ALL SORTS OF people from all walks of life take part in reality TV shows. We’ve seen this in this year’s Love Island as a nuclear engineer, a doctor and a government advisor have been among the contestants to grace the villa with their presence.
This seems to have gone over the heads of some people with them assuming that everyone who goes on the show is thick or lazy. This didn’t sit well with former contestant Camilla Thurlow. Camilla is a bomb disposal expert and met her current partner Jamie Jewitt on the island.
She tweeted that a particular tweet she’d seen made her feel incredibly uncomfortable. The tweet she took issue with was comparing Love Island contestants with Serena Williams and read:
‘Young women. Would you rather be someone from Love Island, or have the work ethic, discipline, tenacity, talent, grace and magnificence of Serena Williams? Loaded question #RealRoleModels
I cannot stop thinking about this tweet - I think it’s a really dangerous notion that we have the right to tell people that there is a correct way to aspire to live their lives. Below are a few points from a talk I did last year on the subject pic.twitter.com/YdVcu50I4q
— Camilla Thurlow (@CamillaThurlow) July 16, 2018
Camilla responded that ‘it’s a really dangerous notion that we have the right to tell people that there is a correct way to aspire to live their lives’. She then expanded on the point in a longer post.
It is terrifying when you feel like you don’t fit in, I think so many of us know what that’s like. To feel alone. To sit in that grey area and not know where to go. But within that grey area is opportunity, the opportunity to break barriers, to defy expectations, to be who you could be rather than who you should be.”
Fans of the show were quick to praise Camilla for standing up for herself and other people who have taken part in a reality TV show.
you are truly an inspiration to all women (and men). Very articulately written and thought provoking for those who haven’t dared to think like that until now. Thank you x
— Lynne Still (@PinkJellybean01) July 16, 2018
Young people, you can either be young, enjoy your life and make the best decisions that are right for you, or you can be told by miserable regretful people what to do.
— oohkaronn (@oohkaronn) July 16, 2018
Nothing but love for you Cam! I'll never be half the woman you are ! You are an Amazing inspirational woman for young girls!! people can say what they like but they'll never have a pure heart like yours! People should be buliding each other up not down regardless in life 😘💛
— 🌟Leanne Patterson🌟 (@Leannechicx) July 16, 2018
Not everyone can be a superstar with incredible talents as serena. As long as you are true to yourself and use love island as a platform I d9nt see the harm.
— Althea Niblock (@AltheaNiblock) July 16, 2018
A nice reminder not to make assumptions about people who you know nothing about.
