It's good to see parents on Love Island this year – but why are we treating mums differently to dads?

Scottish Sun

a day ago

Love Island star Huda's love interest was visibly shocked when she told him she had a daughter
unjust It's good to see parents on Love Island this year – but why are we treating mums differently to dads?
THIS year, Love Island, both in the UK and US, has done something a little different to its normal proceedings, and recruited people with children to star on the show.
On the US version, Huda is a mum to a little girl, and over in the UK we're set to meet new bombshell Shea, who has a son from a previous relationship.
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This year, Love Island, both in the UK and US, has done something a little different to its normal proceedings, and recruited people with children to star on the show
Credit: Ben Symons/Peacock
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Bombshell Shea is dad to a little boy
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Huda has been getting to know Jeremiah
Credit: Kim Nunneley/Peacock
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Shea has been praised for being a dad looking for love
While both are parents, there is a stark difference between them - and that, sadly, is the way their news has been received.
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Before the US season got under way, internet detectives had discovered Huda was a mum, and they immediately feared for her.
'Why do I feel like the guys are gonna be d**** about this,' wrote one fan, while another responded, saying: 'It wouldn't be a surprise unfortunately.'
The general consensus amongst Love Island fans being that Huda's revelation would leave the men running for the hills, instead of treating her the same as any other woman on the show. Then fears became reality, as Huda decided to tell love interest Jeremiah that she had a four-year-old daughter.
'I wanted to be honest with you,' she began, adding: 'I really trusted and liked you, and I am a mum.'
Jeremiah then throws his head back and fails to hide his shocked reaction: 'You're a mum, and you're 24?' he says, weirdly emphasising her age, as if women of 24 shouldn't have children.
Huda is then forced to reassure him that she only has the one child, and Jeremiah tells her he can't look at her.
The scene left US Love Island fans horrified, with many telling Huda to 'run,' as well as calling out Jeremiah for his 'red flag' behaviour. Others defended him, saying it must've come as a big shock, and that taking on a child is a huge responsibility, the latter of which no-one is denying.
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But it's just a massive shame that Huda's first attempt at telling someone she likes on the show that she's a mum, is met with such shock and, dare I say it, disgust.
Fans noticed that Huda was visibly afraid to tell him the news, struggling to get her words out, almost as if she was worried that being a mum would push him away.
She even ended up saying things like she's 'not ashamed of it at all,' and was 'worried about how he'd react.'
Huda took her time telling Jeremiah that she was a mum, four episodes in fact, because of the reaction she'd had from other men in the past.
And yet, when UK Love Island bombshell Shea was revealed as having a son, the reaction couldn't have been better.
Beneath TikTok videos of Shea being a dad, fans said how 'cute' it was, and praised the star for 'doing the show for his baby.'
The comments section on X, TikTok and Instagram has been flooded with positivity about Shea being a dad, especially as he says in his pre-Love Island interview: 'Also, I have a little boy, so I'll be taking him into consideration with who I couple up with, too.'
The news has been so well-received, with fans praising the star for thinking about his son when it comes to picking which girl he'll couple up with.
But for Huda? Just negativity, fears and a reaction that's enough to put anyone off telling someone that they're a mum ever again.
As a mum myself, it makes me so sad to see. Why is there such an obvious split between the way both Huda and Shea have been treated when revealing that they're parents?
It's a great move from Love Island to have parents on the show, and really widens the representation. But we've still got a way to go in changing perception when it comes to single mums looking for love.
Jeremiah isn't the sole problem, he's well within his right to be surprised, as the revelation had been kept a secret from him for some time.
But he is a part of the wider issue of women being afraid to admit they've got kids while dating. You might not be ready to be a step-dad and that's fair enough, but is there a world where people learn to react in a manner that doesn't portray pure horror? A world where people consider the feelings of the person telling them, and not just themselves.
Maybe it's wishful thinking, but what I will say is seeing parents on Love Island really does highlight that we have a huge way to go in the way that the world views mums looking for love versus dads. We need to do better. Much better.
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Huda has a four-year-old daughter with her ex
Credit: Instagram/mrpreshaa
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Fans begged Huda to 'run' after she revealed news she was a parent
Credit: Instagram
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Jeremiah was left visibly shocked by the news
Credit: Instagram