Is Kendall from ‘Love Island’ gay?

Like any other reality show, Love Island: USA and its contestants have often been at the center of public discussion. One of the most recent and troubling instances, though, involved Kendall Washington.

While he lived out an on-screen romance with fellow islander Nicole Jacky, Kendall had an intimate video leaked online. That alone must’ve been hard on his mental health, but unfortunately, the TV personality had to deal with online hate on top of it all. It wasn’t just ordinary hate, though, oh no. Due to the content of the video, which showcased Kendall in compromising positions, a lot of people jumped to the conclusion that he must be gay. Thus, they proceeded to shower social media platforms with homophobic jokes, remarks, and even slurs.

What’s worse, hating on someone for having NSFW content posted online without their consent, or bullying them for being part of the LGBTQ+ community? There’s no right answer here, they’re both terrible. Ironically, though, a lot of folks were so quick to unleash their vitriol that they never even stopped to think about what Kendall’s sexuality might actually be. Is there truth to the rumors that he’s gay, or did the homophobic comments hit a straight target?

What is Kendall Washington’s sexuality?

Kendall Washington has not publicly put a label on his sexuality, so it’s impossible to say if he’s gay, straight, bisexual, or something else entirely. While his intimate leaked video heavily featured his backside, it’s not enough for folks to jump to the conclusion that he’s gay. Similarly, his relationship with Nicole in season 6 of Love Island: USA doesn’t automatically mean that he’s straight, either.

When addressing the leak on his Instagram stories, Kendall chose not to comment on his sexuality. “That was something I shared to someone in confidence and trust. It’s unfortunate that it’s no longer private, but it is what it is,” he wrote simply, referring to the video. As some people pointed out, Kendall didn’t outright deny the gay rumors, which some took as confirmation enough. It’s not, though.

Regardless of what one might think of this entire situation (and whether or not he was in the wrong for lying about it to Nicole), it’s best to let the subject rest. Unless the reality star decides to put the rumors to rest by publicly stating his sexuality, we will never know what label he uses, and that is perfectly fine. Kendall doesn’t owe anyone the information.