Love Is Blind star Jessica Vestal addresses debate about dating as single mother

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Love Is Blind season six star Jessica Vestal has addressed how she sparked a debate about dating as a single mother, following her cut up from her strongest connection, Jimmy Presnell.

Warning: Spoiler for Love Is Blind season six under.

The North Carolina-based government assistant participated in season six of the present, the place singles went on a sequence of dates with out ever seeing one another, earlier than getting engaged. During the season, Presnell was in a love triangle with Vestal and one other contestant, Chelsea Blackwell.

In the primary episode, Vestal first revealed to Presnell that she had a 10-year-old daughter, Autumn, which he mentioned wasn’t a “dealbreaker” for him. However, after a sequence of dates within the pods, Presnall opted to get engaged to Blackwell, prompting a debate on X, previously recognized as Twitter, that he broke up with Vestal as a result of she had a toddler. In addition, viewers have criticised Vestal for not disclosing instantly that she had a daughter, with others questioning if single moms ought to inform individuals about their youngsters on first dates.

Vestal, who was the primary single mother to seem on Love Is Blind, has now addressed the debate, noting that she is pleased with how she dealt with her relationship with Presnell. She additionally specified that she has “no regrets” about ready to inform her dates that she’s a mother.

“I really wanted to, like I said (on the show), give someone the opportunity to get to know me first and not lead with the fact that I’m a mother,” she mentioned. “Because although that is the most important part of who I am, it doesn’t define me.”

She additionally famous that she didn’t inform her dates about her daughter at first for their very own sake, including: “I felt like I needed to give the men time and space to get to know other things about me before bringing that into the conversation.”

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Vestal additionally acknowledged that no matter how issues ended, she doesn’t suppose that her daughter was the explanation why Presnell selected Blackwell as a substitute of her.

“He didn’t give me any indication that that was a dealbreaker for him,” she mentioned. “His initial response wasn’t ideal, but I gave him grace in that situation because I don’t feel like there’s a right or wrong way for someone to receive information like that. I respected that he might need time and space, and I wanted him to have time and space to decide if that’s a dynamic that he wanted to fit into. And if he didn’t want to, that was fine also.”

Her clarifications got here after viewers went to X, to query her breakup and if it occurred as a result of Presnell discovered she was a guardian.

“Jimmy knew he wouldn’t choose her when she told him she was a mother,” one claimed, whereas one other responded: “I think so too. So sad, she could have connected with someone else.”

However, different individuals questioned why Vestal didn’t inform Presnell about her daughter sooner, with one tweeting: “I’m watching Love Is Blind and I’m very curious to know if single moms tell ppl on first dates they have children… because I feel what Jessica did is unfair

During the sixth season of Love Is Blind, Vestal was initially set on her relationship with Presnell, who was torn between her and Blackwell. However, things took a turn when Blackwell told a few women in the house that Presnell told her he loved her. Vestal later discovered how her then-boyfriend was feeling, after contestant Laura Dadisman told her that Presnell was “not [her] man”.

Even although she initially wished to go away after her dialog with Dadisman, Vestal determined to go on one other date with Presnell, the place he ended the connection. After telling her that she’ll be “an amazing wife for someone else,” Vestal criticised her now-ex, with claims that he led her on.

“Yeah it’s really hard for me to feel sorry for you,” she mentioned. “You ruined this opportunity for me. You ruined it. And you should be ashamed of yourself for letting me feel that way. Because you know just like I do, for the right person, I’d never have to wonder if I was too much.”

While expressing that she was “absolutely devastated” after the breakup, she nonetheless acknowledged that there “would be something better” on the market for her. She completed her speech by noting that she’ll by no means be somebody who “coddles” him, earlier than telling him that he’ll remorse breaking apart along with her.

“When you see and realise what you missed out on, you are going to choke,” she mentioned. “You are going to need your EpiPen to open up your airways because you are going to be in disbelief of what you missed out on.”

The first six episodes of Love Is Blind season six are actually streaming on Netflix. The subsequent three episodes will air on 21 February, adopted by one other three launched on 28 February. The season finale, the place we discover out which {couples} get married, will air on 6 March.