Trigger Warning: This following article contains content related to sexual assault.
I, like the rest of the world, binged the first season of the Netflix TV show, Bridgerton, over the first month of the year. While the costumes, friendships, and surprising plot points were wonderous to watch, there is a controversial scene. The Internet has been discussing the scene in question, with some viewers dismissing the seriousness of the event and others saying it has ruined their love of the show. Just to note there will be major spoilers for the first season.
The scene I’m referencing takes place in episode six of the first season of the show. The main couple, Simon and Daphne, are hooking up, but Daphne has an ulterior plan. A little background: Daphne desperately wants children, but Simon has sworn never to have children due to a vow he swore to his father on his deathbed. When Daphne demands that Simon marries her to save her honor after the couple was caught making out, Simon tells her that he can’t have children instead of that he won’t have children. While this isn’t an outright lie, it does give Daphne the wrong impression.
Soon after their marriage, Daphne starts to notice that Simon pulls out every time they are intimate together. Since Simon is the first man Daphne has ever shared an intimate relationship with, it takes her some time to realize that he didn’t tell her the whole truth. Daphne is so enraged when she realizes that Simon has deceived her even though he wasn’t trying to hurt her. After Daphne learns the truth with the help of one of the servants, Daphne seduces Simon in a very unsettling scene.
In the scene in question, Daphne flips her position in the bed with Simon so that he is unable to pull out when he wants to. While I was watching this episode, I was aghast and disturbed about Daphne’s behavior. I understand the point of view of fans of the show who say that Daphne didn’t deserve to be lied to by Simon. Daphne definitely should have known more about Simon’s past before they got married; however, Simon has experienced lots of trauma in his life and needs time to heal from it. I personally believe, after being betrayed and abandoned by his father, Simon was further betrayed by Daphne taking advantage of him. Yes, I think in this case one could argue that Simon was taken advantage of. While the sex was consensual, the viewer can clearly see that Simon is uncomfortable with the position he is in.
While consent isn’t a cut and dry conversation, Bridgerton brings up a long-dismissed topic: can women abuse men in relationships? Feminists have long been divided in the answer to this question. Personally, I believe that mental and physical abuse can take place in any relationship, regardless of gender stereotypes. In Bridgerton, even though Simon never said “no” during sex with Daphne, she didn’t warn him that she was trying a new position and the viewer can see the evident betrayal on Simon’s face.
