This season of The Bachelor had all the potential in the world, however week after week we are growing increasingly uncomfortable watching as the show pushes the boundaries further and further, with the drama and controversy far outweighing the light-heartedness of the show that we’ve always loved.
So far this season we’ve been presented with issues of bullying, gaslighting, and sexuality, and last night it was slut-shaming.
Across the entire season of the show, Cassie Wood’s previous relationship with the Bachelor, Nick Cummins, has been at the centre of the narrative – questions over the extent of their relationship and how well they knew each other before filming has been hot fodder between viewers and contestants.
Earlier this week it was teased that the topic came to a head between self-confessed besties (and frontrunners), Cassie and Brittany – but sitting there last night, watching it play out on national television last night, it was just wrong.
Watching a clearly vulnerable and visibly upset 23-year-old be confronted over the extent of her physical relationship with Cummins, being asked to detail her sexual history with a camera in her face and the country watching is not ok.
“[Brittany] was like, ‘Were you guys physical?’ And I was completely put on the spot,” Cass told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I was overwhelmed already and I had to think really quickly in that situation because there are cameras in your face,” she explained.
“It’s like, ‘Holy sh-t, this is national TV and I’m not about to disclose whether we have [had sex] or not’. I said, ‘That’s kind of inappropriate for this situation that we’re in right now’. My grandparents, my dad, everyone’s watching this show. I’m not going to go and tell the whole world that information, it’s my private dating life.”
Sure, they’re on a national dating show, but details of that nature are no one’s business but the two parties involved.
A sentiment shared by viewers who were not impressed with the confrontation, with many taking to Twitter to express their outrage, accusing Brittany and the producers of bullying and slut-shaming.
Both Cass and Brittany have since taken to social media to address the situation, and declared there are no hard feelings and their bond is stronger than ever.
“No one will truly understand what it was like to be in both mine and Brittany’s situations in this very moment,” wrote Cass. “I wasn’t given a handbook on how to deal with my particular situation. Did I go about it the right way? Who knows. All that I know is that I never had any bad intentions or wanted to hurt anyone’s feelings.
“I completely understand why Brittany approached the situation,” she continued. “There are absolutely no hard feelings towards her. She was my rock throughout this whole journey (along with Soph) and I honestly couldn’t of done it without them. And if I could’ve told the girls the truth earlier without hurting them than I would’ve, but it wasn’t a gamble I was willing to take.
While Brittany wrote: “We had this speed bump yes, but it never affected our friendship. And I guess that’s what makes a true friend. Yes I was hurt, confused, upset, but I did my best to understand, and I did. Cass kept it to herself for a reason, and what a situation to be in.”
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