Big Brother’s Mia Calls Out The “Double Standard” When It Comes To Outspoken Women

Big Brother Australia's Mia Wijewardene was only in the house for two weeks, but she made a big impact. With her bubbly personality and outspoken nature, she wasn't afraid to engage in debates around feminism and call out bad behaviour. She was deemed "too much" by the other housemates, who Mia says warned her to stop talking so often, which she refused to do. Ultimately, it led to her eviction, but she tells Refinery29 Australia her treatment highlights the "double standard" when it comes to men and women. While Colin Ridley is also silly and loud, he has been embraced rather than shunned.

"I love Colin to death. He's so similar to me, and the way he comes across is so different," Mia says. "I was seen as like, 'Oh, I'm not listening' or I'm 'too annoying and too talkative, and too loud'. So it is a double standard. Men will be perceived in a completely different way. Then, if you are a woman, you're going to be perceived as too opinionated, too outspoken. Please be quiet. We don't want to hear your voice."

Out of the past six nominations, only one has been a man. Mia notes she saw the pattern straight away, and calls the women "easy targets" in the house. "It felt like we were kind of being witches burned on a stake. You know, ladies of the damned... that's the pattern I saw straight away when the nominations were announced," she recalls. "The women who are really helpful and outspoken [and] independent." Mia went into the Big Brother Australia house with an open mind, ready to listen and have conversations with people holding different views. She didn't consider the fact that this may not be reciprocated. "I wasn't prepared [for] people [that] didn't want to hear [my opinions] and, you know, some people didn't want to know my story. They didn't want to know my opinion," she says. "When [you're] very much misunderstood, you can feel lonely. It's a little isolating as well."

Mia's proud of her time in the Big Brother Australia house, where she added to conversations about sexuality and feminism. One particular moment she hoped would make people feel less alone is when she revealed she was a virgin at 23 years old. "I felt the pressure that I need to do certain things because of the age I am, but everyone is at their own timeline," Mia explains. "I don't think there's anything wrong with hookup culture; it's just something that hasn't been the case with me.

"I think a lot of young people feel pressure that they have to do things by a certain age. And I think I just wanted [to remind people] there's no rush to have these experiences, just go at your own pace."

While the Big Brother Australia contestant was thankful for moments like this, she could feel the impact of people around her telling her to stop being herself, taking a toll. She struggled to remind herself to stay true to who she was, even if it wasn't the best strategic move. "As much as I didn't want to go, I just saw it as okay, I'm starting to feel like really deflated, and I just feel like I didn't want to lose my spark," she says.

"It's something that I'll remember and I'll just keep in mind whenever people are trying to tell me who I am [in the future]... I'm just gonna keep being me and surround myself with people that lift me up."