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Conservatives Furious Over Bisexual Alexander the Great

Online conservatives are angered by a depiction of Alexander the Great kissing a man in a recently released Netflix series.

By on February 8, 2024

Buck Braithwaite and Will Stevens in “Alexander: The Making of a God” – Photo: Netflix

Conservatives have found a new focus for their anti-LGBTQ vitriol — Netflix, which is depicting Alexander the Great as a bisexual man. 

The six-part docuseries Alexander: The Making of a God follows the ancient Greek conqueror’s rise to power and the expansion of his empire to become one of the largest in world history, but also looks at his rumored love life.

The series features historians discussing Alexander’s life, intercut with dramatic reenactments of major events in the warrior’s life. It has consistently been in the top 10 viewed TV shows on Netflix since its debut on January 31, reaching as high as second overall behind the biopic series Griselda, reports Newsweek.

Within the first eight minutes of Alexander, the titular character, portrayed by Buck Braithwaite, is seen kissing his good friend and rumored lover, Hephaestion, played by Will Stevens. 

Although most historians — including those who contributed to the docuseries — acknowledge that Alexander was at least bisexual and that homosexuality was at least tolerated in ancient Greece, the depiction of two men kissing was enough to send some viewers into fits of rage.

“Netflix made a new documentary about Alexander the Great. Within the first 8 minutes, they turned him gay,” lamented the End Wokeness account on X.

“I hate wokeness, but hear me out: there’s a good chance he was at least bisexual because, well, that was kind of the Greek thing to do,” replied one user.

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“It’s still unproven speculation and should definitely not be shoved into the first 8 minutes,” End Wokeness responded.

Another user, echoing complaints that have become common about so-called “woke” culture, grumbled, “I’m honestly surprised they didn’t cast a black actor for it, too.”

“Why, i just want to see a normal documentary! I know he was gay but really it took them 8 minutes?!” lamented another user, who included a meme about “LGBT propaganda” being shoved in the public’s face.

But as Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones of Cardiff University notes in the first episode of the series, “Same-sex relationships were quite the norm throughout the Greek world. The Greeks did not have a word for homosexuality or to be gay. It just wasn’t in their vocabulary whatsoever. There was just being sexual.”

Other X users also piled on to End Wokeness, noting that Alexander’s alleged bisexuality has not been much of a secret.

“So historically accuracy bothers you, huh?” wrote one user.

“Except Alexander was bisexual, having lovers of both sexes. This has been known throughout history and is not breaking news,” wrote another.

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“Brother, Alexander the Great was a man that had sex with men. What would you call that?” countered a third.

Despite having been married three times and having had at least one known child, Alexander is believed by some historians to have had an intimate relationship with Hephaestion, a general in Alexander’s army and one of his closest confidantes.

After Hephaestion died, Alexander was reportedly distraught, insisting on a highly ceremonial funeral and making several significant post-mortem tributes to his close companion.

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