90 Day Fiancé: How Alliya De Batista became the franchise’s most powerful actor
Alliya de Batista from 90 Day Fiancé: Love in Paradise is one of the franchise’s most powerful casting decisions. The Brazilian native joined the series alongside her partner, Shawn Finch, who hails from the States. Upon their entry to the show, Alliya explained that she used to identify as Douglas and had begun exploring her gender identity after 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.
The 90 Day Fiancé franchise has begun showcasing a more diverse slate of cast members. Stephanie Matto and Erika Owens were the first same-sex couple on 90 Day Fiancé. They were featured in Before the 90 Days season 4, which premiered in 2020, six years after 90 Day Fiancé season 1 aired in 2014. Since their casting, the show has featured more LGBTQ+ people, including Gabe Paboga, the show’s first transgender cast member. Alliya’s inclusion in Love in Paradise season 4 is another step in the right direction in terms of casting efforts for the 90 Day Fiancé franchise.
Alliya Has Been Open About Her Gender Identity From The Beginning
Alliya Shared Her Truth On 90 Day Fiancé
From her first segment on Love in Paradise season 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 and encouraged 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 was hesitant 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. Throughout Love in Paradise, she has been candid about her gender journey. 90 Day Fiancé is 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 first 90 Day Fiancé cast member to actively explore their gender on the show. There have been three openly transgender people featured in the franchise. Gabe from The Other Way season 4 was the first transman, while Cleo Corriane became the first transwoman in the franchise in Before the 90 Days season 6. After Gabe and Cleo were cast, transwoman Nicole “Nikki” Sanders joined 90 Day Fiancé season 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.
Alliya & Shawn’s Relationship Is A Franchise First
90 Day Fiancé Has Never Featured A Couple Like Alliya & Shawn
Alliya and Shawn are a unique couple in the 90 Day Fiancé franchise. 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 and admitted 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 while Alliya is undergoing a gender transition. In an interview with PRIDE, Shawn said it was important for him to “do a good job representing the [LGBTQ+] community and this particular part of the community.” While Love in Paradise is 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
The 90 Day Fiancé casting team made the right decision when they chose to put Alliya and Shawn on Love in Paradise season 4. 90 DayFiancé casting director Brooklyn Bagwell told Variety that after 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 in 90 DayFiancé history. 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 in Love in Paradise solely 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 on 90 Day Fiancé. The show should continue to scout diverse couples for its show, with their relationship proving that representation matters.
The 90 Day Fiancé casting team made a powerful decision when choosing Alliya to be a part of the cast of Love in Paradise season 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 in Love in Paradise, and the show should continue to cast diverse individuals.
