September 18th 2023.
Married at First Sight UK star Ella Morgan Clark recently revealed the difficulty she had in dealing with the backlash over the groom being 'unaware' he was partnered with a transgender woman. The 29-year-old clinic consultant from Weston-Super-Mare is one of the singletons ready to find her happily ever after on the hit Channel 4 show.
Ahead of Monday's debut, Ella and finance manager Laura, 34, appeared on Lorraine to talk all things MAFS UK. Ella spoke about her inclusion on the show and the backlash she expected to receive, stating, "I knew I would get a lot of backlash and a lot of hate as the first transgender person. And I’ve always struggled labelling myself as a trans person because you feel a sense of shame sometimes, and I’m lucky to have my family but it has shown me the negative side.
In order to give the partnership the best chance, Ella gave the production team her permission to speak to the groom about her identity beforehand. She said, "This shouldn’t be making history; this should be normal conversation. It was a lot of pressure for me because I felt like I had to be the voice for the whole community. I’m no different than the other girls. It was the backlash that I struggled with of ‘Channel 4 are bad for faking it,’ I wasn’t going to marry someone and not let him know."
The MAFS UK spokesperson explained why they made the decision to inform the groom before anyone said 'I do.' They said, "Since we revealed this year’s cast, there’s been much speculation on Ella’s match and what her match was told in advance of the meeting at the altar. We want to address this recurring question, out of respect for everyone involved. In this specific instance, with Ella’s permission, the groom was made aware his bride was trans, to ensure full, informed consent before entering the experiment."
The series prides itself on its diversity and inclusion, and has previously featured a trio of same-sex couples. Furthermore, MAFS UK season is back with its first episode airing tonight at 9pm on Channel 4.
The show provides a great platform for Ella and other individuals to show that all humans deserve the same respect regardless of their gender or identity. Ella hopes that her inclusion on the show will set a precedent for future seasons and inspire others to speak out and be proud of who they are.
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