The last week of Love Island has been uncomfortable to watch for some viewers who feel that Zara Lackenby-Brown is being treated poorly in the villa. The tension between Zara and Tom Clare reached its peak during a game of Truth or Dare. The Islanders chose Zara as the most 'bitchy' and said her and Tom wouldn't last as a couple (which already started to feel like a bit of a pile-on.)
However, an answer from Tom is what really hurt Zara. Tom was then asked to choose aspects of the female islanders to create his 'perfect' woman. He picked Olivia Hawkins for her face, Zara for her body andLana Jenkinsfor personality - which upset Zara.
Most of the Islanders said that Tom wasn't in the wrong. Jessie Wynter even told Zara that Tom has 'been good to her.' But if a man that seemingly strings women along and gives mixed signals is a good man - then I would like to know what the opposite is. Everyone in the villa knows that Olivia is a trigger for Zara and would be an obvious source of conflict. The nation's sweetheart Will was actually the only one to point out that Zara would obviously be hurt by this. However, because he was coming to Zara's defence he was quickly shut down by the other Islanders.
All the women must know they would be upset by a comment like this from the person they are forming a connection with. It doesn't seem fair that only some people's feelings are validated in the villa, whilst Zara's are consistently invalidated. Some of the Islanders said, 'Oh it's just a game' but we have seen Islanders get upset about games and have allowed them to emotionally express themselves - from Shaq and Haris' fight to Olivia's tears over beer-pong - so why is it so different for Zara?
Many might say, 'Oh well, she's fiery' and 'she can handle it.' Just because Zara doesn't always cry and can stand up for herself, it doesn't mean she feels any less hurt. There is a real lack of girl power this year. In series gone by we've seen real camaraderie from Kaz Kamwi and Liberty Poole to Anna Vakili, Amber Gilland Maura Higgins. Tanyel even mentioned that the boys are closer than the girls and it's glaringly obvious that it's true.
At least some Islanders (even if they are former ones) have Zara's back. After viewers went online to express how Zara is being isolated and 'bullied', former Islander Tasha Ghouri tweeted her support for her. She wrote, 'Zara gal keep your head held high, that game legit turned nasty for no reason. She added, 'Sometimes these games literally go too far and shouldn’t be aired tbh.'
TikTok sleuths have also spotted what they claim is a continuity editing error which paints Zara in a bad light. During the Truth or Dare Game Zara's lashes were falling off due to the strong winds we have seen in South Africa. However, they say the editing makes it appear that her lashes go from being 'on' and 'off', which some commentators have suggested is evidence that the footage has been edited to make it look like Zara's angrier than she really is.
The TikToker questioned, 'So, have they just edited the questions in the wrong order or have they edited her reaction there to make it look worse than it is?' She concluded, 'I think the editing is making Zara look worse than she is.' One fan commented, 'They need a villain every season and they chose her.' Whilst another said, 'They've been editing her a lot. Making her out to be a mean, controlling person.'
This is an entertainment show and needs juicy storylines - but I feel like we only ever see Zara's actions after she's been provoked and is quite rightly angry. I feel like they are painting the image of the 'angry black girl' and it's not nice to see. The last time we saw Zara genuinely smile was during her entrance dates. Since then, the show has mainly showed her during heated confrontations.
Let's also dissect the language Tom and the other male Islanders use in regards to Zara. Ron Hallhas said 'Yeah, she's sexy but Olivia is wifey material.' First of all, let's not compare women. Second of all, Zara's worth isn't attached to being a sexual object. Why wouldn't she be the type to 'settle down with?'
Zara also had a justified issue with Tom just focusing on her body. When she tearfully explained her feelings to the girls she said, 'I'm not just body and bum.' Tom has tended to just sexualise Zara. She deserves more respect than to be fetishized over her physical features. I think any woman would be hurt if a man diminished her to just being a sexual object. As soon as Zara set some boundaries with Tom suddenly he was 'drained' by their relationship. If Tom truly liked Zara he would have stepped up when she asked for simple communication.
There are many layers to Zara's turbulent villa experience, but all the drama stems from a man. Tom has been giving Zara mixed signals from the start, which has caused her to go on the defence. When Tom said he was leaning more towards Zara, he should have cut things off with Olivia Hawkins. Tom is the problem - there, I said it!
We've seen it time and time again - up-front, confident women like Zara get demonized and bullied when they first walk into the villa. When Maura, Amber Gill, Ekin-Su and Megan Barton-Hanson walked in they were not liked by the public initially. However, the tide always turns when the public realise they are actually the realest characters in there because they don't mince their words.
Now that Tom has secretly kissed Ellie Spence, even though he said he would focus on Olivia - will the Islanders finally see what Zara has been saying about him all along?
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