Married at First Sight Australia 2023 fans are concerned about sensitive groom Josh White as Melissa Sheppard appears to pressure him into being more sexually active.
The newlyweds had a “great connection” from day one, but they had very different outlooks on discussing their sex lives.
Some viewers believed that Melissa’s constant emphasis on a “healthy sex life” and risqué comments would be considered “sexual harassment” if the roles were reversed.
However, others believed that the discomfort was rooted in ageism.
In fact, insider sources have previously revealed to So Dramatic! that a lot of Melissa’s comments have been edited together for dramatic effect.
But even Josh became frustrated with Melissa’s seemingly constant need to talk about sex.
“I still have some concerns about the fact that Mel seems to think that [being sex positive] is a defining personality trait. There has to be something deeper,” Josh said during the February 9 episode.
He added: “There’s so much more to life than just having sex. Sex is great. I’m not discounting that. But you’re not going to have sex every single minute.
“You have to connect on a deeper level. You have sex as an extension of how you feel about someone … It’s not what you put on a five-year plan.”
Married at First Sight 2023 fans praise Josh White’s emotional maturity
While fans were divided on Josh and Melissa’s relationship, everybody commended Josh’s emotional maturity.
During their letter-writing challenge, Josh opened up about struggling with loneliness after the breakdown of his first marriage, which he described as having a “crisis of identity”.
“When you’re not a dad full time, when you’re not a husband – who are you? That process of self-discovery has been pretty tough,” Josh explained.
Tearing up, Josh continued: “When you have kids, you have to be strong for your kids. So, when your kids aren’t around, it’s hard to maintain that same level of strength.”
Married at First Sight fans took to Twitter to praise Josh’s vulnerability and openness.
Many pointed out it was a breath of fresh air for the controversial show, especially in a season filled with “f*ckboys”, “gaslighters” and “emotionally stunted men“.
Others were horrified that it appeared Melissa offered no support to Josh after he shared his emotions so openly.
“I am disappointed. I feel like today was a good opportunity for Mel to ask some deeper questions based on what I’d shared with her,” Josh said.
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