Love Island – last year’s winner was misogyny, will this year be the last?
Image: Courtesy of ITV
Love Island returns to our screens tonight for another sizzling summer, for the second time in under six months. Yet with dwindling viewership, calls out for toxic behaviour and a constant drove of identical influencers being manufactured, will this be a long hot summer of loyalty or lost viewership?
Love Island is viewed by millions both in the UK and internationally (despite having shows set in their own countries, viewers in the USA and Australia also stream the iconic UK show) – with around 2.4 million people tuning in for the first episode of last summer’s season 8.
The reality dating show, which sees ‘sexy singletons’ aged around 18 – 30 living together in a Spanish villa for eight weeks in order to find a connection, has long been a staple of and arguably ITVs biggest hit show.
But 2023’s Winter Love Island, the show’s additional season of the year streaming throughout January and February in South Africa as a cure for the winter blues, premiered at only 1.2 million average viewers, half of the year before, even with new host Maya Jama to spice things up.
So what went wrong?
While on the surface Love Island seems like a harmless dating show, discussed in group chats, offices and Twitter memes, underneath there are concerns with how the show is influencing its young viewership.
Love Island has long been criticised for its lack of diversity, its promotion of a certain idealistic body type and beauty standard, and for heavily promoting fast fashion brands.
During season 8, the show was especially called out by viewers for misogynism, gaslighting, and toxic behaviour. Viewers stated that contestant Luca Bish was acting with coercive control over 19-year-old Gemma Owen through his over-reaction of her speaking to another male contestant in front of him, accusing her of ‘entertaining him’ because ‘men don’t flirt with women unless they think they have a chance’ – putting the blame on her for a man’s actions, essentially stating that she was asking for it.
Before he left in floods of tears, contestant Jacques O’Neill was accused by viewers of gaslighting and emotionally manipulating Paige Thorne, after he kissed other girls in Casa Amor and blamed her for having a negative reaction to his behaviour. There were also accusations of outright bullying by contestants towards first-ever deaf contestant Tasha Ghouri.
That same season, Love Island made an unprecedented move and invited a former islander back to the show – Adam Collard, from season 4 in 2018. This sparked outrage as Adam was accused of gaslighting during his time on the show, with Women’s Aid putting out a statement in 2018 claiming that there are “clear warning signs in Adam’s behaviour” of emotional abuse.
Ofcom received a staggering 3,617 complaints in just one week in 2022, triggering statements from domestic abuse charities Women’s Aid and Refuge regarding the behaviour of the male contestants towards the female contestants on the show.
Women’s Aid stated that they were: “in conversation with ITV” about inclusion training for future islanders “on abusive relationships and an understanding of controlling behaviour in relationships. It is vital that producers know when to intervene and challenge unacceptable behaviour.”
Refuge stated: “The misogyny and casual sexism witnessed on this series is concerning. The double standards, gaslighting, and coercive control being displayed by the men in the villa is hugely problematic.”
The issues raised are concerning as many young and impressionable viewers watch the show; men may think this behaviour is acceptable, normalised, and even glamorised, while women may think this behaviour is something to expect and tolerate in a relationship - because if the women on Love Island are being treated this way, why shouldn’t they?
As an objective viewer I can see that the behaviour of the male contestants is very wrong, but when you are in a situation like that yourself it can be difficult to notice the warning signs.
Love Island has introduced a number of slang phrases into modern day vernacular, such as ‘type on paper’ and ‘mugged off’, but the key words that viewers should really take note of here and what they mean, are:
Gaslighting - manipulating someone psychologically into questioning their own sanity, lying to make them think that what they think, remember and feel is wrong, in order to maintain power over a person and situation.
Lovebombing - lavishing someone with love, attention and affection at a rate that they don’t feel comfortable with, in order to emotionally manipulate them into entering or staying in a relationship.
Coercive control - an abusive pattern of behaviour to exert power over another through control, fear and humiliation.
Toxic masculinity - behaviours, expectations and attitudes stereotypically associated with men which are harmful to society.
Misogyny - prejudice and sexism against women.
Double standards - rules which are applied unfairly to one group compared to another. In this case, men being able to do things in which women can’t without being judged.
Red flag - a warning sign that there is a problem with a person or in a relationship, behaviour they display which can hint to toxic or harmful thoughts and feelings.
If you are experiencing any of these signs in a relationship, get in touch with someone who can get help -
Women’s Aid - email: helpline@womensaid.org.uk / live chat: Live Chat | Women's Aid Live Chat (womensaid.org.uk)
Refuge - National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247
Written by Ally McLaren
Editor
Hi, I’m Ally, Editor of This Modern Struggle Magazine.
You may have seen my writing in Mouthy Magazine or Darling Magazine. I currently work in Marketing and PR and do freelance copywriting on the side. I also have experience in journalism and feature writing for women’s magazines and national press.
When I’m not writing you can find me eating pizza, stroking my cat and watching true crime documentaries.
I started this magazine for all the fellow strugglers who feel the same way that I do; like everyone else has it all figured out and you just don’t know what you’re doing in life.