the reverse is true, and the rest of the miniseries is going to answer that question. IMHO the most likely outcome is that they end up as a couple. "Bisexual Characters in Film" suggests this would be an unusual portrayal; the world, but not the screen, is full of bisexual people in committed monogamous relationships.
OTOH, it might just have been Jack's aftershave.
ETA: Well, of course TV Tropes has useful information! Should've headed there in the first instance.
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Date: 2009-07-07 08:42 am (UTC)"Only Jack" could mean "I am not attracted to men other than Jack" but it could alternatively, or additionally, mean "I'm in a monandrous relationship" - especially if he suspects his sister assumes he's promiscuous, or at least playing the field.
If RTD has a political intention here, it may be to subvert the insistence of both straights and gays on defining who is "really" bisexual - related to the "quaint little categories" thing, where sexual identity is a phase the culture's going through. Given his past record, though, I think it's more likely the whole thing serves a story purpose instead: Ianto is committed to Jack but isn't sure if the reverse is true, and the rest of the miniseries is going to answer that question. IMHO the most likely outcome is that they end up as a couple. "Bisexual Characters in Film" suggests this would be an unusual portrayal; the world, but not the screen, is full of bisexual people in committed monogamous relationships.
OTOH, it might just have been Jack's aftershave.
ETA: Well, of course TV Tropes has useful information! Should've headed there in the first instance.