Farmer Will’s presence on Love Island doesn’t destroy toxic masculinity – it adds to it

The negative reaction towards Will’s bubbly personality is evidence of the fact that we as a society are uncomfortable with men expressing their femininity

There is an age-old assumption that because a man acts feminine, he automatically must be gay.

This staunch generalisation is no more apparent than in this year’s winter edition of Love Island. Will Young, a 23-year-old farmer from Buckinghamshire, has quickly become a fan favourite.

Let’s be real, his back must be hurting from carrying this series of the show. Only halfway into an expected eight week run, Will has already been credited with some undeniably iconic quotes and moments. From his comments the morning after a group fight (“I didn’t like how we all argued and didn’t get along”), to his questionable dance moves – he is quite the character.

This popularity has not come without a negative reaction from some viewers, which is to be expected from a show as popular as Love Island. Will’s inclusion appears to be a result of the show attempting to showcase less overtly hyper-masculine men, which some viewers have not taken kindly to.

Given that previous series of the show have led to a number of male contestants being accused with controlling behaviour and bullying by the public, the inclusion of a character like Young is welcome. Out with the toxicity, in with the genuine sweetheart that is Will.

However, some fans have noted this evident difference in behaviour to previous male contestants. Adverts featuring Will on TikTok are often accompanied by an abundance of comments using phrases like “fruity,” or “zesty”, as well as some outright labelling him as gay.

Twitter is no better, providing a running commentary on Will’s behaviour during the broadcast of each episode. Videos of Louie Spence (a camp icon), and gifs of Barbie and Ken are common under tweets about Will.

You may say this is all just light-hearted banter, but I disagree. Twitter’s keyboard warriors are clear in their belief that skipping back from a date – or even just showing more compassion than the other guys in the villa – is not how a “man” should act.

But the fact that Will is comfortable with himself, rather than playing pretence with a more masculine façade should be commended, not criticised. This frank expression of individuality is what makes Will so likeable – especially in contrast to some of his fellow contestants.

The negative reaction towards Will’s bubbly personality is evidence of the fact that we as a society are uncomfortable with men expressing their femininity. Some may find it hard to believe, but masculine men can be gay, and feminine men can be straight.

Why should someone who is comfortable with both their masculinity and femininity, or who unreservedly expresses joy, give you the “ick”? This is exactly why masculinity becomes so toxic in the first place, and why influencers like Andrew Tate thrive.

You could argue that Love Island is known for promoting a hegemonic masculine stereotype which Will does not conform to, and as such he is inviting criticism. But surely, a show which had over 250 million online streams last series should strive to promote a cross section of British society, rather than relying on lazy stereotypes. With so many people tuning in series after series, Love Island should not only serve as entertainment, but also endevour to promote healthy attitudes towards masculinity and sexuality.

The sort of attitude directed towards Will is also responsible for creating a culture of forced disclosure of sexuality for those who might not necessarily be ready to come out, all because we assume their sexual identity based on what we perceive to be non-conforming behaviours.

Series 5’s Curtis Pritchard was effectively forced to label himself as bisexual on a 2019 episode of ITV’s Good Morning Britain – an incident which does not bear repeating. Events in recent months, incidents such as actor Kit Connor coming out as bisexual after facing pressure from fans, or musician Omar Apollo being forced to self-label as gay due to online speculation, should teach us the dangers of assumption.

Will deserves the autonomy to continue being himself. Stop the endless speculation and let people present themselves as they please. I for one will certainly be voting for Will and Jessie this year.