Irish Love Islander Yewande Biala is already suffering racial abuse
Diversity is merely one issue in a large spectrum of problems perpetuated by ITV2's hit reality show Love Island.
It speaks volumes that Irish contestant Yewande Biala has already been racially abused by trolls only hours after she was announced as part of the cast.
The 23-year-old is among the 12 participants entering the Spanish villa for the summer, which sees the Islanders couple-up and compete for the cash prize.
The scientist, who is of Nigerian descent but is from Enfield in County Meath, has seen her friends leap to her defence after online bullies asked racist questions regarding her nationality.
One troll remarked that Biala is "far from Irish", while another said, "not Irish and never will be." *Rings bell* SHAME
Luckily, her fans leaped to her aid, saying, "“Born and raised here I’m pretty sure that makes her Irish.” Another wrote, "Just because she hasn’t got white skin doesn’t mean she’s not Irish. Small minded people.”
This is so overwhelming! Thank you all so much for your love and support so far! Please continue to support our Nigerian Irish Queen @yewande_biala pic.twitter.com/Stl8dnfvS2
— Aubrey (@Eileen_Tope) May 28, 2019
The Dubliner who is self-confessed unlucky-in-love has seen her Instagram followers increase from 3,000 to more than 21,000 in just one day.
"I don’t think there is a science to finding love and if there is then I have clearly been reading the wrong books," she said of her love life. Twitter supporters were over the moon to see representation onscreen.
One fan wrote: “Today has been a great day for black Irish women…A black Irish woman was elected to the Irish local council and a black Irish woman is gonna be on Love Island."
Anyway I'm forming a Yewande Biala protection squad. #LoveIsland pic.twitter.com/0r8PWtTRYR
— Villanelle of House Martell(@Tenth_Muse) May 28, 2019
A Wakanda-level protection group has been made online: "Black Twitter listen the hell up. We are gonna support our queen Yewande Biala to the end no questions, no fuss.. it is what it is.”
“Officially announcing that I am apart of the Yewande Biala defence squad #LoveIsland," wrote another fan.
These ignorant scumbags who are targeting Biala are no match for her fan-base, and we are loving it. We stan an Irish queen.
Feature image: Instagram/@yewande_biala
