MAFS’ Julia Vogl Slams The Biphobia She’s Copped Since Hard-Launching Her New Relationship
Married At First Sight (MAFS) bride Julia Vogl is one of many 2026 participants who have announced they’re in a new relationship now that the show’s done and dusted. Yet, while Stephanie Marshall, Alissa Fay and Scott McCristal’s romances have been applauded on social media, it’s been a very different story for Julia.
The confidence and charisma consultant, who made history as the first bisexual bride on MAFS, was met with criticism, scepticism and blatant biphobia when she revealed she’s dating a woman.
Many viewers have accused her of “lying” about being bisexual and “wasting Grayson McIvor’s time” in the experiment when she actually wanted to be matched with a woman, completely discrediting the fact that bisexuals are attracted to both men and women, and Julia has identified as bisexual for over a decade.
Julia told PEDESTRIAN.TV that it’s “crazy” how her bisexuality has suddenly become her whole identity, and she feels it’s important to speak out about the biphobic comments and messages she’s received since hard-launching her relationship with musician Sasha Miller last month.
“I’m not trying to say that’s the reason that Grayson and I didn’t work out — I’m actually saying the opposite,” she said.
“I’m actually saying that he and I just weren’t right for each other, and I’m bisexual, and I’ve met a woman months and months later after the show finished airing, and I’m really happy.
And I think when people say, ‘Why weren’t you just honest in the beginning? You led him on, you wasted his time’, that’s fine, but I know in my heart that I didn’t.”
Julia speaks out about backlash
Julia revealed that she’s received countless DMs from viewers who have not only called her slurs and cast doubt on her sexuality, but told her she’s a “waste of space”, she should “shut the f**k up”, and, horrifically, that she should die.
She told P.TV that she’s not going to live her life any differently because she’s happy and confident in herself, but she never expected her sexuality would become such a big storyline on MAFS, let alone attract so much hatred.
“When I came off the show, I was surprised that there was such a focus on this part of me, because I spoke about so many other interesting things,” she said.
“So yeah, I think that narrative was pushed a bit, because that part didn’t actually need to be brought back into it. Grayson and I, our relationship was not working; it was falling apart anyway. It didn’t need to be included, but it was.”
Julia added that she’s glad she left the experiment when she did because it was not only going to get tougher, but she feels like she would’ve had to continue to prove to both viewers and her partner that she’s not a lesbian.
“That is absolutely not the reason I went on the show. I don’t feel the need to,” she shared. “I left when it felt authentic, because I didn’t want to spend another however many weeks going around in circles when the two of us had expressed very clearly to one another on and off camera — which didn’t really make the edit — that it was not working.”
Julia’s advice to future queer participants on MAFS
MAFS has only featured a handful of queer participants since the series launched in 2015, including the first bisexual groom Liam Cooper in 2021, yet none of them found love in the experiment.
Julia said her biggest piece of advice for people who are thinking of applying for the show is to consider how big of a risk it is to put yourself out there on national TV, because you’re likely to receive backlash no matter who you are.
“If you are out and you’re proud and you are in a community of people who are really accepting of that thing, you need to be prepared that a wider audience might not, and that you are going to have to find a way to handle it in some capacity,” she said.
“I just think that we’ve come a long way, but we’ve also got a long way to go. And look, I’m not here trying to shove anything in anyone’s face. I mean, I was literally on the show in a heterosexual relationship, so that’s what baffles me, that it’s been so hectic. But you’ve got to have a really thick skin.”
As for her own relationship, Julia said she feels “so blessed” to have a partner who has stuck with her during this tough period.
“My partner has been as shocked as I have been on this journey, but she’s just been my rock, and I’m in just the most beautiful, loving relationship I’ve ever been in. And ultimately, that’s why I went on the show,” she said.
“So in a roundabout way, I have found the thing that I wanted, but it wasn’t an easy road to get there.”