Melissa From ‘MAFS’ Has People Divided And Clem Ford Has Weighed In
Melissa Sheppard from Married at First Sight has been quite the divisive character so far.
The outgoing hairdresser and single mum isn’t shy to talk about sex — boasting about younger lovers during the MAFS hens’ night, and stating numerous times she was after a Thor-style lover with a big “hammer”.
On Sunday night’s episode of Married at First Sight, Melissa married Josh White, a softly-spoken single dad. The two had some tension on their honeymoon after Josh lied about the nature of their sexual relationship, telling producers they hadn’t consummated the marriage yet, while Melissa had previously divulged they had.
With Josh and Melissa on different levels when it comes to talking about sex and intimacy, it’s yet to be seen if they can reach a common ground.
Melissa’s overtly sexual nature has fans of Married at First Sight divided. Some have found her antics funny or are calling bullshit on the edit:
The contestants: Hey Melissa, what's your star sign?
Melissa: Freak in the sheets #MAFS #MAFSAU— Shannon (@Shannonmaree83) January 30, 2023
Don't believe the edit, Melissa has been hounded at length by producers to talk about sex and they've taken those voxpops to frame her as only being as deep as being just 'horny', but she's a mum and a queen.#MAFS #MAFSAU
— So Dramatic! (@sodramaticpod) February 5, 2023
The level of hornbag Melissa is aspiring to: #mafs #mafsau pic.twitter.com/a0e0AVqey6
— Becky Williams (@BIGNECKBECKS) February 5, 2023
It’s sad that Melissa regards 41 as ‘over the hill,’ as if she’s old and decrepit and needs to be put into storage because society believes she no longer has worth ? Honestly, the way we treat older women is unbelievable… #MAFS pic.twitter.com/sa2xKLagow
— seapunk aesthete ? (@artpunkamor) February 5, 2023
Melissa, as out there as she is, seems quite kind-hearted #MAFS #MAFSAustralia
— Cometsdesert (@cometsdesert) February 5, 2023
And others think she’s being a little too forward and if the roles were reversed, the behaviour would not be accepted:
All Melissa talks about is s*x. She doesn't talk much about her husband's personality, character, life goals, hobbies etc. That's a red flag imo. #MAFSAU #MAFS
— ✨ ???? ✨ (@SmartAlexGenX) February 6, 2023
If the roles were reversed there would be a RIOT. Imagine if Josh was sexually assaulting Melissa non-stop.
This is not okay wtf @MarriedAU.#mafs #marriedatfirstsight #9married #9mafs #marriedatfirstsightau #mafsau #mafsaustralia
— Claire Elizabeth (@cccllaaaiiirree) February 5, 2023
Nothing wrong with Melissa's sexual aspirations but if a man said similar things about a woman on national TV, he'd be called a creep, pervert and far worse.#MAFS #MAFSAU pic.twitter.com/1AaLfne9Xi
— Married At First Sight Experts (@mafsexperts) February 5, 2023
Melissa: I just wanna snow plow you right now.
Josh:
#MAFS pic.twitter.com/IACWmIe8uO
— Despicable Bree (@breelivetweet) February 5, 2023
Melissa is coming on way too hard and way too fast. It’s great that she’s sexually confident but not everyone is comfortable speaking so publicly about it. She’s almost love bombing him #MAFS #MAFSAU
— luc (@enchantedmaybe) February 5, 2023
Clementine Ford took to her Instagram to dissect Melissa’s behaviour, and — pardon the pun — she’s bang on with her analysis of what’s going on.
“My personal read is that she’s incredibly insecure, especially about being what she thinks is an older (and increasingly undesirable because of that) woman. She’s 41! It hurts my heart to think that she’s absorbed the message that this makes her less valuable or viable as a partner!” Ford wrote about Melissa.
“But she’s expressing that insecurity in a very predatory way, getting mad at her TV ‘husband’ for not wanting to be boning all the time, and for being discreet about it with the producers.
“It seems like she wants him to be yelling it from the rooftops, because then that confers some kind of value on her – but the whole thing is all kinds of fucked up. Men need to be able to freely and confidently express a sexuality that isn’t domineering,” Ford continued.
Read the full post below:
View this post on Instagram
“There’s no correct way to want and have intimacy. The only correct way to have sex is prioritise consent, pleasure for everyone and HUMANITY for all involved. Don’t shame people because they aren’t conforming to your idea of what sex is *meant* to look like,” Ford said before concluding her post.
While it’s safe to say Melissa’s behaviour is probably being over-edited, with So Dramatic! reporting that she is “distraught” by how she’s being portrayed on TV, it’s important to remember that ultimately the issue comes back to consent and open communication. Two people communicating differently about sex is OK, as long as it’s dealt with maturely and respectfully.
Hopefully, we’ll see that play out on our TV screens! But knowing MAFS… probably not.
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Married at First Sight returns tonight at 7:30pm on Channel Nine.