Parvati Shallow, the 2008 victor of ‘Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites’, publicly identified herself as queer. The announcement was made through shared images of Shallow and comedian Mae Martin, aged 36, in an intimate moment. Attributing this moment to her Instagram account, she presented a snapshot of the duo sharing a loving kiss in a photo booth session.
Martin, who embraces a non-binary identity and prefers the pronouns they/them, also shared the same image on their personal Instagram Story. Accompanying their post with emotive emojis, featuring teary eyes and a red heart throughout.
Shallow’s stint on the Survivor TV series showcases a solid track record. Achievements include securing a sixth-place finish on ‘Survivor: Cook Islands’ back in 2006 while returning to the show to grab the second place in ‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains’ in 2010. Most recently, she took the 15th place in ‘Survivor: Winners at War’ in the year 2020.
The shared announcement was well-received and sparked a multitude of uplifting responses across social media platforms. Amidst a sea of netizen comments, writer and podcaster Evan Ross Katz responded by expressing his admiration for the couple and his gratitude to have been remotely involved in their union.
The sentiment continued with a fellow Instagram user exclaiming their joy at the news, declaring ‘THIS IS EVERYTHING TO ME’, while Shallow’s fellow ‘Survivor’ champion, Adam Klein, also expressed his happiness at the revelation. ‘Very happy for you Parv’ was his heartfelt response.
The lineup of celebrity congratulatory comments also saw ‘Fire Island’ star Matt Rogers confessing his joy and with his enthusiastic message ‘Love you both! So happyyyyyyyy! Truly icons’ reaching the couple.
Prior to her current relationship with Martin, who is a recipient of a BAFTA nomination, Shallow was in a marital bond with John Fincher, a co-participant of the ‘Survivor’ series. The two had exchanged vows back in 2017.
Previous to their announcement, Shallow took to Instagram in November with shared images of ‘The Flight Attendant’ alum integrating with her family. It was these posts that ignited speculation about her audio-visual life.
Shallow and Fincher, who is a parent to their 5-year-old daughter named Ama, legally parted ways in August 2021. This was due to undefined disparities which brought an end to their married life.
The relational turmoil didn’t end there. In the ensuing month, Shallow levied a request for a domestic violence restraining order against Fincher, who was then 40 years old. She sought the court’s intervention to enforce a safe-distance clause between Fincher and primarily herself, and then her residences, places of work, transportation and their shared child.
The comprehensive request also pleaded the court that Fincher should not indulge in any form of hostile contact or interference. Shortly after this request was granted provisionally by a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, it was dismissed in September 2021.
During the process, Fincher’s legal counsel claimed that the case was dismissed due to the baseless nature of Shallow’s allegations. Pointing towards the spontaneous dismissal of the restraining order by Shallow, Fincher’s side asserted that it served as proof of the untrue accusations. It was added that Fincher was enjoying joint custody rights to their child.
Shallow held her privacy close in the wake of these events and refrained from public disclosure about her personal happenings. However, in November, she sparked renewed speculation with her shared photographs that involved ‘The Flight Attendant’ alum blending in with her family.
A note to her followers with the shared images seemed to hint at a newfound romance as she wrote, ‘Some people come into your life at the perfect and most unexpected time,’ going on to talk about immediate acceptance, shared laughter, wins, and supportive upliftment.
Besides her impressive Survivor journey, Shallow is slated to make a comeback to the small screen via the second season of ‘The Traitors’, helmed by Alan Cumming. Fans can catch her new venture premiering on Jan. 12 on the Peacock streaming app.
