Graphic by Pajia Browning
Season eight of “Love is Blind” was undeniably different from its previous seasons. From heated moral dilemmas to political discussions that resulted in only one couple saying yes at the altar, it’s clear that priorities within relationships, even within this reality television show, are changing for young people.
“Love is Blind” is a reality dating show on Netflix that challenges traditional dating norms by having the participants engage in blind interactions with each other. The contestants communicate only through isolated pods, able to hear but not see each other, while trying to form romantic and emotional connections before they meet face-to-face at their reveal. The couple then has a month to plan their wedding. However, in this season, two of those weddings ended in the dissolution of the relationship due to political differences between the men and women within them, sparking a discussion about how younger generations navigate political differences while seeking partners.
Season eight of the show, set in Minneapolis, marked a significant shift from earlier seasons, as this season featured heavier political discussions between contestants – conversations that changed the outcomes of many of those relationships. Minneapolis’ recent history, like the events surrounding George Floyd’s death and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, provided a political backdrop that influenced some of the participants’ perspectives and the way they interacted with each other.
Sara Carton was one of the politically vocal contestants this season. Carton, who has a sister that identifies as queer, spoke about the importance of supporting Black and LGBTQ+ communities throughout the season. Her prospective partner, Ben Mezzenga, did not seem to share the same views as her.
When asked about who he voted for in the 2020 presidential election, for example, Mezzenga said, “I’m not one way or another. I just kind of keep out of it.”
Additionally, when asked if his church supported the LGBTQ+ community, Mezzenga responded that they “seemed like they’re open.” However, after Carton researched the church online, she discovered that this was not the case.
Despite these red flags, Carton got engaged to Mezzenga. However, during their wedding, fundamental differences in their values became too great to overcome, which led Carton to ultimately leave Mezzenga at the altar. She cited his lack of passion or engagement in political issues that affected her family and community as the main factor in her decision to end her relationship with Mezzenga.
“I asked him about Black Lives Matter,” Carton said when driving away from the wedding venue with her family. “I’m no expert, but when I asked him about it, he’s like, ‘I guess I never really thought too much about it.’ That affected me. Especially in our own city, like, how could it not? How could it not make you think about something?”
Another couple on the show, Virginia Miller and Devin Buckley, faced similar challenges due to differing political views. With a similar disposition to Mezzenga, Buckley said that he was not “super big into politics” and explained that his family usually held conservative views.
Buckley’s reluctance to discuss his voting history and his apathetic view on political issues like abortion rights created a rift resulting in Miller struggling to engage with him in discussing these topics, which ultimately led Miller to leave Buckley at the altar as well.
“Devin told me a lot about his core values, something that he did not want to talk about on camera,” Miller explained to the audience during the reunion show. “I still to this day don’t feel really comfortable telling you Devin’s views. But I will be very clear about mine. I 100% support the LGBTQ+ community. I also believe that women should have the decision to choose if they want to have an abortion or not. I also believe different religions should be valued … These were really important things to me.”
The experiences of Carton and Mezzenga, as well as Miller and Buckley, mirror a broader trend within younger generations where political alignment now plays a more critical role in personal relationships.
A 2024 Gallup poll indicated a growing gendered divide in political views, as young women have increasingly begun to lean left, while their male counterparts have grown more conservative.
According to another poll by Axios, 24% of Gen Z say they’ve been asked about political beliefs on a first date, and 28% of Gen Z and millennials say they’ve broken up with someone over political differences. Also, according to Axios, 56% of Republicans would date a Democrat, but only 43% of Democrats would date a Republican.
This is a stark difference from older generations, with 49% of Gen X saying they’ve been in a serious romantic relationship with someone who holds opposing political views.
The finale of “Love is Blind” season eight serves as a microcosm of this current societal landscape, with the ending of these two relationships reflecting how deeply political beliefs are affecting young people’s romantic relationships and their decision to walk down the aisle, or walk away from the altar.