A comprehensive roundup of all the Love Islanders who identify as LGBTQ+
Icons only I fear
“A logistical difficulty” is the infamous way ITV commissioner Amanda Stavri described the inclusion of LGBTQ people into the Love Island format, but despite her widely condemned comment queer Islanders have still managed to get through the heteronormative net that has the entire show in its clutches. Where there’s a will there’s a way, and queer people exist even when they present “straight passing” enough for ITV to cast them on their show. With that in mind, here’s a comprehensive rundown of all the Love Island contestants who identify as LGBT or LGBTQ.
Sophie Gradon
The late Sophie Gradon from season two spoke openly about being bisexual on the show – and before she quit the season she became the show’s first and currently only same sex recoupling.
Katie Salmon
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Katie Salmon coupled up with Sophie Gradon in series two – becoming the show’s first and only female-female couple. Sadly, Katie said she received a lot of biphobic backlash after her time on the show. She said she felt unsupported by the LGBTQ+ community and that men were fetishising her sexuality, saying “They see it as a sexual thing. They think it’s entertainment for them. They’ll be like, ‘Oh, you like women as well, you like threesomes.'”
Megan Barton-Hanson
Megan Barton-Hanson came out as bi in 2019 – when she wanted to date both men and women on Celebs Go Dating. “I felt instantly liberated when I came out in such a public way in 2019 on Celebs Go Dating when I requested to date women also,” she said. “I was so excited as a bisexual woman from a small town as I had no clue how to find other bisexual or gay women myself.”
On the lack of LGBT contestants on Love Island, Megan said: “It’s quite a conservative show in the sense that it’s only set up for straight couples. I would love it if they did a gay season. That’s so complex with the re-coupling. It would be nice to see more diversity.”