Big Bro update

I haven’t written much about BB lately, mainly because I have had a pretty love/hate relationship with it this time around. However hats off to Aisleyne (and Pete) for upholding a woman’s right to own her own body. And as I’m feeling in such a good mood, hats off to the producers as well for not editing it out!

For those of you angelic enough to resist the horrible temptation that is Big Brother, Aisleyne is a pretty typical contestant – surgically enhanced, long peroxide blonde hair, prances around in thongs all day long. Earlier in the week as she sunned herself in aforementioned thong bikini another housemate (the famous woman-hating Mikey) bit her on the bottom. She was, understandably, upset, and left the garden. In the edited evening show we then heard her conversation with Pete expressing how violated she felt, and later Pete was heard in the diary room emphasising that other housemates should appreciate that it is her bum and nobody has the right to touch it regardless of what she is wearing. Last night Aisleyne explained to other housemates how people often believe that because she wears skimpy clothes she is somehow inviting sexual advances and touching. She emphasised that this is not the case.

I say hats off to the producers because they didn’t have to show any of this. They could have simply shown the biting and then Mikey’s later, rather inadequate, apology. It may only be a drop in the ocean for BB but it’s good to see these points made on the programme. Furthermore the police have been contacted and will be talking to Mikey when he leaves.

We are all familiar with this kind of behaviour, and I empathised with Aisleyne. Whether or not you can be a feminist in a miniskirt and bikini is an argument I am fed up with, but putting that to one side it is so obvious that regardless of what you wear no-one has the right to touch you without your consent. How arrogant to think that you can just bite someone on the bottom like that? All too often the flirtatious and sexual behaviour in BB can go too far and people get carried along, doing things they may not be comfortable with. Good on you Aisleyne for speaking out.