What Love Island tells us about the dynamic love relationship

In the year In the fourth series of Love Island UK in 2018, Megan Barton-Hanson pulled fellow islander Wes Nelson for a chat.

A few minutes ago, she ended her relationship with Eyal Booker, admitting that the pair had little more than physical chemistry. Now sitting in front of Wes, who had been paired with Laura Anderson since the start of the race, she decided not to wait for him to make the first move.

“I think it’s pretty clear that I love you very much,” she said. “And I felt that if I didn’t say something, I would regret it.”

By the end of the episode, viewers had a new nickname for her: “Muggy Megan”. Critics accused her of moving too quickly between relationships and breaking “girl code.” Others admired her honesty.

At the time, Barton-Hanson argued that she was treated differently than her male counterparts. “People definitely give girls a harder time than boys… it’s sexist.”

But eight years later, scenes like Barton-Hanson’s don’t feel much different than they do now. Until this series, the opening tie has seen the men opting first. This year, the rules of the event were changed, the women made the first choice.