5 Things I Have To Get Off My Chest About Season 7 Of ‘Love Island'
When it comes to reality TV shows, I don't play about mine. I usually keep to the drama of the Real Housewives but I found my way to the Love Island corner of the reality sphere a few years ago. Last season, Serena and Kordell gave me hope for Black love. We finally felt seen and valued on these types of shows.
So, like many, I was ready for season 7 of Love Island USA. I was ready to see the tea in Soul Ties, the chats, the girl gang, romances, and real love. What I got instead was a mixed bag of an overproduced mess. A jumbled narrative that felt more like a choreographed reality show than the spontaneous blossoming of love and drama I'd come to expect. The raw, unfiltered moments that once defined the show turned into manufactured tension and predictable plotlines.
With that said, please find 5 things I need to get off my chest about this season.
It's infuriating to watch Black women on Love Island consistently painted as 'mean girls' or 'aggressive' simply for asserting themselves, setting boundaries, or expressing their true feelings. When a non-Black woman does the exact same thing, she's celebrated as strong, confident, or a 'boss babe.' This double standard is unfair. It is a deeply rooted microaggression highlighting broader societal biases. Black women are constantly policed for their tone, their emotions, and their reactions. Even when we are simply standing up for ourselves or holding others accountable. It's time for the show and viewers to dismantle these harmful tropes. A Black woman setting her standards and refusing to be disrespected is a sign of self-worth, not a character flaw.
The lack of accountability for the male islanders on Love Island is a glaring issue season after season. The men are given a free pass for manipulative behavior, gaslighting, emotional unavailability, and general disrespect towards the women. The women are constantly scrutinized for their choices, their 'journeys,' and their perceived flaws. The men often face little to no genuine pressure or consequences for their actions. This creates an imbalanced dynamic where women are expected to tolerate poor behavior and consistently work to understand or 'fix' the men. Rather than the men being held responsible for their own actions and growth. The show needs to do a better job of highlighting and challenging male toxicity, rather than consistently overlooking it.
The decision to remove Islanders for using racial slurs is a necessary step. But the show's handling of it still fell short. The lack of transparency and refusal to explicitly name the racist behavior feels like a passive-aggressive attempt to address a serious issue without truly confronting it. When these instances are vaguely referenced or swept under the rug, it not only diminishes the impact of the racist actions but also fails to properly educate viewers. Furthermore, this disingenuous approach is compounded by the fact that Black women on the show consistently face a barrage of racist abuse from internet trolls outside the villa. The show's failure to unequivocally condemn racism, both on and off-screen, sends a dangerous message that it is more concerned with optics than genuinely protecting its contestants and fostering an inclusive environment.
It is baffling how little research is done on the Islanders before they enter the villa. Time and again, contestants come in with problematic social media histories, past controversial statements. Not to mention a clear pattern of behavior that suggests they might not be suitable for a show centered on healthy relationships and emotional maturity. This lack of vetting raises serious questions about the casting process. Is the show prioritizing drama over the well-being of its contestants and the integrity of the 'love' experiment? A more thorough background check and a deeper understanding of potential Islanders' pasts could prevent many of the uncomfortable and damaging situations. Source: Peacock / Peacock
*in the narrator's voice* A mid size or plus-size bombshell has never entered the villa — why is that? There's a pressing issue that demands our scrutiny: the glaring body exclusivity prevalent across these platforms. It's time to ask: is it truly a prerequisite in 2025 that folks must be a size 4 or under?
This narrow representation fails to reflect the beautiful diversity of body types in the real world. It also perpetuates harmful ideals of beauty. Reality television consistently showcases only a specific physique. It sends a clear message that only certain bodies are desirable, worthy of love, and deserving of screen time. This can have detrimental effects on viewers' self-esteem, fostering unrealistic expectations and body image issues. The absence of diverse body shapes contributes to an exclusive culture. Larger bodies get erased and marginalized. It reinforces a narrow and unattainable standard of beauty.
True inclusivity means embracing a spectrum of body types, just as it means embracing diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Until then, these 'love' islands will continue to project a distorted and exclusive version of reality, rather than the true and varied landscape of human attraction and affection.
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5 Things I Have To Get Off My Chest About Season 7 Of 'Love Island' was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
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