The reality TV landscape is abuzz with the bromance between Love Island USA contestants Zach and Bryce. Their flirtatious antics, including a memorable “girth check,” have taken social media by storm. However, the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in such shows remains a pressing issue. Frankie Grande a gay Big Brother alumnus, has firsthand experience with this phenomenon and offers a unique perspective.
Grande’s new memoir, Supergay! delves into his queer journey in the limelight. He recalls his own “showmance” with Zach Rance during season 16 of Big Brother. “First of all, I did it first,” Grande tells Out. “So it’s so funny seeing all the people being like, wait, Frankie and Zach literally did this and then hooked up after the show.”
Mental Health Concerns and Viewer Scrutiny
Grande expresses concern about the mental health impact on Zach and Bryce once they reconnect with the outside world. “The world perceiving us as a couple… actually was really detrimental to my mental health,” he shares. Grande hopes that Zach and Bryce will handle their relationship with maturity and honesty. “I hope that when they come back to being in a place where they can talk about this, that they’re not homophobic,” he says. “Like, that would make me so fucking sad.”
The Need for LGBTQ+ Representation in Reality TV
Love Island follows a heterosexual model, requiring contestants of different genders to pair off. Grande criticizes this format, pointing out the lack of progress in LGBTQ+ representation. “Why are there not gay men on Love Island?” he questions. “Like, why can’t we have also gay men, and straight people, and… like everyone island?” Grande argues that the internet’s Obsession with Zach and Bryce’s bromance highlights the lack of queer representation. “When this is the only thing that is happening on television that is potentially love between two men, everything rides on it,” he states.
Grande also discusses the accidental nature of LGBTQ+ representation in reality TV. “We’re still in this situation where they will not show gay people interacting on TV. And the only way that it happens is by accident,” he says. Grande recalls his own experience on Big Brother twelve years ago, where a gay romance occurred unexpectedly. “I think that’s what’s happening again, is that one of those guys is bisexual and doesn’t know and now is finding out on television,” he suggests.
Grande’s memoir, Supergay! is available now from Sourcebooks and wherever books are sold. His insights shed light on the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ representation in reality TV and the importance of authentic storytelling.
