The Bachelorette Season 16: Best and worst moments of episode 2

THE BACHELORETTE - "1602" - Clare left no doubt the first night that she knew what she was looking for and let the men know it! Nine eager suitors get the opportunity to impress Clare as they learn how to communicate through the languages of love. Jason is the lucky bachelor to go on the first one-on-one date, but will he reveal some dark secrets from his youth and still be able to gain Clare's acceptance? Then things turn really intense when 10 men show off something totally different - competing in a revealing game of dodgeball. Clare's explosive moment with one suitor leads to an immediate reaction. Another bachelor, uncomfortable with the dodgeball competition, plans to confront Clare about her behavior as the drama is ratcheted up from the very start of her journey on "The Bachelorette," TUESDAY, OCT. 20 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Craig Sjodin)CLARE CRAWLEY, CHRIS HARRISON /

2 of 4

The Bachelorette Season 16, Episode 2: Worst Moment #1: Clare calls out the men

I’m not sure if this will be a popular opinion, but I almost couldn’t watch when Clare called out the men at the group date after-party for not immediately battling it out to ask her to go talk.

Imagine a gender reversal, if this scenario had taken place on Peter’s season, for example. Peter’s group of women have gotten all dressed up after spending a long day running around bringing him gifts and professing their feelings for him, telling him how amazing he is. Peter kicks off the night with a toast and then sits around looking at the women expectantly.

After a short silence, none of the women have asked him to go talk. Perhaps this is because they want to be respectful of their peers, perhaps because it’s the first group date and they’re unsure of the protocol. Peter proceeds to have a fit, suggesting the women don’t want to spend time with him and asks if he should just leave so they can all have girl time.

I can only imagine the backlash had Peter reacted this way, both from the women and from Bachelor Nation. I’m not sure if Clare will get the same level of backlash, though I feel in this instance some is deserved.

I dig Clare, but this went beyond “strong woman” and bordered on “easily offended and entitled.” Clare would do well to remember the power imbalance that exists between contestants and the lead. She may want a man to go out of his way to spend time with her, and that’s all well and good, but at the end of the day, in this situation, this early on, she is the one with the power.

Home/The Bachelorette