Megan Marx. | Photo: Instagram/megan.leto.marx
Bachelor in Paradise Australia’s first openly LGBTI contestant has broken her silence after the show copped backlash for ‘queerbaiting’.
Megan Marx returned to The Bachelor reality TV franchise this year after first appearing on the show in 2016.
Marx came out as bisexual after the show aired and revealed she was in a relationship with her fellow contestant, Tiffany James.
Promos leading up to this year’s Bachelor in Paradise Australia showe Marx shown kissing a mystery long-haired brunette. The network then deliberately mislead viewers into thinking they would see the first same-sex kiss on the show. It did so by playing a voiceover of Marx talking about another female contestant.
‘She’s absolutely gorgeous, she’s definitely my type of girl,’ Marx said of fellow contestant Elora Murger.
The mystery brunette turned out to be a male contestant. Many accused Network Ten – which airs the show – of ‘queerbaiting’.
Using bisexuality as leverage
But Marx spoke out with her response to the network’s queerbaiting in a long post on Instagram. Marx expressed her ‘disappointment’ that the network used her sexuality as ‘leverage’.
‘There’s been a lot of harangue about the queer baiting that was involved in the promotion of the show,’ she wrote.
‘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.
‘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🌹.’
Fans accepted Marx’s apology, with many saying the network was to blame for the queerbaiting.
‘You don’t need to explain yourself, I guess most of us just had a moment of hope, that would’ve been so great to see on tv as no show really has a same sex relationship,’ one Instagram user wrote.
‘You have a heart of gold @megan.leto.marx I did make a comment as I was a little bit disappointed, but thats not on you, the show should of not used you as bait.’
