I don't get the Kwame hate?
This sub seems pretty against Kwame, and to be honest, I've re-watched all the episodes released so far and I'm struggling to understand the level of vitriol. He's definitely shady at times but it's well within bounds for someone on the experience that he's on. Given some of the "villain" behaviors we've seen on this show before (literally this season) I don't get what he's doing that's so out of pocket to deserve the level of hate he seems to get on here.
To address some of the common things I've seen on here:
- I moved for my fiance, and while I'd do it again, it really sucked. Moving away from friends and family and established routines isn't an easy ask for anyone, even if it's something they really want to do. In my case, I had six months to get used to the idea of moving. He has, what, four weeks at most? (It's really easy to say "he should have known since he was on a Seattle dating show" but the production already stated that they also recruited from Portland so he was just responding to a casting call.)
- Both Chelsea and her family keep railroading him every conversation, and as a person of color that's dated white people and met their families, I can tell you I've had literally the same experience he's had. I've been talked over and ignored, and while the people and their families were nice and meant well, they often weren't aware of what they were doing. It can be incredibly exhausting as a person of color in those spaces.
- As someone that has his kind of parents (strict, immigrant parents with strong conservative social values), I can confidently say it really fucks with your head. Not having their approval is pretty clearly messing with him. There's nothing wrong with that - the whole "throw your family away for love" is a tired trope that does not hold in the real world. People need communities, and he's being asked to spurn both where he lives and his family for Chelsea.
- He laughs and smiles a lot - I read this as a nervous tick. I've been told I smile when I get nervous or mad, and it's not something I can control. I get it can be annoying but I don't think he's doing it consciously.
To be clear, this doesn't completely absolve him of everything. He's overly flirty with Micah, and I think him staying on the experience is at least a little informed by him wanting some reality fame. But I can't see the over-the-top villain some on this sub seem determined to see. If he's not your favorite person - that's fine! He also doesn't seem like a bad guy, just an average one? I see a guy who probably needs a little more time to figure out who he is, what he wants out of a relationship, and how to establish healthy boundaries. I probably wouldn't date him, but I'd get a beer with him.