AIBU to think that Love Island should be axed?

[Jade218]

AIBU to think Love Island is sending really harmful messages and is really bad for modern society and should be axed?

My reasons;

1. Two suicides as a result of participants being unable to cope after the show
2. Every year black female contestants are voted last (I can’t help but feel producers should ensure there is an opportunity for a contestant to be picked by asking if people would consider interracial dating - in the same way they wouldn’t put in a gay person without ensuring there is a potential suitor that is also gay)
3. The ‘ideal standard of beauty’ being promoted is really harmful to young people and is not helping their insecurities
4. The message that being ‘pretty’ is enough to get you all the fame and money in the world

It disgusts me. I’m on the verge of starting an online position for it to be axed - if Jeremy Kyle deserves to be axed so does this! AIBU or does anyone else agree?

I do feel like they have failed in the aftercare of contestants in the past, though. And I sincerely hope that is addressed moving forwards.

@Sirzy precisely my point.

My point is also not any one of these issues I raised in particular. Just that there are so many issues to the show which is why I don’t think it has a place on TV.

As mentioned in my original post Jeremy Kyle managed to get axed after one person commit suicide but this seems to be going in full force, despite IMO having many more flaws to it then Jeremy Kyles show did.

It promotes stupidity which I'm not sure is a good thing. Didn't one of the contestants ask what brexit was?

why is it that the black females, who are both lovely and beautiful, don't get picked by the blokes? The men, whether black or white, frequently seem to be queuing up for the petite white blonde girls.

Don't mean to side-track the thread but Iv had this all my life. Not being big headed but I am what is considered to be "pretty" I'm slim with natural big chest, but Iv always been side tracked for my white and light skin ethnic friends even if they aren't pretty etc, not disrespecting them but this has been my experience

@Jade218 this show is worse than Jeremy Kyle? Jeremy Kyle was verbally abusing the vulnerable of society , many of whom were misled into coming onto the show, in front of a live audience.

“I believe it encourages girls and young women to believes that they have to expose their bodies to be popula”

Maybe it does inspire those thoughts in some people. And maybe in others it encourages them to look after their bodies and keep fit and healthy.

You can proscribe TV based on what people might think. It’s ok after the watershed and that is plenty.

“I watched some last night with my boyfriend it made me feel so uncomfortable . It’s voyeristic. I also felt my self getting really insecure wondering if I should have a flatter tummy and A boob job .”

Don’t watch it again then.

“despite IMO having many more flaws to it then Jeremy Kyles show did.”

I think you can stop right there. 🛑 ✋

I’ve never watched it. Other people can watch what they like - sounds like utter crap to me.

And, why would you start a petition?? You do know the government can’t axe it, don’t you?

I've never watched it but through social media and hearing people talk about it I kind of know what's going on.

Those who do watch it, what do you enjoy about it? Genuine question, I'm not looking to attack or pick apart your answers.

The Scottish bloke this year is local to me and a fairly loathsome character by all accounts.

It's a bit of light hearted cheesy escapism. What's with everyone trying to ban everything all the time?

As the mother of a teenage girl who loves Love Island I have to disagree completely with you.

For a start the most popular girl this year is the most natural one in there. I'd say you could take that as a positive message for young women; men really prefer the natural look rather than enhanced.

I'm also massively impressed, not only with my daughter, but her friends too for being quite on it in terms of what's acceptable behaviour and what isn't in terms of how a boy treats you. They are the ones calling out the shitty behaviour of the blokes on there.

As for the black women not being chosen, to be honest last year Samira was quite closed off and she didn't actually appear to fancy any of the men in there. This year we're a week in, so it's far too early to say that Yewande is being passed over. She and Michael seem to be growing closer which surely is more realistic and better for the young girls to see. You don't have to rush in but can take time getting to know a boy first before you decide if you like him.

It's entertaining in an easy to watch sort of way. A bit of escapism at the end of a long day.

YABU. It is entertainment and should be taken at face value. Yewande has said she can’t flirt and is quite shy. She is also more intellectual than most of the others in there. I think this is more likely to hold her back in there than her skin colour. My 16 year old niece watches it in the same way I would watch it, or as I would watch the Real Housewives... just as a fascinated viewer enjoying watching relationship dynamics. Just because the women on Real Housewives (who are my age), get surgery, live a glamorous but shallow (ish) lifestyle and look amazing for their age, doesn’t mean I feel inadequate. It is an escapism. I look forward to Love Island every night during the Summer, I love discussing it with my friends, I think the tone is uplifting and funny most of the time. It is really well made, the voiceover is hilarious and i have actually learnt lots of things about human behaviour and relationship building from it.

I really disagree with the racism comments. I think it’s completely within a persons rights to not find a certain race attractive. How do you know the inter-racial discussion hasn’t taken place & they just don’t fancy that particular person? It’s like saying everyone attracted to white people should find all white people attractive? I think racism is thrown around too quickly when I think it’s just that people do and don’t find some people more attractive than others.

On the other points, people that go on these shows know exactly what they’re getting into. They try for years to get on these shows regardless of the bad press.

Just my opinion.

I have no idea why on earth anyone would want to watch it.
Race to the bottom of standard of tv entertainment, these days.
Would love something better to replace it, it wouldn't be difficult.

I feel this way about most 'reality TV' to be honest. Utter drivel.

My teen and her friends think it's disgusting.
We are some smug mums
No, they just have better things to do with their time and find it pointless.
My job is done.

'Would love something better to replace it, it wouldn't be difficult.'

On ITV2? What would they replace it with, another documentary on Peter Andre?

I don't have a problem with it per se. If it was actually representative..... but its not.

I despair as a mother raising 2 daughters. The focus on beauty / looks / figure / being attractive makes me so angry and sad and worried for my little girls.

I am so glad I had my teenage / formative years before the prevalence of SM.

I find it very entertaining and watch it with my daughter who is very disparaging at the cosmetic enhancement of the contestants of both sexes, and the manipulative behaviour of some of the men.

Neither of us are harmed by the experience.

I think I'd lose brain cells if I watched it.

I think it's great tv and I really don't see why this would promote insecurity when other shows with attractive people doing whatever wouldn't.

And the boys expose their bodies just as much as the women. And everyone is treated the same, irrelevant of skin colour, it's about putting yourself out there and personality not just looks. It's nothing to do with skin colour.

And the very sad suicides were not due to being on love island. Much of what you have posted is factually inaccurate. Like the voting last thing, or the reasons for suicide. And that's not ok. It's so far from ok you've lost sight of what ok is.

At least research and post factually or you just make a fool of yourself.

• it's a horrid programme but if it represented more body types / ethnicities, then at least it isn't perpetuating media inequalities.

I find it really sad that these young people are so image obsessed to the point that they are already having surgical procedures done to make themselves look more like porn stars and the lads are steroid pumped disasters waiting to happen.

But if they weren't on this show, they'd find another.

I completely agree with you op.

But I love watching It