Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for the Love is Blind season 4 finale!
Paul Peden faces backlash from Love is Blind fans following his comments about Micah on their wedding day. Paul proposed to Micah without hesitation, and the confidence in their connection was reciprocated regardless of Micah’s firm connection with Kwame Appiah. Paul was sweet and genuine throughout the season. It was widely assumed that Micah would be the one to say no at the altar, since she engaged in several flirty conversations with Kwame. When the day came, Micah repeated her concern that Paul would say yes only because he felt forced to. Paul repeated his concerns over whether he could make a commitment without a definitive answer of what their future holds.
Fans are not happy with Love is Blind's Paul Peden, and not for his altar decision, but for what he said about Micah after the fact. Twitter users are responding to Paul’s comments on Micah’s lack of “nurturing” qualities. User @djpisces__ wrote, “Paul saying he can’t picture Micah as a mother because she lacks a nurturing quality is one of the most brutal things I’ve heard on this show.”
Several fans responded agreeing with the assessment, some assigning fault to Netflix for allowing comments stemming from “pure misogyny” to air. Another pointed out that Paul perpetuating “outdated stereotypes about gender roles in parenting” is hurtful and damaging.
Paul Didn’t Express Concerns Before Their Wedding On Love Is Blind
There were red flags and questioning of Paul and Micah's genuineness. However, one thing that was not discussed was Paul’s apparent concerns over Micah’s nurturing qualities. Micah was over the top with her words of affirmation toward Paul, calling him handsome, telling him she missed him after five minutes apart. In fact, they were received as almost "too much," which is why there was concern of authenticity. Any conversation about children or parenting typically happens in the pods, so if anything, Paul should have had an idea of Micah’s familial intentions before he proposed.
To challenge a woman's ability to be a good mother—those who wish to be a mother and value the ability to nurture—is cruel. Micah said in one of her interviews that she does plan to have children, so it is safely assumed that Paul is aware of that intention. Can a person even adequately assess another’s parenting capability after one month of knowing someone? That is unlikely, and something that should have been expected during the process. It is understandable to evaluate a potential partner’s qualities, and to select or deny based on that, but to directly question one's future success with parenting is a different story.
On their wedding day, Paul’s leg was in a constant state of shaking while he asked every single person who acknowledged him what he should do. The uncertainty was clear that day, but leading up to it, nothing was said that led to the belief he had concern over Micah’s lack of nurturing qualities. Love is Blind requires singles to make commitments in expedited fashion, but Paul jumped to a conclusion about Micah with insensitive words and zero basis. Micah has not commented on the matter, and it is unknown whether she knew it was said prior to the airing of the finale.
Source: @djpisces__/Twitter