Brace yourselves for a summer of bikini-clad social media stars coupling up and mugging each other off – Love Island returns to our screens on Monday, June 3.
The reality show has been criticised in the past for a lack of body diversity among its contestants, and it’s an important issue given the ‘islanders’ arguably spend 90% of their time on the show in skimpy swimwear, and pick their partners in the first episode based solely on how they look in said swimwear.
Let's DO THIS! 🌴It's time to crack on with a brand new bunch of singles and watch them graft their way through summer... #LoveIsland pic.twitter.com/tbD9MFZ4s0
— Love Island (@LoveIsland) 27 May 2019
So this year, fans really hoped to see a variety of shapes and sizes – and people we could actually relate to.
Love Island has revealed the series five contestants include Irish scientist Yewande Biala, surfer Lucie Donlan, and air cabin crew member, Amy Hart.
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There were rumours that size 16 model Jada Sezer, who co-hosts a body positive podcast, would be joining the show, but she’s been left out of the initial line up.
The 30-year-old was one of the first plus-sized model to walk at London Fashion Week and she describes herself as a ‘self love advocate’ in her Instagram bio.
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But she tweeted to confirm she wouldn’t be appearing on the show, saying: "Diversity is so much bigger than seeing one ‘plus size’ girl on TV. We should all be seen!"
There is one curvier contestant in the first line up, Anna Vakili, but many people on Twitter are concerned her inclusion is the show’s single attempt at body diversity, saying she’s far from ‘plus-size’.
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The 28-year-old pharmacist, from London with Iranian heritage, has been dubbed the ‘British Kim Kardashian’ and is a bit of an Insta-celeb already with 59,000 followers.
Like Sezer, many people are pointing out one person of a slightly different body type doesn’t count as diversity…
Love island including ONE plus size woman in this year’s cast and then making out like this is a massive step forward in terms of body diversity is literally a prime example of tokenism and I’m fed up of it tbh
— cloe (@cloecarcrashian) 28 May 2019
one "plus size" girl on #loveisland isnt making it diverse x
— tia 🌺 (@_TiaPickering_) 27 May 2019
I find it funny how love island combat the issue of body diversity by casting one "plus size" girl... 😂😆
— Elle ☀️ (@Ellemaee21) 28 May 2019
While others say no one in the group represents anything other than a slim, conventionally attractive body size.
Looking for the 'plus size' member of Love Island like pic.twitter.com/90gqOx3PtR
— Jaz Rachel ⭐ (@jazrachel04) 28 May 2019
Someone else pointed out that producers on the show haven’t actually identified Vakili as plus size anyway.
I don't think many people believe she is plus, but technically they're allowed to say that if you're size 12 or 14 and up because that's the size plus brands start at. My point was only that it's unfair to blame Love Island given that they haven't said she's plus.
— Rebecca Reid (@RebeccaCNReid) 28 May 2019
The conversation around body diversity usually centres around women, but one fan has pointed out there’s a similar issue with male body types represented in the show – mainly six packs, huge muscles and zero body fat.
Hearing the rumour that a plus size model is joining the cast of @loveisland is great for body positivity. What about the plus size men though?
— James Greig (@James_Greig) 25 May 2019
Interestingly, RTÉ 2fm Broadcaster Louise McSharry tweeted that the show has a duty of care to its contestants and, unfortunately, she believes that a plus-sized contestant may receive so much backlash from the general public that it may affect their mental health.
I’m not sure the general public can be trusted to respond to a plus-size cast member in a way which wouldn’t be considered potentially dangerous for said plus-size cast member’s well-being. I wonder if this is a factor at this point.
— Louise McSharry (@louisemcsharry) May 28, 2019
But who knows? As the series goes on, perhaps we’ll get to see a greater representation of shapes and sizes as new contestants are introduced. It’s pretty clear that’s what viewers would like to see.