Summary
Alliya de Batista from90 Day Fiancé: Love in Paradiseis one of the franchise’s most powerful casting decisions. The Brazilian native joined the series alongsideher partner, Shawn Finch, who hails from the States. Upon their entry to the show, Alliya explained thatshe used to identify as Douglas and had begun exploring her gender identityafter meeting Shawn. As a celebrity hairstylist, Shawn encouraged Alliya to experiment with makeup and wigs. Throughout their relationship, she began going by the name of Alliya and embraced her femininity.
The90 Day Fiancéfranchise has begun showcasing a more diverse slate of cast members. Stephanie Matto and Erika Owens were thefirst same-sex couple on90 Day Fiancé. They were featured inBefore the 90 Daysseason 4, which premiered in 2020, six years after90 Day Fiancéseason 1 aired in 2014. Since their casting,the show has featured more LGBTQ+ people, includingGabe Paboga, the show’s first transgender cast member. Alliya’s inclusion inLove in Paradiseseason 4 is another step in the right direction in terms of casting efforts for the90 Day Fiancéfranchise.
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Alliya Has Been Open About Her Gender Identity From The Beginning
Alliya Shared Her Truth On 90 Day Fiancé
From her first segment onLove in Paradiseseason 4, Alliya has been incredibly open about her gender identity. Shawn explained that when he met his partner, she identified as Douglas. While Alliya was assigned male at birth, she always had a liking for hair and makeup. Shawn knew this about his partner andencouraged her to explore her traditionally feminine interests.
After about a year of dating, Shawn said that “everything started to change” and Douglas began presenting as Alliya more frequently.
Alliya washesitant to embrace her gender and sexuality because of her grandparent’s conservative beliefs. She was worried that her family would not accept or understand her point of view that did not align with theirs. After she met Shawn, things in Alliya’s life began to change. ThroughoutLove in Paradise, she has been candid about her gender journey.90 Day Fiancéis a show about relationships, and it took a lot of bravery for Alliya to share her story of navigating gender. She has been truthful with the audience when she could have kept her story private.
Alliya Is The First 90 Day Fiancé Cast Member To Actively Explore Their Gender Identity On The Show
No Other Cast Member Has Navigated Their Gender While Filming The Show
Alliya is the first90 Day Fiancécast member to actively explore their gender on the show. There have been three openly transgender people featured in the franchise. Gabe fromThe Other Wayseason 4 was the first transman, while Cleo Corriane became the first transwoman in the franchise inBefore the 90 Daysseason 6. After Gabe and Cleo were cast,transwoman Nicole “Nikki” Sandersjoined90 Day Fiancéseason 10. In their respective seasons, they had begun their transitions and came out as transgender before filming.
Alliya’s story is different from Gabe, Cleo, and Nikki because she’s actively navigating the everyday changes of her transition on the show.
At the start of the season, Shawn admitted that he wasn’t sure if his partner was solely identifying as Alliya or Douglas. She’s since confirmed that she is no longer Douglas. Her appearance on the show is powerful because it follows her journey to becoming Alliya. Past cast members have explored their sexualities in the series, but Alliya is the first to affirm their gender identity.
90 Day Fiancé Has Never Featured A Couple Like Alliya & Shawn
Custom Image By César García
Alliya and Shawn are a unique couple in the90 Day Fiancéfranchise. The show has cast openly gay men, lesbian women, and transgender people in its past. However, Alliya and Shawn represent a LGTBQ+ couple that hasn’t been featured on the show before. Shawn has dated both men and women in the past andadmitted that he’d been “exclusively dating men”for a while. Shawn took Alliya to buy new clothing in one segment, and he admitted that they’d “never really done women’s shopping” before. As they shopped, Shawn realized he was “in a relationship with a woman.”
His sexuality is fluid though he primarily dates men whileAlliya is undergoing a gender transition. In an interview withPRIDE, Shawn said it was important for him to “do a good job representing the [LGBTQ+] community and this particular part of the community.”WhileLove in Paradiseis showcasing Alliya’s story, it also shares Shawn’s experience as her partner while she navigates her gender. He said he had “prejudices and preconceived notions” that he learned to shift as their relationship grew.
“No one ever talks about the partners and what they go through. I’m half of this relationship, but I’m dealing with a whole person that has to live their life authentically.”
Alliya’s Casting Marks Another Important Stride In 90 Day Fiancé Casting
90 Day Fiancé Can Continue To Make Progress By Casting Diverse Individuals
The90 Day Fiancécasting team made the right decision when they chose to put Alliya and Shawn onLove in Paradiseseason 4.90 DayFiancécasting director Brooklyn Bagwell toldVarietythatafter her team found Cleo, they wanted to “continue to find these diverse characters.”The production behind the show has made great progress in diversity, but there’s still a long way to go. Alliya has an incredibly unique but not foreign story that deserves to be told. During an emotional moment, she said goodbye to Douglas and fully embraced herself as Alliya.
“Today, I say goodbye to all the negativity that his name carried. Goodbye, Douglas. You were my foundation, but now it’s time for me to fly.”
Alliya spoke about her life as Douglas with her friends at the beach. “Alliya is the personification of all of the shine Douglas had to show,”she said in Portuguese. In a heartfelt moment,she expressed her feelings about growing up and discovering that she was meant to be Alliya. It was one of the most heart-wrenching moments in90 DayFiancéhistory. She sobbed as she said goodbye to her old life and set a photo of Douglas on fire. Alliya bravely revealed her truth and closed a chapter of her life in a very public way.
Shawn told PRIDE he took part inLove in Paradisesolely for his partner. He hoped that Alliya’s story would “touch people that might have the same feelings as Alliya” or “people that might not understand somebody like Alliya.”There has never been a story like Alliya and Shawn’s highlighted on90 DayFiancé.The show should continue to scout diverse couples for its show, with their relationship proving that representation matters.
The90 DayFiancécasting team made a powerful decision when choosing Alliya to be a part of the cast ofLove in Paradiseseason 4. She has an incredible story unique to those who have been told on the show before. It’s empowering to watch Alliya speak openly about her gender identity inLove in Paradise, and the show should continue to cast diverse individuals.
90 Day Fiancé: Love in Paradiseairs Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on TLC.
90 Day Fiancé: Love in Paradise
Cast
Four couples who found love in the Caribbean navigate the challenges of long-distance relationships and cultural differences. From whirlwind romances to serious commitments, each couple faces unique hurdles as they attempt to transform their vacation flings into lasting love, all set against the backdrop of stunning tropical locations.
