Sara Carton knows all too well that "hate is louder than love," and the backlash she’s faced proves it. The Love Is Blind season 8 cast member has found herself at the center of intense debate after her engagement to Ben Mezzenga, a decision that left many viewers puzzled. Given their significant political and social differences, some fans couldn’t wrap their heads around why she stayed with him. But according to Sara, there’s a lot more to the story than what made it onto the screen.
Ben’s lack of political engagement was a major red flag for Sara. When he admitted that he didn’t vote in the last election, was largely unaware of George Floyd’s case, and had no strong feelings about Black Lives Matter, it struck a deep chord with her. On the show, she openly stated that she couldn’t “teach fundamental values” to a partner, leading many to believe she would walk away. Yet, she still said yes to his proposal. So, what happened between those moments that changed her mind?
“I do want to emphasize there are so many hours that we talked, like 20-30 hours total, maybe even more,” Sara shared with Entertainment Weekly. The editing process, she explained, condenses everything down to highlight key moments, but there was a lot more depth to their discussions that didn’t make the final cut. The way scenes are arranged in the show doesn’t always follow the actual sequence of events, she noted, which led to a somewhat misleading portrayal of how things unfolded.
One crucial aspect of their relationship was the continued dialogue about their differences. Sara went into the proposal day with uncertainty, unsure if she was going to say yes or no. What she needed was reassurance—reassurance that these important issues would matter to Ben, not just for her sake but for his own growth.
“I wanted to make sure that he wasn’t just saying what I wanted to hear, but that he truly wanted to learn and grow,” she explained. “I don’t want to be anyone’s teacher. It’s not about me pushing him to care, it’s about him caring because it’s the right thing to do.”
During that critical conversation, Ben gave her the assurance she needed. “Ben told me he is a man of his word,” she revealed. “He’s a man of action, and he doesn’t want me to feel like I have that weight on my shoulders. He said he would take it upon himself, and I trusted that.” At the core of Love Is Blind is the fact that participants can only rely on each other’s words, and for Sara, Ben’s promise was enough at that moment.
Another key issue they discussed in the pods was LGBTQ+ rights, a topic close to Sara’s heart since her sister is a lesbian. Sara knew that Ben had religious beliefs that might influence his perspective, but what mattered most to her was his openness to conversation and growth.
“I don’t expect someone’s views to be an exact match to mine,” she said. “What I do care about is their willingness to listen, to grow, to have these conversations. I wanted to see where Ben stood, and more importantly, where he was willing to go.”
Ben, she said, was always receptive. He wasn’t dismissive or negative, and while he hadn’t deeply considered some of these topics before, he was open to discussing them. That, for Sara, was a good enough foundation to build on. “He just hadn’t thought much about those things before,” she said. “But in the pods, we were having those conversations, and I wanted a partner who would continue growing alongside me.”
Despite her efforts to explain her choice, the public reaction has been tough. Many have criticized her for getting engaged to someone who initially appeared indifferent to important social issues. “Hate is louder than love,” she admitted. “And I’ve definitely been feeling it.”
When asked whether Ben has since voted in the most recent election, Sara responded, “I don’t know if he did, haven’t asked.”
For those eager to see how their relationship unfolds, the first nine episodes of Love Is Blind season 8 are currently streaming on Netflix. Episodes 10-12 drop on Friday, Feb. 28, with the highly anticipated finale set to release on Friday, March 7. Love, after all, is a journey—and for Sara and Ben, the world is watching every step.
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