Here's Why ABC's Next Bachelor Is So Controversial

After months of speculation that had the nation on the edge of its seat (Right guys? Right?!), ABC announced that Nick Viall will be America's next Bachelor, and there's so much to talk about. So let's get started! First, a little about 35-year-old Nick, everyone's favorite career Bachelor contestant:

1. He began his reality TV stardom during Andi Dorfman's season of The Bachelorette, and lost in the final moments to Josh Murray, his current-and-forever nemesis. More on that drama in a minute.

2. He tried his hand at televised love once again during Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of The Bachelorette, and made it all the way to the final two only to get rejected in favor of living Ken doll Shawn Booth.

3. He's on the current season of Bachelor in Paradise, ABC's campy (and hilariously meta) spin-off show. He was dating Jen Saviano as of yesterday's episode, so we're assuming that relationship didn't work out.

With the above in mind, you'd think the world would be thrilled that Nick's been given yet another chance to find love, right? Yes...and no. There's zero doubt that this erstwhile Bachelor alum is in desperate need of a girlfriend, but he's had a few iffy moments that warrant further discussion.

• When Andi picked Josh over Nick, he called her out on live TV for having sex with him. To quote: "If you weren't in love with me, I'm not sure why you made love with me." This was deeply uncool for many reasons, including but not limited to #slutshaming.

• Nick and Kaitlyn had sex mid-way through The Bachelorette (three episodes too soon according to the unspoken rules of Bachelor Nation), and the judgement that followed was truly awful. No, it's not Nick's fault that Kaitlyn was literally told (opens in new tab) to "un spread" her "whore legs," but he could have done slightly more to defend her. And can we please talk about Nick's now-deleted Instagram in which he made Kaitlyn's experience all about men? "Not sure why we still have double standards about sex when it comes to men and women," he wrote in the since scrubbed post. "Dating can be tough to navigate especially in unique situations. The fact that Kaitlyn acknowledges that there are others involved in this situation that could be affected by her decision shows she respects the emotional connection men can have to sex." 😬

• While Bachelor Nation fans come in all shapes and sizes, the core demographic tends to be a pretty conservative bunch, and Nick's overt interest in sex (he literally told Kaitlyn, "I want to know every part of you") makes him an unlikely candidate. Let's just say he's the polar opposite of virginal Bachelor Sean Lowe. This could mean the show is moving in a more liberal, sex-friendly direction, or it could mean that there are different rules for men and women—and that while Kaitlyn was dragged through the Twitter mud for her interest in sex, Nick's been rewarded with a new reality TV contract.

Meanwhile, Twitter has some concerns:

Social media side-eyes aside, if Nick taps into his controversial past in the right way, he could potentially give The Bachelor a sex-positive re-vamp.* Fingers crossed.

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