June is huge for two reasons.

It’s Pride month, which means it’s a celebration of the LGBTQ community’s love, acceptance, diversity and pride. 

It’s also the month in which season eight of Love Island begins.

But wouldn’t it be even better if we combined the two things and the show prominently featured LGBTQ+ contestants? As someone who’s previously opened up on the show about my bisexuality, I’d welcome this wholeheartedly. 

There is an ongoing conversation surrounding the lack of LGBTQ+ representation on Love Island and shows of a similar nature.

The queer community has been fighting for representation on TV for decades. Yes, the industry has been taking strides in the right direction, but this doesn’t mean that the queer community is getting fair opportunities.

The definition of LGBTQ+ is often oversimplified to ‘just being gay’, but that’s not the part. The ‘B’ for ‘bisexual’ isn’t silent, and it should not be treated as such.

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The main argument I have seen against having LGBTQ+ representation on Love Island is that the queer community poses a ‘logistical difficulty’.

However, in 2016, Love Island UK saw it’s first same-sex couple in Katie Salmon and Sophie Gradon (who sadly died in 2018).

Then in 2019, Love Island Australia made history with it’s first same-sex couple in Phoebe Thompson and Cassie Lansdell.

Apart from the potential need to send more male islanders’ home than originally anticipated, it didn’t seem logistically difficult then, so why would it be logistically difficult now?

From personal experience and memory, during the casting process of season seven, we were advised that we were not guaranteed to be on the show until the moment we physically walked into the villa. So we were to accept the invitation at our own risk.

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That means that if a same-sex pairing naturally happens, there would be people on standby to make sure there’s no shortfall of couplings.

Even though my closest friends have always been aware of my sexuality, I had never explicitly made it public knowledge outside of that friendship group.

My time in the villa during the Horny Devils challenge was the first time I publicly came out as bisexual – including to my parents. 

During the challenge, it was revealed that I have had a few threesomes. I then said: ‘Well I don’t know if I’m supposed to find out if I like girls and boys if I don’t find out for myself’.

I didn’t realise the impact this would have – especially to young women.

After I later left the villa, I noticed my Instagram DMs were filled with young women who were unsure of how to approach being with women for the first time – or how to just ‘know’ your sexuality.

This is something that I am still trying to understand and don’t feel qualified to advise on.

Love Island has blessed me with opportunities and friendships that I will be forever grateful for.

But I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Love Island fans from all over the world when I say that representation from all areas of society is important.

The influence of the show extends far beyond the duration of its time on TV. For many, it is more than just a form of entertainment – it is an integral part of society.

As the self-proclaimed owners of love, please can we remember that all love is love, and not just heterosexual love?

Sharon x

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]. 

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Love Island 2022

Kiss goodbye to your social life – Love Island is back to dominate your evenings, with the new series promising more drama than ever before.

The full line-up was announced last week, with contestants including Michael Owen’s daughter and the first deaf Islander.

Ahead of the launch episode, the public have been asked to play Cupid and vote for who should couple up on day one.

• What time does Love Island start and how long is the series?
• I went to the new Love Island villa and the reality is not what I expected
• Love Island’s first deaf contestant Tasha opens up on ‘superpower’
• From Amy Schumer to Paul Chuckle: The celebs who can’t get enough of Love Island
• Who won Love Island last year? Full list of previous winning couples

For all the latest updates, visit Metro.co.uk‘s Love Island page.

Metro.co.uk celebrates 50 years of Pride

This year marks 50 years of Pride, so it seems only fitting that Metro.co.uk goes above and beyond in our ongoing LGBTQ+ support, through a wealth of content that not only celebrates all things Pride, but also share stories, take time to reflect and raises awareness for the community this Pride Month.

MORE: Find all of Metro.co.uk’s Pride coverage right here

And we’ve got some great names on board to help us, too. From a list of famous guest editors taking over the site for a week that includes Rob Rinder, Nicola Adams, Peter Tatchell, Kimberly Hart-Simpson, John Whaite, Anna Richardson and Dr Ranj, we’ll also have the likes Sir Ian McKellen and Drag Race stars The Vivienne, Lawrence Chaney and Tia Kofi offering their insights. 

During Pride Month, which runs from 1 – 30 June, Metro.co.uk will also be supporting Kyiv Pride, a Ukrainian charity forced to work harder than ever to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community during times of conflict. To find out more about their work, and what you can do to support them, click here.

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