Love Island are opening up applications to non-binary people

11 January 2022, 16:48

Millie massages Liam's bum in saucy hideaway moment on Love Island

By Sam Prance

Love Island have previously been criticised for failing to include LGBTQ+ people.

Love Island season 8 applications are open and ITV are reportedly encouraging non-binary contestants to apply to the show.

Every year, Love Island comes under fire for the lack of LGBTQ+ representation on the show. Since the first season debuted in 2015, only a handful of LGBTQ+ contestants have appeared in the competition, and there has only been one same-sex coupling. Not to mention, every Islander to date has been cisgender and none of them have been gay or lesbian.

Now, Love Island looks set to diversify who appears on the show by opening up applications to include non-binary people.

Love Island are opening up applications to non-binary people. Picture: ITV

According to The Sun, an insider has told them that Love Island producers are pushing to make the new season as inclusive as possible. They say that ITV are "keen to have a non-binary contestant this year" and are allegedly willing to change their rules so that everything isn't split in terms of binary genders. "It’s all about inclusivity and breaking down boundaries."

While this may sound positive, Love Island also encouraged gay and lesbian people to apply to season 7 but ultimately did not cast any gay or lesbian contestants in the show. In other words, it's possible that, even though non-binary people can apply to the show, no non-binary people may actually end up being cast in it.

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In 2021, ITV boss Amanda Stavri told the Radio Times: "In terms of gay Islanders, I think the main challenge is regarding the format of Love Island. There’s a sort of logistical difficulty because although Islanders don’t have to be 100% straight, the format must sort of give [the] Islanders an equal choice when coupling up."

Here's hoping that Love Island are genuinely considering changing their rules and set-up to be more inclusive.