A ‘Bachelor In Paradise’ Contestant Has Dragged The Show For Queerbaiting
The only way to fix this is to have a Queer Bachelor.
Megan Marx, the woman at the centre of Channel 10’s shameless queerbaiting tactics as it promoted Bachelor In Paradise, has slammed the show.
In case you missed it, the station heavily implied that Marx, who is bisexual, was going to hook up with a mystery brunette woman in the lead up to Tuesday night’s episode.
Here's the part of the promo where Channel 10 deliberately cut together Megan talking about Elora with her kiss w/ a long-haired brunette, to make it seem like they were going to deliver a same sex couple. Turns out it was Thomas. Queerbaiting at its finest. #BachelorInParadise pic.twitter.com/ywKqzC0YUb
— Jenna Guillaume (@JennaGuillaume) April 17, 2018
“She’s absolutely gorgeous, she’s definitely my type of girl,” Marx could be heard saying in the promo, over footage of fellow contestant Elora Murger. The clip then cut to grainy footage of Marx making out with someone with long, dark hair.
But it turned out that long brown hair belonged to Canadian male model Thomas Perras, prompting anger from fans who were excited to see some queer representation on the show.
IT WAS A MAN WITH LONG HAIR. #BachelorInParadiseAU pic.twitter.com/x7Ioq7Koki
— flossy (@dentitexx) April 17, 2018
OMG MEGAN IS KISSING A WOMAN!
…A BEARDED WOMAN!?
Oh no wait, that’s right Channel 10 just queer-baited us for 2 months.
Soz. #BachelorInParadiseAU pic.twitter.com/aHzmDV2NwB
— Mark (@markp_) April 17, 2018
The feeling when you realise the "same sex kiss" that was "leaked" was between a girl and a long-haired male git.#BachelorInParadiseAU pic.twitter.com/ufjkhyCfTs
— Catie Jones (@CatelynJones135) April 17, 2018
Marx took to Instagram on Wednesday afternoon, saying she was “disappointed” by the promotion tactics:
“There’s been a lot of harangue about the queer baiting that was involved in the promotion of the show. I too was disappointed that my sexuality was used as leverage when truth (the fact that I’m a sexual minority at all!) is always the most respectful option,” she said.
“However I’m still grateful @bachelorinparadiseau gave me a platform to be myself and pursue any relationship I wanted to – they always made it clear they supported me, and were even respectful and open in me posting this message.
“A big apology to those who were offended, I know we can do better – we have a long way to go in Australia?.”
It’s a pretty brave move from someone who almost certainly still has some contractual obligations to the show, so good on Megan for speaking up.