MEGAN Barton-Hanson was left horrified after her brother’s girlfriend called her a ‘big, fat lesbian’.
The former Love Island star opened up about the comment which came when she first started to date women.
Megan, 26, was subjected to the homophobic slur when her brother’s girlfriend found out she was about to meet up with someone she knew.
The reality show favourite revealed the shocking moment as she recalled joining a dating app and plucking up the courage to arrange to meet another girl.
Chatting to her ex Demi Sims on her podcast You Come First, Megan explained: “I had no gay friends, and I didn’t know what it was like to even date a girl.
“There was nothing in Southend for a gay community or anyone I knew.”
She went on: “I got this app called HER, it’s like a lesbian dating app.
“And I matched with someone, set up a date and before I went out for the date my brother’s girlfriend, who lived with us, burst in the door and took a seat on my bed all serious.
“And she was like, ‘Turns out you are going out with a girl who works at my work, so can you just confirm you’re not a big, fat lesbian?’ “
Megan admitted she was left “mortified” by the “rude” comment by her younger sibling’s then girlfriend, and that as a result it put her off dating apps.
Megan told Demi, who she met on Channel 4’s Celebs Go Dating: “Imagine that, the first time I’d ever had the confidence to meet a girl this girl who is quite close to me comes in and is homophobic and rude about it. Mortifying.
“So I wouldn’t rush into the apps – because it was a disaster for me.”
Megan, who previously revealed she’s bisexual, found herself single at the start of the pandemic after splitting from on/off girlfriend Chelcee Grimes, 28.
Before that she dated fellow Islander Wes Nelson, 22.
The former pole dancer recently spoke about turning to her LGBTQ+ online community for support during lockdown, as she battled the sudden loneliness.
She advised to others in a similar situation: “Don’t be afraid to reach out.
“Some of the closest friends I’ve got are on social media and I’ve got a really good LGBT community on Instagram and the same with sex workers.
“I’ve really found my own little community online, so don’t be afraid to make friends online.”
