Photos have emerged of Love Island contestant, Anton Dunyluk, wearing blackface for a Halloween costume in 2013 and though a friend has sought to defend him, many are calling on Love Island to address the situation.
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For those who are unaware, blackface was a dark makeup worn in a caricature of the appearance of a black person. In David Leonard’s 2012 Huffington post essay, he explained, “Blackface is part of a history of dehumanization, of denied citizenship, and of efforts to excuse and justify state violence…Blackface is never a neutral form of entertainment, but an incredibly loaded site for the production of damaging stereotypes...the same stereotypes that undergird individual and state violence, American racism, and a centuries worth of injustice.
Therefore it is evident why many are encouraging Love Island to dish out more serious consequences for the islander. But this is not the first offence of the series preceding the actual launch date of the show. Amber Gil also faced backlash after a post emerged which saw her state, “I don’t like black guys”.
The reality TV show has been criticised in the past for apparent racial bias after it was suggested that Samira Mighty in last year’s series received less airtime than other white islanders.
Check out the video to see what former islander, Marcel Sommerville, had to say!
Image: DailyRecord
