Rolling Stone Villainized Them. People Cropped Them. BuzzFeed Mocked Them. Olandria and Chelley Are Tired.

When Rolling Stone published a now-deleted article on August 23, 2025, it sought to reframe the prevailing narrative of Love Island USA. The piece described Olandria Carthen and Michelle “Chelley” Bissainthe as aggressors while positioning Huda Mustafa as a misunderstood victim. The article claimed their fans engaged in bullying, a suggestion that clashed with what many saw across social platforms.

Communities that rallied around Olandria and Chelley largely focused on celebrating their favorites, while Huda’s fan base was repeatedly documented spreading racist attacks. By ignoring this dynamic, Rolling Stone gave cover to harmful behavior and shifted blame onto Black women. Publishing the article just days before the reunion struck many as an intentional effort to shape public perception. Fans immediately pushed back, accusing the outlet of anti-Black framing and narrative manipulation.

People Magazine Crops Out Olandria

Rolling Stone was not alone in mishandling the stories of Black women on Love Island. People magazine cropped Olandria, the only Black finalist, out of its original coverage of the Season 7 finale. Readers quickly noticed the erasure. Under pressure, the magazine re-uploaded the story with a corrected image. No apology followed, no acknowledgment, and no explanation for why Olandria was removed.

Fans called the incident a textbook case of erasure. Olandria had made the finale on merit and popularity, yet her achievement was literally edited out of the picture. People may have restored her image, but the lack of accountability deepened the insult.

BuzzFeed’s Knuckle Sandwich Post

On July 9, 2025, BuzzFeed’s Tasty account posted a carousel on Instagram assigning breakfast items to contestants. Chelley’s slide read “knuckle sandwich.” Within hours the post disappeared, but the harm lingered. Many saw the phrase as racially loaded and promoting violence against a Black woman.

Chelley’s team condemned the post as reckless, noting the online abuse she already faced during and after her time in the villa. Supporters flooded platforms to demand accountability. The backlash forced BuzzFeed to issue an apology, but by then the message had spread to millions. Commentators called the incident a striking example of misogynoir, where sexism and anti-Blackness collide to diminish and endanger Black women.

A Larger Media Pattern

These three incidents form a clear and troubling pattern. Rolling Stone villainized Olandria and Chelley while excusing racist fan behavior. People magazine cropped Olandria out of her own finale. BuzzFeed reduced Chelley to a violent stereotype. Together, they show how mainstream outlets undermine the visibility, dignity, and safety of Black women, even at the height of their success on one of the most-watched reality shows in the world.

This coverage unironically proves Chelley and Olandria’s point about not being afforded the same grace as others. They are villainized simply for expressing their feelings, something seemingly permitted to everyone but them. The timing of these articles is suspicious in today’s political climate, where outlets suddenly highlight Middle Eastern women—often overlooked in the past—primarily to juxtapose them against Black women.

It feels less like coincidence and more like a coordinated effort to damage reputations. The Rolling Stone piece, in particular, lacked nuance and leaned into anti-Black tropes. This echoes the magazine’s broader history, most recently illustrated by co-founder Jann Wenner, who in 2023 dismissed Black and female artists as not “articulate” enough to feature in his book The Masters. That bias, which cost him his seat on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame board, reflects the same pattern of diminishing Black voices. The failure is especially damning given the abuse Black islanders already endure. Fans once went so far as to photoshop Olandria’s face onto George Floyd’s body, placing a knee on her neck. Against that backdrop, the press choosing to amplify passive aggression toward her and Chelley instead of condemning racist attacks is indefensible.