Multiple ‘I Kissed a Girl’ Contestants Say Show Omitted Storylines Involving Castmates of Color

Several cast members from series 2 of the now-canceled sapphic reality dating show I Kissed a Girl have alleged that the final edit of the show that aired on the BBC depicted them in ways that they felt were racist and at times censorious, according to public posts they have made on social media.The outpouring of cast experiences began when Lindsey, referred to by her first name on the show and as Lindsey Amelie on social media, posted a nearly 90-minute-long video to YouTube on October 18 in which she said she experienced racism and anti-Blackness from cast and crew while filming, along with behavior that she felt disrespected her sexual fluidity.She also alleged that she was sexually assaulted by an unnamed cast member at a vacation rental after filming wrapped during a getaway unconnected to the production of the show. - YouTube www.youtube.com In the video, Lindsey described a filming environment in which she felt like both fellow castmates and members of the production crew were excluding her. When the show aired, she said key conversations on race and Blackness did not appear in the edit. She also said members of the production team questioned her boundaries on intimacy in the masseria, and ultimately disregarded her experience as a Black woman when she raised concerns.“One of the most exhausting things about experiencing racism is the expectation that you must always be prepared to explain it, prove it, soften it, and make it understandable to people who may never have to think about it themselves,” she said in the video.The post prompted other cast members of color to expand on their own experiences with filming, adding their opinions on the show’s final edit.Asked about Lindsey’s video by Them, a BBC spokesperson commented, “I Kissed A Girl is, and always has been, a dating show with inclusivity at its heart. The BBC and the producers of the show are taking these allegations extremely seriously and we do not tolerate discrimination of any form.”