“Wedded at First Look” In an exclusive footage released ahead of the Nov. 22 episode, Lauren and Orion expand on their conversations regarding race on the show. Although it might be tough to know when to broach sensitive subjects with a spouse you hardly know, Lauren and Orion on Married at First Sight aren’t hesitant to do just that. Additionally, they open up about their emotions and have their second conversation regarding race in an exclusive footage released ahead of the Nov. 22 show.
The subject of race has come up before for the couple. Orion is Navajo/Apache and Lauren is Black. Orion grew raised on a reserve. Both of them have experienced racism in the past, and Orion even tells Lauren that something she said about his background was incorrect. The good thing is that they are completely honest with one another. It’s unclear, though, whether this will be a recurring problem that harms their marriage.
Orion and Lauren talk about race on ‘Married at First Sight.’
In the clip, Lauren and Orion continue to hash out their individual experiences and issues with racism that they began discussing in the Nov. 15 episode. Lauren says that “nothing that was said yesterday was out of malice,” in reference to a comment made about the derogatory term “red skin.”
“As it perta ins to race and just culture in general, we both deal with, just like a lot of insincere and ignorant comments almost, like, every day,” Lauren says in the clip. “And neither one of us should have to come back home to that same ignorance and ruin what we’re trying to create. Because I think that we’re trying to create something beautiful.”
Orion called out Lauren for using offensive language on ‘MAFS.’
In the previous episode, Lauren and Orion discussed the racist and hateful language he has faced, including the term “red skin.” When Lauren asked what it meant, she let out a small laugh and explained that, looking at Orion’s sun-reddened face due to their tropical honeymoon, she understood where the term came from.
But Orion was hurt, and he let Lauren know that the term hurt him, as well as how she reacted to it by staring him in the face. But he also clarified that he is able to distinguish between an uneducated remark and a hostile one. In that episode, Lauren acknowledged her mistake and offered an apology. Lauren also brought up the fact that, at the time, Orion had neglected to clarify to their co-star Cameron what was objectionable about the terminology used when he made a remark about being “off the reservation.”
Clearly, Lauren and Orion have a lot to learn about each other. But it says a lot that they’re both willing to have these kinds of mature conversations about it all, even if things get heated at times.
Watch Married at First Sight on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime.