Luke Parker wants to clear the air regarding his controversial exit on Hannah Brown's season of The Bachelorette. On Thursday, the Season 20 villain opened up his time on the show, claiming that Brown led him to believe they were on the same page regarding sex before marriage.
Parker was Brown's front-runner from the very first night on the show. He received the all-important first impression rose, proving that he and Brown truly connected during their short time together. However, things quickly took a turn for the worst when Parker confessed he was starting to fall in love with Brown in only the second episode. His words rubbed many of the men the wrong way, leading to a season full of angry confrontations between Parker and other contestants who questioned his intentions with Brown. Despite many issues in their relationship, Brown kept Parker around through fantasy suite week, even changing the rules to bring him along in addition to three other contestants. But things fell apart during the evening portion of their date when Parker implied he would dump Brown if she slept with other men in the fantasy suite. Angry at his statement, Brown confessed that she had already slept with another contestant before sending Parker home.
During a recent appearance on Reality Steve's podcast (via People), Parker opened up about his controversial exit. Parker said that believed Brown wanted to wait until marriage to have sex, saying, "She told me she shared the same heart and convictions as me and she wanted to abstain from sex before marriage." He went on to explain his negative reaction stemmed from confusion, rather than a desire to shame Brown for her decisions.
He explained, "I didn’t have an issue with it towards her. It was the fact that she told me that was what she didn’t want to do." He said he was trying to understand why Brown changed her mind and how they could work through the new obstacle in their relationship together. He went on to say that he was still willing to make things right with Brown and that his reaction didn't communicate his true intentions. He said, "If I was judging or slut-shaming, I would not be trying to do that at all."
While his appearance on Reality Steve's podcast gives viewers insight into Parker's innermost thoughts, it does little to improve his public image. Regardless of his understanding of Brown's intentions, his actions both during and after The Bachelorette indicate a frustrating level of immaturity. He constantly goes back on his word, one day apologizing for his actions only to justify them the next. In truth, it's hard to know if Parker even understands how he's feeling. His convictions seem clouded and unclear at best, but controlling and misogynistic at worst. Considering his vast unpopularity, he'd likely have more success fading into the background and waiting for a new star to take his place as Bachelor Nation's most hated villain.
Source: People