On episode 4 of All Stars Rivals, we saw a quick hookup between Sam and Aneesa. Many people weren’t expecting the moment, but the show clearly foreshadowed it on episode 3. During episode, we saw the two girls talk about body image and how it’s changed over the years. We also saw Sam complimenting Aneesa and admiring her beauty.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen two women hookup on The Challenge, but the most notable thing about this hookup: There’s no real reason for it to be noteworthy. Coming into this season, we knew Sam is a lesbian and we knew Aneesa is into women, so there really isn’t any scandal behind it.
The same can’t be said about every female-female relationship that came before it. The Real World is notably progressive when it comes to depictions of LGBTQ+ people, but the same can’t be said for The Challenge. On the show, lesbian relationships have historically been complicated by secrecy, cliches, and experimentation.
Note: The term “lesbian relationships” is used to describe a romantic or sexual relationship between two women, but they may not both identify as lesbians.
This is not to dismiss anyone’s sexual orientation, but it’s somewhat refreshing to see two women hookup without any scandal involved. Aneesa and Sam’s entanglement received about 20 seconds of screen time — the same as any heterosexual hookup of its caliber — which is very different from the relationships we’ve seen in the past.
Rachel & Veronica
We know these two had a very real relationship that lasted for a few years — around 2003-2006. Rumors about the relationship started in 2003 and persisted through the Inferno 2. Apparently, this was an open secret while filming the show, and most cast members respected the secrecy of it (emphasis on most).
Aneesa unknowingly confirmed the rumors during Dirty Thirty, but it didn’t really surprise anyone. Longtime fans watched the Rachel, Veronica, and Abe threesome on The Gauntlet, and the two girls ran around with t-shirts that had the word “Lesbian” plastered on them.
Brooke & Evelyn
To summarize this relationship in a word, it was comedy. Before hooking up with Ev, Brooke said that she wasn’t innately attracted to women. When she got eliminated from the show, Evelyn’s unconditional love empowered Brooke to find it with a man. This definitely wasn’t a serious showmance, but it was an unforgettable one.
Rachel & Jenn
Rachel quickly connected with Jenn on the Island, and Jenn also seemed infatuated with Rachel. They kissed, and Jenn claimed their relationship was more serious than her hot tub kiss with Brooke on Real World: Denver. They had another make out session on The Duel 2, but this must have just been a phase for Jenn. Since leaving the show, her stance on same-sex relationships seems to have changed drastically.
Rachel & Aneesa
These two met on Battle of the Sexes in 2002 and we knew they were both into girls, but their romantic relationship falls into the secrecy category. We never really saw it play out on screen, though we did see moments of jealousy from Aneesa on The Duel 2. We don’t know all the details, but according to their comments on Battle of the Exes, their romance was fast and intense — then ended in a similar fashion.
Laurel & Nicole
Out of all the pairings on this list, we have the most history with these two. It started with Laurel coming out on Invasion, which Nicole may have helped with. Initially, it may have looked like Nicole trying to “turn” Laurel gay, but that’s far from the truth. A lot can be said about their romance, but it was real, and it wasn’t just a TV moment. They continued their relationship off the show, but broke up before Nicole’s return on Vendettas.
Then, there was Ex on the Peak of Love and it looked like these two had parted ways. They were very bitter with each other coming into All Stars 4, but they left that season smitten… until Nicole ended the relationship by hooking up with another girl.
Laurel & Melissa
These two had a flirty exchange on Vendettas — it’s the reason they’re paired on All Stars Rivals — but the showmance was very unserious. Nicole helped Melissa tend to a foot injury, and Melissa seemed to return Nicole’s flirtation and accepted Nicole’s invitation for a topless make out session. Melissa even invited Nicole into her bed after winning her first elimination, but later realized that Nicole was missing an important piece of equipment.
Kaycee & Nany
Coming into Total Madness, Nany seemed to have a crush on Asaf, but when a flirtatious friendship developed between her and Kaycee, it was a bit unexpected. Not just because Nany didn’t really have a history of dating girls, but Kaycee was in a relationship at the time. This put a pause on things, and the two were only friends on Double Agents.
When they arrived on Spies, Lies and Allies, they were a confirmed item and this continued into Ride or Dies. On that season, it became clear that Kaycee was a major support system for Nany and the two got engaged after that appearance. Recently, they announced their separation, but this was a very real relationship that unfolded on the Challenge.
Aneesa & Sam
Both of these girls have had their struggles on the show, so it was nice to see them relate to each other. Sam had a genuine appreciation for Aneesa’s experiences, and Aneesa was happy to connect with Sam. But the real message from this: Some girls hook up with each other, it’s no big deal.
Stop Being Polite 