[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by BBXX

I don’t think Ali won because of a hive mind and purely because she’s lesbian but I do think representation matters.

I think if you are of a subsection of society (straight and white) you have grown up seeing yourself as the default on every TV drama, every reality TV programme, every advert and you do not understand how it feels to hardly see anyone that represents an important aspect of your identity in the public eye and historically even when you have it’s still through the lens of someone straight and white. Luckily this is changing.

BB has always had a friendly and positive relationship with contestants from all walks of life - many of the winners have been gay - and maybe that’s why it’s one of the only reality TV shows I gravitate towards and always have. But Ali is still the first lesbian winner, only just now, 24 years into the shows run. So maybe some people did gravitate towards her because of that, and because she was unafraid to make a statement on issues she found important, but I don’t see that as problematic. People see themselves represented by someone who is LGBT and who shares in their values, why is that a bad thing?

When straight white people (not saying you are straight and white as I don’t know I am just speaking generally here) say things shouldn’t be politicised and ask why people have to make it all about identity they should understand that comes from a place of privilege.

They are everywhere at all times and always have been. Identity is important and feeling seen is important and without making it political society wouldn’t have made the strides it has done over history. As that is such a vital part of society, it is only natural that bleeds over to shows like Big Brother.

Having said all that, I think Ali mostly won because she was a complex individual that diverted from what we know a BB HM often to be and people resonated with that.

I think it’s important to remember she got 52% of the vote across 6 people. There was something there. And it’s okay for people not to see it but it’s crass to assume it’s just because of a gullible hookwinked group of lemmings obsessed with identity politics.

I see some of the points that you make, and I do agree with you that BB (until Ch5 came along) were always big into representation in terms of their casting because it does work for BB (and The Traitors tbf) because both Shows are about the social aspect, so representation of all different groups of people is a great strength for BB imo.

And I know that Ali didn't win purely off of an LGBT themed vote because I know that Zizu for example is straight going off his discussion around women's looks in Sports.

I don't mean that in a bad way btw @Zizu as I know that you don't mean harm by it.

And I did see on Facebook that a lot of straight guys were into her, because I remember mainly the Khaled fans at the time getting really angry at them for liking her for what they perceived to be "because of her looks."

And for me I honestly don't care about representation (I am a straight white male tbf) but I just like who I like.

For example Sarah was my favourite in this series and she was a Bisexual woman, the only things that we have in common are being white people from the Midlands.

As I've already said though, I know that Ali's vote is more wide reaching than her detractors want to believe.