The men of Love Island are being reduced to tears because of the women in ITV's reality show engaging in what some fans are calling 'toxic femininity'. It has left some viewers of the controversial series expressing concerns over the mental health of the island's male contestants.
Recent episodes of the programme have pushed some fans into accusing the female contestants of hypocrisy for acting like badly behaved men while purporting to celebrate their "sisterhood". It has sparked some furious debate on social media.
According to the Mail Online, the ringleaders are considered to be Tanya Manhenga, 22, Jessie Wynter, 26, and Olivia Hawkins, 27. Thursday's episode was a case in point in Casa Amor, when the men and women were split up, with some going to another villa and introduced to single females new to the show.
Shaq Muhammad was seen in tears when Tanya Manhenga, his partner on the show, went off with contestant Martin Akinola. Clearly devastated, he had to be consoled by fellow contestant Tom Clare. But Tanya went on to humiliate Martin by publicly professing her feelings for Shaq, having already led Martin to think he was in with a chance.
Then contestant Will Young was seen to burst into floods of tears when the girls started to defend Jessie Wynter after his stolen kiss in Casa Amor. However, they failed to round on Tanya for her behaviour, leaving some observers of the show at home stunned.
Olivia Hawkins attacked Ron Hall for criticising her, despite having made disparaging comments herself about others. Again this was not challenged by the females in the competition. Ron was also made to feel small after being told he was wrong to allegedly encourage his fellow men to give Casa Amor's new arrivals a break.
This came after the women and especially Jessie were shown on camera to have done exactly the same thing. According to the Mail Online, it has earned this year's females the title of the show's most "manipulative and toxic" line-up ever. One male viewer was quoted as saying: "I've never complained to Ofcom but I have tonight. Emotional abuse and bullying isn't a joke – Tanya and Olivia need talking to."
A female viewer took to Twitter to say: "I never thought I'd be siding with the men. Some of these women are toxic." Another labelled it "toxic femininity at its finest". Another said: "This women empowerment is too toxic for me. It doesn't hurt to be self-aware, babe. And a bunch of you need to look in the mirror."
A spokesman for the ITV show said contestants had been coached to behave and use "inclusive language", to created "safe spaces" and to be friendly. But Tanya failed to apologise to Shaq which descended into a huge row between the couple.
Fans attacked Tanya's "self-centred and immature" behaviour, and even suggested that the programme's producers should send in a new partner for him.
A Twitter writer stated: "Shaq crying outside the Villa. . . showing guys have feelings, just we don’t try to show it In front of girls.. Yeah give him the 50k now, he’s won over everyone." In agreement, another wrote: "Shaq crying actually was upsetting to see. Tanya is very self-centred and immature. He deserves better."
A third person added: "Shaq is way too mature for this game. He deserves so much better." A fourth said: "Most emotional moment so far in this show was seeing Shaq try hard not to cry with Tom comforting him outside the villa."
Earlier, Shaq had reacted to Tanya kissing Martin and accused her of lying. Tanya told him this was not something to be angry about. Shaq later told the boys: 'I cant lie, I feel like she's a liar."
Meanwhile, irritated Tanya told Olivia she didn't know what else she could do and she felt she had to keep on proving her feelings for Shaq. Later, when Tanya ignored Shaq in the kitchen, he left the villa, and was overcome with emotion when he spoke to Tom.
Twitter exploded after the feud, with much of the anger directed at at Tanya. One person wrote: "Tanya is actually the WORST person on Love Island. Biggest gas-lighter and hypocrite. Shaq deserves much better."
Another said: "Tanya don't deserve Shaq," and a third stated: "Tanya continues to prove she is too emotionally immature to be in a relationship. The emotional manipulation she uses on Shaq to continuously justify her bad behaviour is actually mad. Honestly, this whole lot of girls left can be chucked. . . except Sanam.'
Once again this year, Ofcom was reported to have been inundated with complaints about Love Island, concerning alleged racism and bullying towards Zara Lackenby-Brown, a former contestant on the show. Viewers also complained of alleged "manipulative and misogynistic behaviour", while dozens of complaints were sent in, alleging "aggressive behaviour" on the part of Tom Clare.
Ofcom was said not to have begun any investigations into the complaints so far received.
During Thursday's controversial episode, fans pointed out that the males were receiving much more flak than the girls over the Casa Amor incidents, even though the girls had also been tempted into straying. Many of the girls seemed to have conveniently ignored a clip showing Olivia say she had forgotten about Kai, seemingly backing up Ron's claims that she was "playing a game".
One viewer tweeted: "This group of girls on Love Island are the biggest bunch of hypocrites. I really dislike them together. Special mentions to Olivia and Tanya."
Another said: "The girls are massive hypocrites because how are you all so mad at the way the boys acted but have no problem with Tanya literally breaking Shaq's heart." More people chipped in, one saying: "I'm so bored of watching the boys grovel every episode, mainly because the girls are over-dramatising everything! Tanya did worse than all boys put together and she's not had half as much grief."
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It moved one fan to say in Twitter: "Never in my years of living did I think I would be supporting men over girls in Love Island." Another angry user wrote: "I might actually write an Ofcom report about these girls."
During the same episode, viewers appeared to be relieved after Liv's antics were exposed on Movie Night. It happened when the boys correctly answered a question in their battle to watch more clips of the Islanders. They opted to watch "Liv Actually".
It quickly became clear that Olivia's true colours were being revealed, with footage showing her "forgetting" Kai's name and shocking fellow Islanders by criticising the girls. She said: "Early days. I forgot his name, Kai. No, because it's like new scenery.'
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