Love Island and Relationship Education

Abstract

The rise of reality TV programmes focussing on relationships and the search for "love" has focussed media attention on the portrayal of healthy relationships, gender roles, and intimate partner abuse (IPVA). Love Island, a UK reality TV programme, was watched in 2019 by over 3 million viewers, a majority of whom are young women aged 16-34, though a younger teenage demographic also watch. Many of these younger viewers may be learning about what healthy relationships are like, and entering their first romantic relationships. Contestant's behavior on Love Island prompted Women's Aid to issue a statement speaking out against unhealthy behaviors in relationships-especially "gaslighting," a form of emotional abuse that makes someone question their own feelings, memories, and version of reality. Based on our experience of running a relationship education program in 24 schools, as part of the Tender national partnership and our research with young people on their perceptions of Love Island, the paper will examine the role reality TV programmes play in young people's understandings of healthy relationships. It argues representations of relationships on Love Island are framed within normative heterosexuality, and enables the normalization of emotional abuse. However, we also argue that these programmes can be a catalyst for discussion amongst young people and open up spaces, especially online, to challenge dominant constructions of relationships. It also makes recommendations for education policy and practice around relationship and sex education in schools.

Romantic myths and cyber dating violence victimization in Spanish adolescents: A moderated mediation model

“…For this, it is important to implement prevention programs from educational contexts to teach adolescents to identify tolerant attitudes toward abuse in their dating relationship, as well as to learn to identify them in many popular songs, movies, and TV series. At this regard, the study carried out by Porter and Standing (2020) highlighted how some reality TV programs, such as `Love Island´ in the UK, can be used to discuss with adolescents about the models of romantic relationships shown on these programs. Other previous studies have also highlighted the importance of adolescents develop healthier concepts about love for preventing offline and online dating violence (Cava et al, 2022;Hielscher et al, 2021;Lee & Wong, 2022).…”

“…Adolescents have largely internalized these romantic myths through socialization processes and the influence of peers, songs, TV series, and social media (Bonomi et al, 2014;Eggermont, 2004;Hefner & Wilson, 2013;Lippman et al, 2014). The influence of TV series, reality TV programs and social media in adolescents' beliefs about romantic relationships have been analyzed in studies carried out in different countries, such as Belgium (Driesmas et al, 2016), Australia (Taba et al, 2020) and the UK (Porter & Standing, 2020). This idealized concept of romantic relationships begins to be elaborated during childhood, especially through the mass media (Bachen & Illouz, 1996;Hefner et al, 2017).…”

Affectively Entertaining: Dating/Games During a “Limited Military Exercise”

“…This enables the audience to interact with the programme in ways not previously seen with traditional media platforms." (Porter & Standing, 2020, n.p.) 82.…”

“…In addition to the nightly programme, Love Island has an after show, an official love island podcast, YouTube channel, Instagram, a constant inflow of tweets and hashtags, the official love island app, chat rooms, forums, tumblers, and memes alongside other traditional media outlets. This enables the audience to interact with the programme in ways not previously seen with traditional media platforms.” (Porter & Standing, 2020, n.p. )…”

The TV recap as paratext: Energizing, contextualizing, and modifying The Bachelor Australia

“…Social media engagement is courted, flowing across a number of different platforms, with a myriad of different official and non-official paratexts. For instance, Janette Porter and Kay Standing (2020) note that UK reality romance show Love Island has “an after show, an official love island podcast, YouTube channel, Instagram, a constant inflow of tweets and hashtags, the official love island app, chat rooms, forums, tumblers [sic], and memes alongside other traditional media outlets” (3). The Bachelor/ette Australia also has a variety of official and non-official paratexts and potential modes of engagement, as I will discuss below.…”