Barry “Bear” Myrden has raised eyebrows on The Golden Bachelor Australia, after initially saying he’s not a feminist.
The shocking revelation was made during Sunny’s hometown visit.
After a round of golf, the CEO confessed that she’d fallen in love with him before introducing him to her daughters, Chloe and Penny, and Chloe’s boyfriend, Brendan.
They were already nervous, because when the 58-year-old joked that he was her boyfriend, he said she was “jumping the gun”.
When her daughters jokingly asked how many “girlfriends” he had on the show, he said she was the one for today.
As they were enjoying their dinner, they wanted to learn more about his intentions.
Chloe jumped in and asked him what he thinks his biggest flaw is. He admitted that he’s often compared his other relationships to the one he had with his late wife, Audrey.
Determined to make sure their mother’s heart isn’t broken again, Chloe and Penny explained that Sunny had been hurt before. They said previous partners have been put off by her strength, independence, and personality.
The comment that shocked everyone
Bear assured them that her personality would never be an issue, before Chloe asked if he was a feminist.
“Am I a feminist?” he asked, and then immediately said no.
Instantly, alarm bells went off.
“The fact that he answered so confidently, I just feel like that tells a lot about who he is as a person,” she said, concerned about her mother’s potential suitor. “This is an absolute deal breaker, no matter what he says, I’m not a fan of him anymore.”
While put off, she was also confused because his answers suggested the opposite.
When she asked if he knew what it meant, he admitted that he didn’t.
“Look, I come from a family of all boys, raising all boys. So I admit, I have no idea of what being a feminist means,” he explained in a piece-to-camera.
Bear then asked for clarity on the term’s meaning.
“You don’t have to be a woman to be a feminist; everyone should be a feminist because it just means that you believe that all people are equal, including men and women are equal,” she explained.
Upon hearing this, Bear assured that he’s a feminist, and that he “100 per cent believes in equal opportunity”.
Giving their blessing
Chloe gave him the benefit of the doubt because Sunny likes him, and admitted his lack of knowledge of feminism’s definition could be because of his generation.
Despite the hurdle, both of Sunny’s children give the couple their blessing.
As for Sunny, she wasn’t worried about Bear comparing his relationships because she admitted that she did the same.
Determined to get it right, she said it was her last chance to find meaningful love.
“When you reach my age, you’re gonna feel that way,” she told her daughters when they said that wasn’t true. “And I’m so glad that I still feel love, because I thought, no.”
You can continue watching The Golden Bachelor Australia every Sunday and Monday on Channel Nine and 9 Now.
