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Love Island 2021: Swimwear business owner slams lack of body diversity

The ITV2 reality show kicked off last night...

Love Island 2021 began last night as the brand new contestants settled into the villa.

But as the launch episode kicked off, there was just a wave of abs and toned bods.

Now, a swimwear business owner and therapist have weighed in to explain the dangers of having a lack of body diversity on such a popular TV show.

Love Island 2021
Abs, abs and more abs! (Credit: ITV2)

Love Island 2021: Lack of body diversity?

Fiona Murphy, Owner of Bettylicious Swimwear UK, told Entertainment Daily!: “As the owner of a swimwear company, it was disappointing to see not an array of body types.

“I hardly edit my photos and tend to use real women and not professional women.

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Love Island 2021
Does Love Island give an unrealistic expectation? (Credit: ITV2)

“So many women get anxious about wearing swimwear it makes my job harder.

“How does this represent the wider audience and how does it make our young women feel?

“No cellulite, stretch marks, perfect breasts and long legs in skimpy swimwear? Please put more normal girls in, not just Instagram stars.”

Love Island 2021
Are younger people affected by the so-called ‘perfect’ bodies? (Credit: ITV2)

Does Love Island provide “unrealistic expectations”?

In addition, Laura Steventon, Stress Relief & Self Worth Therapist, said Love Island provides “unrealistic expectations”.

She said: “Regardless the variety of body type and its representation, there will be discrimination or the cry that there is now too much focus on diversity.

“It is not the type of show that is meant to depict real life. It is staged.

“Does a show like this provide unrealistic expectations? Absolutely it does.

“But, only in the same way women’s (and men’s) magazines have done for years.”

Love Island 2021
The contestants will spend several weeks in the villa (Credit: ITV2)

Ms Steventon added: “As well as representation in toys, fairytales, movies and in adverts.

“By continuing to point out that everyone has one body type starts to reinforce that there is a lack of diversity and we forget that there are equally worrying factors about reality TV.

“The behaviour that it reinforces in order to end up in a couple, the competition with other people, messages around intimacy, commitment, connection.

“It reinforces unrealistic expectations of relationships and dating.”

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“They are being fed a lifestyle and behaviour model”

She said “impressionable young people” are being “fed more than” a “perfect appearance”.

She added: “They are being fed a lifestyle and behaviour model. This is the wider issue.

“We need more positive news stories, examples of the total opposite of Love Island for young people and to stop targeting this series.

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“People like the ‘romantic nature’ of it, the freedom of being in the sun. It’s feel good. Too much of anything is bad for us.

“Targeting a once a year show, irrelevant of its popularity needs to be balanced with messages of body positivity and relational commitment in more places.”

Love Island continues on ITV2, tonight, at 9pm.

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Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)

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