The Women Say No to “Yes” Men on ‘Love Is Blind’ Season 8
With this season of Love Is Blind feeling like a bit of a letdown, the final episode followed suit. Five couples ended the experiment engaged. Four made it to the altar. Only one was wed. And it’s the one that almost didn’t even make it to Honduras. Taylor Haag and Daniel Hastings walking away married showcased that it takes a lot of hard work to complete the experiment.
For the three other couples, it was the women who had the ultimate say in ending the relationship at the altar. Virginia Miller, Sara Carton, and Monica Danus had major pause at continuing to marriage due to social disconnects and communication difficulties that they simply could not get past. Except for Joey Leveille, the men were blindsided. Ben Mezzenga and Devin Buckley were devastated and heartbroken at their fate, but now, looking back at the season as a whole, the men seemed to expect their relationships to work out without realizing they were the downfall. They were all “yes” men who actually stood strong in their convictions but were too afraid to express them.
The Saga of the “Yes” Men on ‘Love Is Blind’ Season 8
Of the three couples that made it to the altar but ultimately did not get married, they had a common thread. Sara was unsure of the social stances Ben had. Rather than explaining and working through her concerns, he simply said “yes, and.” He ensured her he would go along with her beliefs, but really it was acquiescing in order to not lose her. The deeper she dove into learning about his life, the more she knew there were red flags. She did her own research into his social stances and knew it was never going to be the right match, as his lack of looking into his church’s views and abandoning it completely would be a massive boulder in their path. If you needed further proof that Ben was not going to change, look at the immediate prayer circle he engaged in with his friends following Sara’s rejection. His faith, friends, and church were his priority. She was never going to help him grow and understand how they might contradict his actual beliefs, and thus, her outlook on society.
For Virginia, one might think that once the prenup was discussed and agreed upon, they were good to go. But Virginia’s concern that Devin not only voted in a manner that didn’t always align but his disinterest in discussing it could lead to further issues down the line. But like Ben, Devin continued to just go with the flow. It wasn’t until the reunion, and perhaps some off-camera sleuthing, that Devin’s true convictions were dark. Learning that he was unwilling to discuss his political beliefs on camera was a red flag that perhaps his world view was unsavory. If he knew he would receive backlash from the public, there was no way Virginia would be able to stand by her man.
Then Monica and Joey. They never seemed to display any red flags and yet, at the altar, Monica pulled out as she didn’t feel Joey was invested in her. Their inability to communicate now was all the proof she needed that he was not the right person for her. And then there is the “L” word. How could a couple be about to be wed, no matter the timeline of the experiment, ever work without saying, “I love you?” And then there is the alleged sex woes and affection deficiency. They truly were just friends and nothing more.
The Women Showed Strength This Season
While some of the women of Season 8 were no girls’ girls, looking at you Madison Errichiello, the four women, including Lauren O’Brien, who left the experiment without marriage, truly displayed such strength and empowerment. The women put their futures in their hands rather than completing the journey for the sake of being on the show. The strength to do so is warranted. But the reason they got this far is because the men played to their partners’ whims to keep them. They strung them along. It wasn’t malicious or manipulative, it was lacking a backbone.
The men refused to do the hard work to build a solid and lasting relationship. They have no one else but themselves to blame in the end. It’s hard to predict the future, but when the cameras stopped rolling, the problems the women expressed now would likely have been bigger issues later. Issues that would have led to further relationship damage. It’s eye-opening that the women were in control during this cycle. It says a lot about the men of the season. Love is Blind Season 8 showcased a glaring gender disparity. Were they there for love or just to experience the social media fame that comes with
