Last night Australia watched on as Married At First Sight groom Bryce Ruthven kissed fellow bride Beck Zemeck on the cheek without her consent.
Many viewers were horrified by the brazen act, and yet many women including ourselves, were not surprised having been subject to similarly inappropriate and intrusive behaviour.
Its behaviour that’s systemic and ingrained in our culture, behaviour that just weeks ago women took to the streets to march against.
Whether this behaviour is passed off as innocent, affectionate or lighthearted, it’s never okay.
Patrick was all of us watching along.
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The MAFS incident occurred during a heated conversation whereby a fed up Bryce dubbed Jake Edwards and wife Beck the King and Queen of the experiment.
Clearly Beck was not okay with this gesture, pushing Bryce away immediately.
This morning the MAFS star spoke with 2DayFM’s Hughesy, Ed and Erin about the incident and how it led to production being shut down.
We’re unpacking all the relationship, sex and dating issues of this season’s Married At First Sight stars in our new podcast, Love In Reality. Listen, like and subscribe below!
Beck was horrified.
(Channel Nine)“Obviously he went to shake Jake’s hand so I was thinking when he came over to me just trying to put his hand out again but then when he went to lean in to me I kind of freaked out,” Beck recounted.
“I didn’t want him near me to begin with so him coming over to me was quite stressful for me.
Beck was then asked if she “felt violated” by that move to which she responded: “yeah I did and I think I made that very clear.”
“It was one of those moments you bring the contract up and find out what your rights are because I didn’t sign up for this.”
This kind of behaviour is never acceptable.
(Channel Nine)Beck went on to reveal she shared her complaint with production which led to the show being “shut down” for a day.
As Beck put it, the show must go on, and so she did, but this moment should, at the very least, open the eyes to people everywhere on respecting women’s personal space and boundaries.
Bryce has spoken out about his edit on the show.
(Channel Nine)Bryce has spoken out about his edit on the show particularly in reference to “gaslighting” wife Melissa.
“I didn’t know what it [gaslighting] was, I had to Google it.” Bryce revealed to The Wash.
He then went on to say that the public can decide what’s true for themselves.
“The edit is definitely part of me, good parts and bad parts. I think everyone else can work that out.”
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