DIVA caught up with this new arrival to find out more about her time in the Masseria
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY BBC/TWOFOUR
It’s officially been an I Kissed A Girl (IKAG) summer. The BBC Three show has brought buckets of sapphic drama, snogging and friendship to our screens. We can’t be the only ones whose TikTok has been overrun with fan theories, edits and our favourite clips?
While she may have been late to the party, new arrival Sophie was ready to bring the fun to Dannii Minogue’s Masseria. Although her time on the show was short, she still made a massive impact on viewers everywhere.
We caught up with Sophie to learn more about her time at the Masseria.
Why did you want to go on IKAG?
I Kissed A Girl has been a big part of my experience coming out and identifying as queer. I came out really in my mid-twenties, which, compared to a lot of my queer friends, is a little bit later. The show was something I was watching at the time when I was starting to understand my sexuality more. Although I had a lot of queer people in my life, just seeing it normalised made my experience of coming out more lighthearted and fun. I wanted to be part of that. Being part of that representation has been such a privilege.
Why is the representation on the show so important?
Not everybody has access to a friendship group of queer people. They might not live somewhere where there are queer circles. It brings people all of that through the telly.
What did you learn about yourselves?
I think you really reflect on yourself through your experience in the Masseria. It really holds up a mirror to you and how you operate in that sort of scenario. For me, it definitely made me realise how important comfort is in my attraction to people. Because the Masseria is such an overwhelming, intense experience, especially for Josie and me coming in late, I think sometimes it does take me a while to warm up to my full personality and show people who I am.
What was it like to walk in Pride in London?
I think affirming is the word for me. The show experience itself was affirming, and then being able to be in the community in a whole new way afterwards is very affirming as well. To be embedded so deeply in events like Pride is something that’s been so important for me.
What does queer platonic friendship mean to you?
Platonic friendships are everything to me. They create the foundation for all other love in my life. Without those platonic friendships, I wouldn’t be the person that I am. Queer friendships allow me to be the full version of myself.
What representation do you want to see more of?
I think it would be amazing to see more of the deep connection and love between queer people that we don’t see in movies, in TV shows and on social media. I think there is a level of love and connection that queer people get to experience that not everyone gets to have.
You can watch the final episodes of I Kissed A Girl tomorrow (14 July) on BBC iPlayer or BBC Three.
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