The internet is obsessing over Bridgerton characters Benedict and Francesca’s sexualities 

By Abby Amoakuh

Published May 20, 2024 at 12:59 PM

Reading time: 2 minutes

57999

My dearest readers. The moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived. On Thursday 16 May 2024, Bridgerton made a triumphant return to Netflix with the first half of its highly-anticipated third season. And, while we all sit around anxiously waiting for the second drop of the show’s third instalment, fans are spending their time analysing all of the show’s new romances and characters. So, over the weekend, X, formerly Twitter, was abuzz with two questions: is Benedict Bridgerton gay? And: is Francesca asexual? Here, my dearest ton, is the gossip dissected:

Is Benedict Bridgerton gay?

According to X, Benedict is giving chaotic, bisexual second-born energy. And I couldn’t agree more, to be honest. Clues of his potential queerness have been sprinkled into both previous seasons of the hit show. In series one, Benedict befriends artist Henry and starts participating in orgies, only to discover that a large portion of the participants aren’t strictly straight. Henry, in particular, reveals to the second-oldest Bridgerton boy that his marriage is only a cover so he can be with his lover in secret.

In season two, we see Benedict attend art school and although he begins a flirtatious romance with a female model and painter, he seems to form stronger bonds with his fellow male students.

https://twitter.com/renegadeapostle/status/1343855148192317440
https://twitter.com/licensedclown/status/1791228864942788676
https://twitter.com/leebee4life/status/1791292336456057060

Couple this with fluidity, non-adherence to social norms, and a subtle penchant for the theatrical and fans were convinced that we were looking at a bona fide queer icon.

“I’ve seen a lot of discussion about Benedict’s sexuality in season one. But the storyline [of him befriending] Henry was really about tolerance in a really intolerant time,” showrunner Chris Van Dusen explained to TV Line.

Nevertheless, Van Dusen went on to say: “Benedict has such a lovely openness and fluidity about him generally, and that’s really, really fun to play because it could go anywhere,” in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Are we leaving the possibility for a queer awaking open?

So far, the show has steered clear from featuring a lead LGBTQIA+ character to the dismay of many fans. Yet, the possibility that we might just be leading up to a queer Benedict season is getting a lot of these fans back onto the Bridgerton train.

Is Francesca Bridgerton asexual?

Next up is Francesca Bridgerton. Her societal debut is one of this season’s main storylines and with it came a lot of speculation about her sexuality too.

Let’s take a critical look at the evidence for potential queerness: Francesca is less than enthusiastic about the prospect of finding a husband. The family’s sixth child even plays the funeral march on the pianoforte mere hours before she is supposed to be presented to the queen as a debutante—kind of an iconic move by the way. Unlike her sister Daphne, Francesca doesn’t wish to be the diamond, dislikes flirtation and the attention of many suitors, and only really seems happy practising her musical skills.

Indeed, when one potential suitor, Lord Samadani, presents her with the idea of birthing eight children, our girl taps out and leaves the room.

Many fans took this to mean that Francesca might be asexual or demisexual.

Is Francesca Bridgerton autistic?

Others, however, took Francesca’s introversion and reserved attitude to mean something completely different. Is it possible that the Bridgerton girl is autistic?

https://twitter.com/reeraboo/status/1792405320515678444

Many fans, specifically neurodivergent ones, read her introspection, hyper-fixation on her hobbies, and sensory sensitivities as clear signs of autism.

https://twitter.com/reeraboo/status/1792405320515678444
https://twitter.com/lyssaleche/status/1792020736380698942

They even went as far as to presume that the suitor Francesca feels most drawn to, Lord John Stirling, might be neurodivergent as well.

https://twitter.com/MinutesWithMM/status/1791235999093108900

Joyous over this potential disability representation, X celebrated the new people’s princess Francesca Bridgerton.

https://twitter.com/katbrown/status/1791478839282999313

While we should probably still be careful to label and diagnose fictional characters, it seems like fans are definitely overjoyed to be seeing a bit more of themselves represented in the most recent iteration of the Bridgerton world.

Keep On Reading

By Alma Fabiani

How to unlock Netflix’s secret category codes to access hidden films and series genres

By Alma Fabiani

Netflix to charge people who use their account when travelling abroad

By Jack Palfrey

Algorithms and mass-production: what happens to culture in a time of Netflix and Chill?

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Spanish footballers turn to sexual consent contracts amid rising rape and assault allegations

By Charlie Sawyer

Influencer Leo Skepi warns of a wave of crime similar to The Purge following LA wildfires

By Emma O'Regan-Reidy

Why Gen Z is obsessed with cyber sigilism tattoos and their mystical origins

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Sex Education actor found guilty of 26 sex offenses, including abuse of minors

By Charlie Sawyer

Expert gives worried fans an update after Ludacris drank water from unfiltered glacier in Alaska

By Charlie Sawyer

Who is Dee Devlin, the fiancée of Conor McGregor who just insulted victims of SA everywhere?

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

London teachers warn of alarming rise in homophobic slurs in schools

By Louis Shankar

5 essential TV shows to watch before the chaos of the 2024 US presidential election

By Abby Amoakuh

Brooke Schofield faces backlash after resurfaced tweets show her defending Trayvon Martin’s killer

By Abby Amoakuh

Gen Z are now bringing their parents to job interviews, proving helicopter parenting has gone too far

By Charlie Sawyer

From Page 3 to Gen Z icon: Why Katie Price captured our hearts

By Louis Shankar

Friends turns 30 and proves it’s still a cultural icon despite its low key problematic flaws

By Charlie Sawyer

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell sparks outrage over alleged white supremacist message in new ad

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Nationwide strike in Israel amid public outcry over Gaza hostage deaths puts pressure on Netanyahu

By Abby Amoakuh

Deathly drug mixed with human bones causes national emergency over rampant spread

By Charlie Sawyer

Why is the UK government’s early prison release scheme so controversial?

By Charlie Sawyer

Utah’s decision to ban A Court of Thorns and Roses proves that free thinking is off the table in the US