Basit Is Looking For Love On 'Are You The One'

MTV's Are You The One is changing the game for its eighth season, which premieres on Jun. 26 at 9 p.m. ET. For the first time, every contestant on the dating series will be sexually fluid, so anyone could find themselves matching with anyone. You could deduce a perfect match from the comfort of your couch just by learning a little more about the people vying for love this season. For example: who is Basit on Are You the One?

According to their bio on MTV's website, Basit is 25-year-old drag queen from Brooklyn who also goes by the name Dionne Slay (incredible). They're described as an "ambassador for self-expression," but it sounds like it was a complicated journey to get to that place. Basit grew up in a conservative Nigerian house, so it wasn't until college that they got to "fully explore their sexuality and gender expression." But despite how expressive Basit can be, they find it difficult to be as communicative in relationships. That could complicate matters in their search for love, but perhaps their time on Are You the One will help them overcome it. A million dollar cash prize on the line — and the promise of a soulmate, of course — might be good incentive to work it out.

Editor’s Note: The Instagram post has since been deleted.

In a clip from the show posted to Basit's Instagram account, @basitcom, they shared their personal description of their sexuality and gender identity. Basit describes themselves as pansexual, which means they don't have a preference when it comes to their partner's gender. Basit's own gender is fluid. "Am I a girl or a boy? Yes. No. Both. Neither," they declared in a confessional segment. When their housemates asked what their preferred pronoun was, Basit said that "they" was fine, but honestly, their preferred pronoun was actually Basit.

Basit then pronounced that they were over "basic-ness" in all its forms, for a very specific reason. "All my life I've had to dumb down who I am, I've had to act more straight than I wanted to be," Basit said in the confessional. "I'm sick of having to compromise myself in relationships because people can't handle the person that I am. And that is why I am single." Understanding where Basit is coming from in relationships is sure to be an important part of Are You the One, because it could determine how their showmances turn out.

If nothing else, maybe Basit can find someone to bond over TV with. In an interview segment for MTV also shared on their Instagram, Basit revealed that their favorite show right now is HBO's Insecure. That show was the first time Basit felt like they saw people who represented them, "in terms of dark skinned, beautiful goddesses walking around living their best life." Basit added that star Issa Rae was their idol. "I aspire to be the next Issa Rae," they said. "Or just the next Basit."

With a house full of like-minded people, hopefully Basit will be able to find the perfect person for them.