“I Just Don’t Fit In A Box” Big Brother Evictee Mia on Queer Identity, Representation and Being “Too Woke”
Image: Image: Channel 10
Big Brother Australia’s third evictee, 22-year-old Victorian youth work student Mia, has opened up about her time in the house, the pressure she felt to define her sexuality, and what representation meant to her as one of only two openly LGBTQIA+ contestants this season.
Mia survived the public vote during Monday night’s double eviction, which saw Jane eliminated, before being sent home in a surprise twist where a member of the public phoned into the house to choose between evicting Mia or Alanna. The twist was delivered, ironically, by her housemate crush Ed, who picked up the call.
“Oh my God, I thought, to be honest, the biggest thing about that was the irony of Ed picking up the phone. And he was the one who delivered the message,” she said. “When he said my name, I actually couldn’t believe it. I was like, wow… this is like the ultimate rejection… like you’re sending me packing now. Like it’s so brutal, so savage.”
Still, Mia left with her head high and her surprising new friend Jane by her side, proud of the voice she brought into the house, especially for queer audiences.
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“I’d love to get one thing straight and one thing gay” about my Big Brother experience
Mia says the experience of being the house’s resident “woke girl” came with expectations, especially around defining her sexuality for others who insisted on boxing her in and labelling her sexuality.
Throughout her two weeks in the house, conversations among housemates often centred on her identity. Many of those moments didn’t make it to air.
“There were many chats about my sexuality with just everyone in the house. They were trying to put me in a box, a label,” she explained. “I’ve identified as a lesbian before, but I haven’t explored my attraction to men… People were trying to be like, oh, so are you bisexual? And I said no, but then that’s gotten misconstrued.”
She wanted to correct the public record after an on-air moment where housemates insisted she must be bisexual.
“I want to clarify. I don’t identify as bisexual. I prefer no labels. I have identified as a lesbian, but I think I really am just a lover of people… men, women, non-binary people.”
The pushback, she says, became exhausting.
“Everyone was trying to tell me who I am and I’m like, oh, you’ve known me for how many days? I’ve known myself for my whole life and I’m still trying to figure it out. I just don’t fit in a box.”
Still, she acknowledges that labels remain meaningful for many in the LGBTQIA+ community, including herself in earlier stages of her journey.
“For me right now… my sexuality is very fluid, evolving, changing constantly.”
Mia also drew plenty of attention for her crush on housemate Ed, which in the end wasn’t reciprocated, but continued to draw discusses about her sexuality amongst the housemates.
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Representing community and creating safety
While Abiola introduced herself on opening night as a “fat, blak lesbian,” audiences learned about Mia’s queerness only as it naturally emerged in conversation.
But representation was part of her mission from the moment she signed up.
“Oh, definitely, that was my intention,” she said. “With my sexuality, it is such a big part of my identity, but it’s not the only thing that makes me Mia.”
Mia credits her commitment to queer advocacy to her youth work background and her involvement with Minus18, where she completed a 10 month Young Leaders Program.
“That was a big part of me realising like that’s how I can really connect with my community and give back to my community… I just wanted to show Australia there’s a place for everyone. You can still be figuring it out with labels as well. Don’t be afraid to change.”
She also wanted to model that queerness isn’t monolithic.
“There’s no right way to be a part of the rainbow community… Everyone’s welcome at Pride. All the allies. No one’s approving your card.”
On being called “too woke”
Several housemates took to the Diary Room to label Mia “woke,”during her time in the house, as she often found herself at the centre of hot topics around gender roles, identity, sexuality and a range of other issues she was passionate about discussing, but she embraced it.
“Honestly, I found it like a compliment,” she said.
“If that makes me ‘too woke’, call me too woke. I think it’s important to stand up for what you believe in.”
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Queer, brown, progressive and best friends with a Trump supporter?
One of the surprising dynamics in the house was Mia’s close friendship with Jane, whose pre show promo revealed her to be a Trump and MAGA supporter. Mia and Jane both reside in Melbourne and she was excited to be evicted alongside her, thrilled at the prospect of their ongoing friendship.
But Mia says their connection shows what’s possible beyond political binaries.
“You can still look at someone as a human being,” she said. “It doesn’t mean you’re endorsing their views… We see things differently, but she really gets me in terms of respecting my culture and sexuality.”
Who she wants to win
Mia is backing her fellow “short queen” Emily.
“She is just so selfless, so kind… I would really, really love to see her win.”
She also named Colin as someone she bonded with deeply.
“He actually saw me for who I am the most… I’d love to see him at the end.”
Leaving Big Brother with pride
Storms were raging outside the house during her eviction, something she found symbolic after the launch night of the season saw the show rained out and postponed as a thunder storm raged around them.
“When I came in, it was lightning and thundering… so I feel like I went out with a bang too.”
And as she returns to Melbourne ready to plan a trip to Star Observer headquarters at the Pride Centre soon, Mia is grateful for the whirlwind television experience and proud of the queer visibility she brought to national television.
“I just wanted to represent the queer community really well… I wanted to show Australia that there’s a place for everyone.”
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