People love labels. We want to put things in boxes, wrap them in neat little bows, and file them away so we can understand the world without having to think too hard about it. But when it comes to Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—the Puerto Rican powerhouse the world knows as Bad Bunny—those boxes usually end up trashed. The question "is Bad Bunny bisexual" has been a constant hum in the background of his meteoric rise to global dominance. It's not just a gossip rag headline; it’s a cultural conversation about what it means to be a man in the often hyper-masculine world of reggaeton.
He kisses a male dancer on stage at the VMAs. He wears a skirt on The Tonight Show. He gets a manicure that would make your local influencer jealous. Does that make him bisexual? Does he even care if you think he is?
What He’s Actually Said (and What He Hasn’t)
Let’s get the facts straight. Or fluid.
Bad Bunny hasn't officially come out as "bisexual" in the traditional sense of holding a press conference or posting a black-and-white Instagram statement with a rainbow emoji. In a 2020 interview with The Los Angeles Times, he addressed the speculation head-on. He basically told the world that while he currently feels heterosexual and loves women, he doesn’t know what will happen in the future. "At the end of the day, I don’t know if in 20 years I will like a man," he said. He called his sexuality "fluid," noting that life is unpredictable.
It’s an honest take. It’s also a take that drives people crazy because it isn't a "yes" or "no."
By refusing to stick a permanent label on himself, Benito is doing something much more radical than just coming out. He is claiming the right to change. He’s telling his massive fan base—one that spans from conservative rural towns in Latin America to the most progressive clubs in Berlin—that your identity isn't a static document you sign at eighteen and never look back at.
The VMA Kiss and the "Queerbaiting" Debate
If you were online during the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, you saw it. During a performance of "Tití Me Preguntó," Bad Bunny leaned over and kissed one of his male backup dancers. The internet exploded. Half the world cheered for the representation; the other half started throwing around the word "queerbaiting."
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Queerbaiting is a heavy accusation. It’s the idea that a straight artist mimics queer aesthetics or hints at same-sex attraction just to profit from the LGBTQ+ community without actually sharing their struggles. But is it queerbaiting if the artist has been vocal about supporting the community since day one?
Think back to the "Solo de Mí" music video. It wasn't about him; it was a powerful statement against domestic violence. Or look at his appearance on Jimmy Fallon, where he wore a shirt that read: "Mataron a Alexa. No a un hombre con falda" (They killed Alexa. Not a man in a skirt). He was honoring Alexa Negrón Luciano, a transgender woman murdered in Puerto Rico. This wasn't a fashion choice for clout. It was a political act in a place where being trans can be a death sentence.
Breaking the Machismo Mold
Reggaeton has a history. It’s a genre built on the foundations of machismo—this rigid, often aggressive display of traditional masculinity. For decades, the "urban" artist was expected to be a certain way: tough, womanizing, and definitely not wearing nail polish.
Then comes Benito.
He wears crop tops. He talks about his mental health. He kisses men on stage. He manages to be the most "masculine" figure in the room while simultaneously dismantling every rule that defines masculinity. This is why the question of whether Bad Bunny is bisexual feels so urgent to people. If the biggest star on the planet doesn't have to follow the rules, maybe we don't either.
His aesthetic isn't just "drag" or "feminine." It’s a blur. He’ll wear a heavy puffer jacket and baggy jeans with a full set of acrylic nails. It’s a juxtaposition that forces the viewer to reconcile two things that shouldn't, according to old rules, exist in the same space.
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The Gabriela Berlingeri Factor
For years, the most visible relationship in his life was with Gabriela Berlingeri. She was everywhere—in his videos, on his social media, even credited as a photographer on his album art. They seemed like the ultimate "cool couple." But even then, Benito was vague. He once told a reporter that they were just "best friends" or that he was "single," despite them clearly being close.
This ambiguity is his trademark. Whether he’s talking about his girlfriend or his sexuality, he refuses to give the public the "gotcha" moment they crave. He protects his privacy by being loudly public about his fluidity. It’s a brilliant defense mechanism. If you tell everyone "I might like anything," then nothing you do can ever be a "scandal."
Drag and the "Yo Perreo Sola" Era
If you want to talk about his commitment to blurring lines, you have to talk about "Yo Perreo Sola." In the music video, Bad Bunny performs in full drag. Multiple versions of it. He’s got the heels, the hair, the chest—everything.
Most male artists do drag as a joke. They do it for a "funny" skit where the punchline is "look how gross/weird I look as a woman." Bad Bunny didn't do that. He played it straight. He looked powerful. The message of the song—about a woman’s right to dance alone without being harassed—was amplified by his transformation. He wasn't just "playing" a woman; he was using his platform to occupy a space that men in his position usually ignore or exploit.
Critics often point to this as evidence of his bisexuality. But drag is an art form, not a sexual orientation. You can be a straight man who loves the theatricality of drag. You can be a gay man who hates it. The point Benito seems to be making is that the "rules" of what a man can do are fake. We made them up. And he’s deciding to ignore them.
Why This Matters in 2026
We live in an era where Gen Z and Alpha are increasingly moving away from binary labels. For them, the question "is Bad Bunny bisexual" is almost outdated. They see a guy who expresses himself however he wants, and they relate to that freedom more than they do to a specific box on a census form.
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His influence on the fashion industry alone is staggering. High-fashion brands like Jacquemus have used him in campaigns where he wears pink dresses and high heels. These aren't niche magazines; these are global billboards. He is normalizing a version of manhood that includes vulnerability and aesthetic fluidity.
The Reality of His Public Persona
Is there a level of performance to it? Of course. Every artist has a persona. Bad Bunny is a master of branding. He knows that being "mysterious" and "unpredictable" keeps people talking. If he came out tomorrow and said, "I am 100% bisexual," the mystery would vanish. If he said, "I am 100% straight," the edge would soften.
By staying in the middle—in that "fluid" grey area—he remains the most interesting person in the room. He becomes a mirror. People who want him to be queer see a queer icon. People who want him to be a straight ally see a revolutionary straight man. He lets the audience finish the story.
Actionable Takeaways from the Benito Phenomenon
If you’re looking at Bad Bunny’s journey to understand your own identity or just to understand the culture, there are a few real-world insights to grab:
- Labels are optional: You don't owe anyone a definition of your sexuality. Like Benito said, you might feel one way today and another way in twenty years. That’s allowed.
- Expression doesn't equal orientation: Wearing a dress, getting your nails done, or kissing someone of the same sex on stage are acts of expression. They don't necessarily "prove" someone's internal identity.
- Support requires action: If you're going to play in the space of queer aesthetics, you need to back it up with advocacy. Bad Bunny’s career is marked by speaking up for the marginalized, which is why he gets more grace than others.
- Masculinity is expanding: The "macho" archetype is dying. You can be "hard" and "soft" at the same time.
Bad Bunny is whatever he says he is at the moment he’s saying it. Right now, he’s a global icon who refuses to be pinned down. Whether he’s dating a supermodel or kissing a dancer, his primary identity seems to be "Benito"—an artist who found that the best way to win the game is to stop playing by the rules.
Next time you see a headline asking about his sexuality, remember his own words. He’s just living. The rest of us are just watching.
To keep up with how these cultural shifts are impacting the music industry, look into how other Latin artists like Tokischa or Villano Antillano are further pushing the boundaries that Bad Bunny helped crack open. The door is off the hinges now. There's no going back to the way things were before the "Rabbit" arrived.