Season 11 of Vanderpump Rules is showing how quickly fans can turn on a cast member. For months Bravo followers rallied around Ariana Madix. But as the scandal of Scandoval wore off, so did some of the patience for Ariana. Suddenly, the blonde seems to have become the villain just because she decided to put up a few boundaries. Yes, it may be weird for her to have stayed for so long in their shared Valley Village home. However, she had her reasons.
Ariana is mad as hell, trying to protect not only herself but her animals. She has been through something very traumatic, and it is going to take time to figure out her new normal. So why are people getting their panties in a twist because Ariana doesn’t want to pretend to be best friends with her ex?
She was with Sandoval for almost a decade
Ariana was with Tom Sandoval for 10 years, so I think the girl deserves a break. There is an old saying that to heal from a breakup; it takes half the time you were with that person. So for Ariana, it would have taken five years to get over her relationship. It has officially been one year since she found out her partner was cheating with her good friend. Let’s cut the girl some slack. I would wager that Ariana has to deprogram herself from Tom, and that can’t be easy.
We’ve seen Tom gaslight Ariana over the years, and we know that it must not be easy to realize you might have never really known the man you were dating. I think Ariana is moving as gracefully as she can while she navigates a life without a person she thought she would be with forever. So, if she comes off a bit bitter, I get it.
Pump Rules went right back into filming for Season 11
Bravo did not take my advice and wait six months before picking up their cameras and instead jumped head first into the group drama hoping to capture some exciting moments. Instead of falling back in line, Ariana chose not to interact with Tom. Again, I don’t think the idea is wrong, but it is hard when you are on a reality TV show with the guy. Sadly, Ariana didn’t get one second to breathe as she was forced into beach days or bar outings with the very same man who broke her heart into a million pieces.
Women should be celebrated for setting clear boundaries
Boundaries can help determine what is okay and not okay within a relationship, and instead of being shunned, Ariana should be celebrated for her decision to keep herself safe. Ariana has chosen to keep herself free from any manipulation, all while protecting her mental health. There was no respect between Tom and Ariana but the Dancing with the Stars competitor is now making sure that she is honoring her needs while striving for a more independent life. Ariana should be a role model for others going through a breakup because she is showing how to get back out there in the world and not be walked all over.
Sandoval has shown limited signs of growth
If I’m being honest here Sandy has shown minor, tiny steps when it comes to his personal growth. Yes, we have seen him going around on his apology tour, but words feel hollow. I think Tom is more annoyed that his villain era has lasted so long and is now trying to speed up the process of reconciliation. Even though we see him doing extreme breath work, meditating, and running, he can’t keep running from accountability. And most of the weird therapy treatments look like a smoke and mirrors show. So, for now, let’s all give Ariana a big hand because she is doing something hard: moving on from a toxic, long-term relationship.
Vanderpump Rules is available to stream on Peacock.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK ARIANA IS WRONG FOR SETTING CLEAR BOUNDARIES?
