Homophobic Trolls Target ‘MAFS’ Stars Samuel Levi & Liam Cooper Over Big W’s Christmas Ad
Image: MAFS Stars Samuel Levi and Liam Cooper.
Married At First Sight stars Samuel Levi and Liam Cooper have been hit by a slew of homophobic comments on Instagram, following their appearance in an advertisement for the BIG W department store chain.
Levi and Cooper, who went public as a couple this year, appeared together in an ad modelling matching sets of Christmas-themed pyjamas.
In response to the negative commentary, BIG W posted, “This is a friendly reminder that we welcome discussion however we will remove offensive comments and behaviour that goes against our community guidelines. Please help us keep this a safe and positive community and experience for everyone!”
View this post on Instagram
Levi, responding to one supporter on Instagram, said, “Pretty disappointing to see how people react, and the nasty comments coming my way.”
The negative comments have since been deleted from the Instagram post.
‘Sad And Disappointing’
View this post on Instagram
“It was a collaboration to help spread awareness about the Christmas range,” Levi told the Star Observer. “We were approached, loved the idea and it was something very on brand for me; so we said yes.”
”It was a beautiful and positive collaboration which I was super excited about. It was highlighting Christmas, and the fact it got turned into something totally different and the original message was taken away was disappointing. We are both comfortable in our skin, and did not see any ill intent in the image, and thought it was a lovely message to share with a brand we love,” Levi added.
Cooper also expressed his disappointment to the Star Observer, saying, “I was disgusted to see and read the homophobic comments underneath the post.”
“Samuel received positive comments from his followers when he originally shared this image on his Instagram page. However, all the homophobic, bi-phobic hate came from those who follow the BIG W page when they re-shared Samuel’s content on their page,” Cooper explained. “This is sad and really disappointing as it’s 2021.”
“We both also want to highlight that BIG W did a great job with the response, and we both felt supported which is a positive,” Levi said.
View this post on Instagram
When asked if the backlash would stop the couple from pursuing other opportunities in media, Levi said, “I am so used to it. It does still get draining when it happens from time to time. I think of the bigger picture and now being a role model for those apart of the LGBTQI community, I am happy to continue to put myself out there as I am super comfortable in my skin, and Liam feels the same.”
Ad Represents Modern Australian Families
Big W, in a statement sent to the Star Observer, responded to the controversy saying, “At BIG W, we are proud to feature a diverse range of talent, like Sam and Liam’s post, that represent modern Australian families and communities. One of our core values is to build an inclusive culture where our LGBTQI team members and customers feel supported and respected. We don’t tolerate discrimination and will continue to moderate the page by removing discriminatory comments.”
View this post on Instagram
The couple did receive a strong show of support from many, with one social media user saying, “Ignore the idiots who clearly are close minded, everyone else is supportive and that’s all that matters,” while another posted, “all the negativity on this post is horrendous.”
Another post thanked the retailer, saying, “Great to see some representation Big W! Please keep it up and ban any disgraceful homophobic trolls.”
For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14
For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
