Twitter Trolls Have Turned On Love Island's Dr. Alex In The Worst Possible Way
The Love Island villa is a confined space, a place where time and reality lose meaning. What doesn't lose is our ability to spread stereotypical and hateful messages online.
The latest victim of online bullying is Alex, the awkward lovable doctor of the series recently turned 'bad boy'.
Originally fans rooted for awkward Alex after the women of the villa left him on the bench at the beginning of the series. It looked like things were on the up for the A & E doctor, who had a number of flings in the villa which turned viewers against him, but his relationship with Alexandra - who had her eye on Dr. Alex since arriving at the villa two weeks ago - has raised a few eyebrows.
Twitter users have begun to question Alex's sexuality after Alexandra wore a sexy ensemble to the hideaway and Alex responded less than enthusiastically with: "why's she wearing that?" to the other contestants. Rather than fans assuming Alex was embarrassed, shy or maybe just not a fan of lingerie, Twitter trolls automatically suggested he was 'gay' and is using Alexandra as a ticket to the final.
Love Island does not represent LGBTQIA people in the slightest, some rubbish excuse by producers that the show does not work if it was LGBT friendly, so to suggest a man is hiding his sexuality to win a cash prize on a show about straight relationships is damaging. It translates to Alex pretending to be an infiltrator of the status quo, a threat to the genuineness of heteronormativity.
To say something or someone is gay out of context of describing their sexuality, is to use the word in a derogatory context. "This is gay", "Why you acting so gay", are everyday phrases that undermine a person's sexuality as by using the phrase as a synonym for anything that is lesser or unworthy - this case being Dr. Alex and his form of masculinity.
It's not just antiquated sexual stereotypes being used to troll Alex. Gender policing has become one of the ways we tell men from 'real' men - boys who don't; cry, show emotion, discuss their feelings or act frigid.
Alex's not lusting over Alexandra does not make him less of a man. Asking Alexandra can they take things slow does not make him less of a man. Not all men are ready to go at the drop of a hat, not all men need to prove their maleness by being sexually dominant - a serious problem considering our current rape culture. Let's encourage men and boys that being dominant, sexually or otherwise does not equate to manliness.
In fact, it's interesting to notice the change in Alex since he began socialising with the other men in the villa and especially since the boys returned from Casa Amora after being separated from the original women in the villa.
Now, a more confident and boisterous version of his earlier self, Alex has sought to impress the other men in the villa by, perhaps, becoming a member of the 'do bits society' - a regular meeting of the boys to discuss the sexual acts they've completed with their partner in bed.
Two days ago fans weren't happy when Alex put Alexandra's hands down his pants while they were in bed together. Was this Alex trying to prove himself to his peers? To prove his sexuality and dominance? Is that what we aspire for straight men to prove their worth?
It's 2018 and the word gay is still used as a derogatory term. Whether Alex's intentions with Alexandra are real is up for debate, stigmatising gay men by using Alex as a poor example of masculinity is toxic and dangerous. Yes, using the word gay to shame straight men is nothing new but all men and boys deserve better. We have to do better.