Love Island 2022 could feature first non-binary Islander

Applications have opened and the countdown toLove Island 2022 is officially on! And it sounds like the show’s format could be in line for a shake-up as ITV producers strive to make the line-up more diverse and inclusive than ever. As part of this, non-binary singletons are being encouraged to apply for the show.

Non-binary Islanders

On the application form for Love Island 2022, hopefuls have five options when describing their gender: male, female, non-binary, prefer not to say or prefer to self-describe. A source who spoke to The Sun said:

Producers are under more pressure than ever to make this series as woke as possible after it has previously come under criticism for its lack of diversity. The move could make the basic rules of the show complicated, as each coupling ceremony separates boys and girls, but they are keen to have a non-binary contestant this year. It’s all about inclusivity and breaking down boundaries.

Gay and lesbian Islanders

As well as opening up to people with different gender identities, Love Island is also opening up to prospective Islanders who aren’t straight. Despite bosses previously suggesting that including gay and lesbian Islanders on the show would present ‘logistical difficulties’, hopefuls can also select their sexual orientation on the Love Island 2022 application form as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or other.

Of course, this isn’t the first time it’s been rumoured that Love Island is set to become more diverse—and fans hoping for more diversity have often been left disappointed in the past. Will this year’s line-up really be any different from the ones we’ve seen in previous series? We’ll just have to wait and see.