Forget bro code, Love Islands Jack and Alex need to call Adam out on his behaviour

opinion
Juno DawsonBestselling author of 10 books including her memoir The Gender Games. Columnist for Attitude Magazine and role model for StonewallThursday 21 Jun 2018 8:59 am

While I love many things about Love Island, my favourite element by far is how its an experimental Petri dish cunningly disguised as a Majorcan villa.

With no cooking, cleaning or camp Big Brother style tasks to complete, there is nothing for the cast to do except perform elaborate mating dances. This, my friend, is Planet Earth, human sexuality edition.

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While some (my manicurist, my WhatsApp chat) have bemoaned the current series isnt as fun as the last, theyve certainly given us a worthy cinematic villain: Adam Collard, a walking protein shake with a ruthless, dead-eyed hunger not seen since Jaws.

Every girl (and many gay men) I know has dated an Adam.

The Adams of the world sailed through puberty gracefully, realising in early adolescence that they didnt have to try too hard to attract mates. With a steady supply of willing victims, why stick around when relationships inevitably grow more complex, more thorny, with time?

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In the villa, instead of admitting this to Kendall, and then Rosie, Adam performed some classic gaslighting.

In turn, he convinced each girl that their clinginess, their emotional needs, had driven him away and that it was only understandable hed move on. Theyd blown it, not him.

The jizz was barely dry on Rosies hand when he zeroed in on new girl, Zara. Inexplicably, Zara – who had seen the series thus far – fell for it.

Adam, loathe him or really loathe him, is great TV, and bravura casting on the part of ITV. Eighteen years since Nasty Nick and we have a new reality telly baddie.

However, Im more interested in what we can derive by watching the behaviour of those around Adam.

Much has been said about the Girl Code of Love Island: the female prisoners supporting each other with half-arsed, pop-feminism mantras and promising to not jump into bed with each others men for at least a day after recoupling.

But what of the Bro Code?

Last year, Chris Hughes and Kem Cetinay formed a genuinely sweet, supportive bond. This year, the boys have primarily rallied around unlucky-in-love Dr Alex, but a couple have recently commented on Adams attitude.

Wideboy Jack and Dr Alex are archetypal nice guys.

Editors have portrayed Jack as a sweet, working-class, salt-of-the-earth sort, very much dedicated to partner Dani. Dr Alex is a) an NHS worker b) Hugh Grant posh and c) a hopeless romantic.

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Both, as self-aware nice guys, have reported to the confessional cameras that they think Adams behaviour is unacceptable.

Dr Alex even acknowledged that his actions are causing drama, and more importantly, hurting women.

Rosie, despite his form with Kendall, made herself vulnerable by giving Adam a handy on national television. She did it because she liked him and thought the feeling was mutual. And now, rejected, shes understandably upset.

Dr Alex and Jack can see Rosies distress.

But while Dani made her feelings very clear to Jack, and house mother Laura expressly told Adam to tread more carefully, did either of our nice guys?

No, of course they didnt, because Bro Code dictates that hes their mate, their guy, their brother. They have his back, seemingly unconditionally.

Is this why, as girls, we get lumbered with Adams all over Tinder and Bumble?

I wonder if things might be different if the Bro Code involved male friends calling each other out when they treat girls like s***.

Peer pressure is powerful and everyone looks to their social circle for approval and reinforcement.

If his friends acted with horror as he prowled Newcastle nightclubs for fresh kills, one expects he might have reined it in by now, sparing the tears of many a local girl.

I dont see why Jack and Alex get to be nice guys when they can see womens feelings being so casually stamped on and not do a single thing to stop it.

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MORE: Love Island viewers rip into Adams disgusting behaviour as he pursues Zara over Rosie

MORE: Love Islands Kendall has some advice for Rosie after Adam betrayal: Run a mile

MORE: Love Islands Wes has a harsh slap of reality for Laura: Were not boyfriend and girlfriend

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