Love Island is entertaining, but it’s sending out a dangerous message about consent
The IndependentThe best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Two and a half million viewers tuned into Love Island’s opening show on Monday night. She later said: “I know what I want … and that’s not it.” While Aaron, without a hint of irony, justified his choice by saying: “If you’re not attracted to someone then there’s no point really, you’re not going to fall in love.” The inherent suggestion is that consent is a nice bonus, but by no means essential when it comes to making a move on someone. That’s without even mentioning the concept of “grafting”: a word repeatedly used on the programme to imply that participants really need to put in the work when it comes to grinding down a reluctant partner. Rape culture isn’t just about high profile court cases, it’s about how we absorb ideas around consent, power imbalances and what healthy relationships should look like.
History of this topic
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