Many people assert that reality television is almost as old as television itself. American sociologist Danielle J. Lindemann tentatively defined it as programmes with non-actors that aim to document reality as a means to entertain. As a very heterogeneous genre, it pulls in viewers from different backgrounds and interests. From The Real Housewives to Survivor, the genre’s lasting power has a lot to do with this heterogeneity. The Love Island franchise is a reality dating show that has steadily grown in viewership over the years, but how much of this popularity has to do with us seeing the worst parts of our society put on blast in the villa?
Reality TV’s ability to resonate with viewers has a lot to do with our ability to see parts of ourselves in the contestants. Acting as social experiments, shows that use surveillance and closed societies tend to reveal the best and worst of its contestants and, by extension, the society they come from. Many people have been consistently outraged by the regular bouts of misogyny on display throughout the Love Island franchise. However, many have noted that this speaks to a broader cultural shift towards a male population that increasingly holds damaging beliefs about women.
The “manosphere” typically refers to an internet subculture that addresses varying problems men face in society such as a lack of success in dating or low self-esteem. While addressing valid issues that many men struggle with, it tends to miss the mark. This network often blames these struggles on feminism and the “loss” of male rights in society. In doing so, many misogynistic beliefs are legitimised, with followers of the manosphere believing that they are the victims of a gender-equal, feminist, sociopolitical climate. Podcasters and influencers such as Fresh & Fit and Andrew Tate act as the faces of this movement. In a society that is increasingly online, the influence of the manosphere is starting to show outside the digital world.
The eighth season of Love Island US has seen many concerning comments from the male contestants. Day one contestant KC called his former partner, Aniya, a “grandma” for not engaging in sexual acts with him despite his consistent compliments of her, insinuating that he was owed access to her body because of his kindness. Across the pond on Love Island UK, the grass is not greener. Season thirteen’s Jasmine was called “off-putting” and not suitable to date because of her outspoken nature and ability to call out the poor behaviour of the male contestants. This is just a drop in the ocean of the concerning comments and behaviours exhibited by the men in the franchise over the years.
Reality TV contestants, like all humans, are a sum of the parts of the society that they come from. A cast that mainly consists of “manospheric” men speaks to a climate that is increasingly moving towards the acceptance of such rhetoric. Initially, the manosphere was ridiculed for being a small pocket of the internet that would not gain much traction. However, it is evident that it is slowly and surely bleeding its way into mainstream society. Many are aware that the often valid issues that the manosphere aims to address are mostly a symptom of the patriarchy and the pressures it places on both men and women. This is no match for the emotive and easier-to-follow rhetoric of the so-called “male self-improvement” movement.
Reality TV has a sneaky way of acting as a case study of the culture it is born from. The brazen amount of misogyny displayed by the male Islanders is a mirror of the current heterosexual dating pool: a storm of misplaced resentment towards women. Instead of solely being “trashy TV”, Love Island has shone a light on how much influence this digital subculture has on young people.
