The new Bachelor in Paradise rules on consent are awkward as fuck and will ruin reality TV

By now, you’ve all seen the Bachelor in Paradise assault scandal all over the internet.

Corinne and DeMario allegedly had non-consensual contact while producers of the reality TV show were watching, which made one producer leak the story to the press. Since then, the show was temporarily suspended.

But now, the show is back on – and with some strange new rules. Apparently, the grown-adult contestants will now need to get producers’ approval before hooking up.

TMZ reports, “both parties must go to a producer and state that they consent. If the producer feels either party is incapable of giving consent, the producer can pull the plug.”

Affirmative consent is necessary in all sexual conduct, but this feels strangely similar to telling women not to wear short skirts or walk home alone at night. Instead of putting archaic rules in place to make sure people don’t get assaulted, it might be better to tell contestants not to assault.

And if producers suspect someone on their show is capable of assaulting someone, they should probably permanently remove them.

Reality TV is supposed to mirror real life relationships and real life drama. Sure, it might be fabricated as fuck, but at least I don’t see that when I sit down to watch an episode. With pairs of people going off to ask permission to get sexy, that “realness” is gone.

Do we seriously need to put producers in place to make sure people don’t get assaulted on national television? Can’t everyone grow up and arrange consent between themselves rather than asking their “parents” for permission?