Queer Women in the House on UK's "Big Brother 10"

L to R: Lisa, Angel and Saffia

The popular voyeuristic reality series Big Brother is back for its tenth season in the UK, this time with queer female contestants. One of the UK's more visible television programs, at least according to tabloid coverage, the return of the series last week attracted around half a million viewers.

The format of Big Brother 10 — which is based on the series of the same name developed in the Netherlands, and airs on Channel 4 in the UK, E4 in Ireland, and S4C in Wales — is consistent with previous seasons, and with the U.S. version: 16 participants compete over 13 weeks to win a cash prize.

These "Housemates" of different ages and backgrounds are incarcerated in the Big Brother House (with no contact with the outside world), required to compete in weekly challenges for various rewards, and voted out by their fellow housemates one-by-one each week. (For more on the rules and history of the game, go here.)

At least three of the female Housemates this season identify as something other than heterosexual. Here's a rundown on each of them via their official bios provided by the show, and their performance in the first week in the game.

41-year old unemployed factory worker Lisa is the lesbian in the House (the last time there was a lesbian Housemate was in the show's fifth season). Unfortunately, she's described in a less-than-flattering way in her official bio:

On first impressions, Lisa might look a little bit scary. Some people have even said she looks ready to kill, but far from it. She might have more front than Self ridges, but we suspect she’s hiding just as many treasures behind her Mohican, tattoos and piercings. And we might as well get her bad habit out in the open while we’re here – she loves cleaning up. Lisa’s gonna be real popular. Oh yeah. As long as she manages to control her, ahem, urges.

Lisa is a very sexual being and talks about sex all the time. To describe Lisa as a sexual predator would be like calling a crocodile a sweet itty-bitty thing.

But it’s not all about sex. Spiritualism plays a big part in Lisa’s life and she has all the hallmarks of a genuine, kind individual. Her downfall, she believes, is her lack of confidence. Well, there’s nothing like a BBaptism of fire to sort that out once and for all.

Lisa has said on the show that she likes to try and convert straight women, but describing her as a "sexual predator" seems a bit much. So far, she's coming across much better on the show than on the website.