Love Island's Paige Turley used a homophobic slur and fans are not happy
Love Island is well and truly back with a new Winter cast, and as always, the return of the show has come with some controversy. Paige Turley has been found to have used a homophobic slur on her social media, and fans are not happy.
As PinkNews reports, Paige, 22, posted a video to her Instagram story highlights while on holiday with her brother back in June. He was filmed drinking cocktails at Treehouse Dubai, and the video was accompanied by the caption: “Uuuuuft who’s that big Harry hoofter on the cocktails??”
The phrase is a homophobic slur and rhyming slang for a derogatory term used to describe gay and LGBTQ+ men. She also posted a sticker of a hand waving a rainbow Pride flag.
This has upset many LGBTQ+ fans of the show, with some asking why someone who has used homophobic language on their social media was allowed to enter the villa.
“I was looking on her Instagram and came across this video under her travel highlights of her calling someone a 'Harry hoofter' accompanied with the pride flag gif - which in my eyes is a homophobic slur. Myself and others are deeply offended and don’t see why someone this day and age is using this language,' one fan told The Sun.
User Hithere tweeted, "Strange Paige Turley is being allowed on love island when she has homophobic stories on her highlights on insta. Any explanation for this @itv2"
Strange Paige Turley is being allowed on love island when she has homophobic stories on her highlights on insta. Any explanation for this @itv2 #loveisland #LoveIsland2020 pic.twitter.com/8naSSVlM5n
— Hithere (@Hithere90223467) January 12, 2020
A friend defended her use of the slur to Mail Online, saying, "This was a silly joke between brother and sister and Paige would be mortified to hear she has in anyway offended anyone."
Paige is currently coupled up with Finley Tapp and is known to have dated Lewis Capaldi before entering the villa. She is a singer and appeared on Britain's Got Talent when she was 14. Before entering the villa, Paige described herself as "loud, boisterous and fun".
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