The shocking season finale of the Netflix show Love Is Blind challenges the old adage that “opposites attract”

Earlier this month, the hit Netflix reality TV show Love Is Blind aired its season finale, leaving viewers shocked as two women abandoned their would-be mates at the altar rather than marry a Trump-supporting Republican.

Love Is Blind puts the old adage to the test, connecting singles who get to know each other by voice only before meeting face-to-face. The social experiment tests whether or not romance can be created without the guarantee of physical attraction.

Eight seasons and multiple successful marriages later, most would agree that the answer is yes — until the most recent season.

To viewers, Sara and Ben seemed perfect for each other: on-screen, they shared chemistry and genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. Yet Sara said no at the altar, citing unaligned values “close to [her] heart” that Ben didn’t share: Black Lives Matter, sexual identity, religion, and COVID-19 vaccination.

“I love you so much, but I’ve always wanted a partner to be on the same wavelength […] so today I can’t [marry you],” she explained. “I still love you and everything about you is amazing […] I know the connection we have is so real and my heart is there,” she added as she walked away from the relationship.

Another couple, Devin and Virginia, expressed deep love and connection on the show, leading Devin to say “I do” at the altar. Virginia, however, claimed she was “just not ready,” and fled the ceremony. The Love is Blind reunion episode revealed that political and social issues were at the root of the separation. “I 100% support the LGBTQ community,” Virginia said. “I also believe that women should have the decision to choose if they want to have an abortion or not. I also believe that different religions should be valued.” Devin, a conservative traditional Christian, did not share her views.

Ultimately, divergent points of view on political and social issues spelled the end of both nuptials.

Sara and Virginia aren’t outliers.

According to the Institute for Family Studies, only 4% of couples identified as Democrat-Republican pairs in 2020 — and researchers noted a downward trend. A separate study by the University of Michigan concluded that “[c]ouples who did have differing political views had slightly lower relationship quality [which] was noticeable in everyday interactions as well as overall relationship satisfaction.”

Data show that left-leaning women, especially, find it difficult to align romantically with someone who holds opposing views. A 2020 YouGov poll showed that over 50% of men would date someone with differing stances, while only 35% of women said the same thing. The same study found that Democrats are the least likely to date across party lines.

Both Love Is Blind ladies expressed discontent not only with their would-be husbands’ differing views but also with their overall passivity on politics. Studies show that independent and politically neutral individuals are most likely to engage in ideologically mixed relationships.

Does this romantic red tape extend to other values?

Couples with differing core ideals also tend to reject traditional marriage, opting instead for more unconventional partner dynamics.

For example, the Pew Research Center found that “62% of unmarried people living with a partner identify with the same religion their partner does, while 38% say their partner has a different religious identity.” Meanwhile, “74% of married people report that their spouse shares their religion, while 26% say their spouse has a different religious identity.”

Another study done by the vegan dating app Veggly discovered that vegans and vegetarians are 69% more likely to pursue an open relationship than meat-eaters.

Whether these trends are the result of the increasingly polarized political climate in America or a historic desire couples have to be a match on principles, it’s apparent that opposites don’t always attract.

Experts suggest that mismatched politics aren’t necessarily an amorous dealbreaker provided open communication, compromise, and therapy are emphasized in interactions. Nonetheless, such an arrangement might be a nonstarter for the impassioned and politically active who feel that tying the knot with someone they disagree with means compromising their core values.

One thing is clear: Love may be blind, but it’s not unopinionated.

Tags: Cancel Culture