Farmer Wants a Wife contestant “bullied” for no-sex stance
Farmer Wants A Wife contestant Sarah Marshall has opened up on how she felt “victimised” by some of her fellow contestants because of her stance on sex before marriage and how she planned to tell love interest Alex Taylor.
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Farmer Wants A Wife contestant Sarah Marshall went on the show to find love with Farmer Alex Taylor — but didn’t realise she would be criticised for what she believes love looks like.
The 23-year-old environmental consultant assistant revealed on the Channel 7 reality show that her strong Christian faith meant she was waiting for marriage to have sex. She also added that she wasn’t going to tell Taylor until the time felt right.
Marshall told The Daily Telegraph that behind the scenes, she was targeted by some other contestants vying for Taylor’s heart who believed she should have informed him of her stance immediately. Especially when she was chosen to be part of Taylor’s Top Four, meaning four other women were sent home.
“When I told some of the girls my decision to wait for marriage to have sex, I felt very vulnerable. I felt like I was victimised by my decision to wait. It was very uncomfortable. I’ve never been bullied before and suddenly I was experiencing it,” Marshall said. “I was made to feel like I was in the wrong.”
Marshall says she’s grown up in a Christian family and many close to her have the same beliefs. While she understands she knew her position would be “a talking point” because it’s in the minority, it was “disheartening to see some people’s reactions.”
“I felt I needed to justify my personal decision, while other girls weren’t asked about how many partners they’d slept with.”
Regardless, she said she was glad she put herself out there and went on the show. “I’m not a fan of online dating and in today’s society, it’s hard to meet people out. I would rather meet in person, and this was in person. Plus I’ve always wanted to live on a farm,” she said.
She also said she remained proud of staying true to her beliefs on national TV. “The way I see it, I’m saving on birth control and I don’t have to worry about STDs,” she joked. “I want to try and change the stigma associated with waiting until marriage.”
Originally published as Farmer Wants a Wife contestant “bullied” for no-sex stance