‘Love is Blind’ finally gets political. Is supporting Trump a relationship dealbreaker?

As a woman who has navigated through the complexities of modern dating and politics, I find myself deeply immersed in the latest season of “Love Is Blind.” The show’s brave foray into discussing the role of politics in intimate relationships feels like a breath of fresh air, reflecting our hyperpartisan reality, especially as we approach an election where issues like abortion, IVF, and childcare will significantly influence voters.

For more than seven series, participants in the show “Love Is Blind” have had challenging discussions about sensitive topics such as race, faith, finances, contraception, and abortion, which at times have led to potential deal-breakers.

But one subject has been largely absent from conversation in the “pods,” despite being virtually unavoidable in the real world: politics. We never saw any would-be couples asking each other explicitly how they voted. And even though “Love Is Blind” premiered in 2020, at the tail end of President Trump’s divisive term in office, his name was never uttered onscreen.

Then came Season 7, set in Washington, D.C.

This newest edition of the dating show focuses on single individuals residing in the Capital area, airing during a particularly heated phase of the ongoing presidential election. Interestingly, it’s the first season where participants openly express their political views in a partisan manner.

To begin our conversation, Monica Davis, a 36-year-old sales executive, queries Stephen Richardson, a 33-year-old electrician, during an initial meetup: “Have you cast your vote in the most recent and previous presidential elections?” Stephen shares that he voted for Trump in 2016 due to his dislike of Hillary Clinton. However, he grew to detest how Trump conducted himself as president and supported President Biden in 2020 instead.

He confides in Monica, “I must openly acknowledge that my initial voting decision wasn’t based on thorough knowledge.” However, their relationship ended when she discovered he was sending inappropriate texts to another woman.

In the podcasts, the former president isn’t singled out as a constant topic. Instead, Bohdan Olinares (36) and Marissa George (32), who are both military veterans with liberal leanings, find common ground in their shared political beliefs. Marissa discloses that she dated someone supportive of Trump for three years, but she realized there was a significant disparity in their perspectives on how our society functions.

Essentially, Bohdan asks if you’re willing to support someone who attempted to undermine the administration? His response is clear: he will never approve of such actions.

“I’m not gonna vote for a rapist, right?” she replies.

In the end, Marissa becomes engaged to Ramses Prashad, a 34-year-old who works at a justice nonprofit and is known for his strong advocacy for social justice. His hairstyle resembles that of an ’80s R&B singer named El DeBarge, and he often wears leather pants and Coogi sweaters. On the reality show “Love Is Blind,” he’s the first to quote James Baldwin or use phrases like “hammer of American imperialism.” He sips from a golden goblet while making these statements. When Marissa mentions that the movie “Barbie” made her realize she couldn’t be with someone who supports patriarchy, he expresses his surprise, asking, “It took ‘Barbie’ to make you realize that?” Ramses is also critical of Marissa’s military service and states that he would end their relationship if she chose to reenlist. (Although he may criticize Marissa for thinking Adam Sandler is funnier than Will Ferrell, it is perhaps the least of his concerns.)

As a movie buff putting on my political glasses, it’s hardly shocking that this current season leans left. Washington D.C., being the heart of our nation’s democracy and home to a vast majority of Democrats, saw Biden secure an impressive 93% of the votes in the last election. The city is brimming with individuals who dedicate their lives to government work, advocacy, lobbying, and military service. Although there are no congressional staffers among the cast this season, you’ll find a good number of veterans and at least one “clean energy policy consultant,” Taylor Krause, who recently published a white paper on hydrogen – a testament to the clean energy movement.

Previously, it appeared as though the creators of “Love Is Blind” intentionally avoided explicit political debates, or the discussions were so ambiguous that they were hard to understand. (For instance, in Season 1, there was an apparent disagreement between Giannina Gibeli and Damian Powers about Trump, but it remained unclear.) The contestants on “Love Is Blind” seem to inhabit a separate world, strangely free from the deep political divisions that grip much of America today, causing many citizens to judge their neighbors, potential romantic partners, sports figures, and popular musicians based on their voting preferences.

As a supporter here, I’ve noticed that there have been subtle hints, like Season 6’s Sarah Ann Bick who identified herself as a “patriot,” which in this context means “Republican.” However, it’s mostly been up to viewers to infer the political inclinations of contestants from indirect clues such as their social media activity or fondness for American flag-themed attire.

In simpler terms, Season 7 of “Love Is Blind” stands out as a significant turning point due to its open, awkward conversations about politics influencing personal relationships. This seems to break the show’s previous escapist mold. Moreover, it appears to be a late recognition of our highly polarized society, especially with an upcoming election where topics like abortion, IVF, and childcare will significantly impact voters’ decisions, particularly women who have been heavily affected by the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and shoulder much of the child-rearing burden. Some analysts predict that this election will see a wider gender divide than ever before, with women rallying behind Vice President Kamala Harris due to her pro-choice stance, while men may lean towards Trump because of his aggressive masculinity.

However, it’s clear that, similar to Ramses and Marissa, simply agreeing on political stances like disliking Trump or supporting liberal views isn’t enough for a harmonious relationship. As they move back to D.C., they discover that their personal values might not match up perfectly, despite their politics having some overlap.

Trouble first becomes evident as Ramses voices concerns over Marissa’s military service – an aspect he was already aware of at the time of their engagement. He explains, “I don’t see politics and similar matters as separate entities; these beliefs have a direct impact on real individuals.

In other words, the personal is political. It’s true, especially when it comes to marriage and family, but for Ramses, it increasingly appears to be an empty, self-serving slogan. In last week’s batch of episodes, he and Marissa shared a tense and infuriating conversation about birth control. (The Infuriating Conversation About Family Planning has become something of a “Love Is Blind” trope.) She says she doesn’t want to go on the pill, but he balks at the idea of using a condom during sex “because it’s not enjoyable” even though he is also adamant about not starting a family for several years. (Here’s where I ask, not for the first time: Has anyone on this show heard of an IUD?) Ramses — or at least the edited version of him we see on the show — is a hypocrite, someone who boasts that he “doesn’t try to follow traditional expectations of what masculinity should look like” and yet gives his fiancée a hard time for making choices about her body that create minor inconveniences for him.

This week, I found myself once again caught in a distressing argument: After Marissa seemed to reject Ramses’ advance due to her illness, exhaustion, and PMS, he made me feel guilty about the absence of physical intimacy between us. He even hinted that he might reconsider our marriage plans because of this one instance. Normally lively and optimistic, Marissa appeared visibly drained by Ramses’ demands. She listened to his concerns, then responded by suggesting that in the future, she might not feel up to or capable of having sex for various reasons – for example, if she had just given birth. “Is this something we might encounter frequently in our relationship?” she questioned, “Will it be a problem for you?

“That’s a fair question,” he replies.

Another way of expressing this could be: He’s also reluctant to address certain questions, as despite his open-minded appearances, he seems uncomfortable with his fiancée’s personal freedom. Fans of “Love Is Blind” have already criticized Ramses, labeling him as a manipulative person who gaslights. However, there are still the finale and reunion episodes left, offering Ramses an opportunity to explain himself or provide insight into his awkward interactions with Marissa. Yet, this season has shown us that while love may seem blind, relationships inevitably involve politics.

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2024-10-19 01:01