Joan Vassos still stands by her decision to focus her fantasy suite dates on “emotional intimacy” rather than a physical connection.
The 61-year-old previously revealed she planned to take sex “off the table” during her season of the “Golden Bachelorette” by removing the beds from her fantasy suite dates, which she defended in an interview with Us Weekly Wednesday.
“I’m not a person who can have a physical relationship with more than one person,” she told the outlet.
“I wanted it to be agreed that we would talk and have the conversations we need to have off-camera,” she continued. “We didn’t spend the night together. There was no bed in the room.”
Thankfully, Vassos said none of the men questioned her decision — and even agreed with it.
“You gotta think, the person you’re potentially ending up with probably does not want to think of you, last week, having slept with the guy he hangs out with,” she said. “It’s just weird.”
Although Vassos was the first Bachelorette to break the mold, she was “not judging” any former leads who did things differently.
“Everybody needs to do it their way,” she said. “The physical part is important at every age, but I think it’s more important when people are younger.”
“Each of us needs to engineer the journey so it works best for us,” she added.
Vassos’ season has been significantly less steamy than in years past, only kissing “five or six” men.
“I don’t love public displays of affection,” she explained. “That’s great you’re doing it, but no one really wants to see it. I was very conscious of that.”
The mother of four quickly won over viewers’ hearts when she competed on Gerry Turner’s inaugural season of “The Golden Bachelor” last year.
Despite being an early fan favorite, the Maryland native left the show after the third week to be there for her daughter, who was struggling with postpartum depression.
However, Vassos — whose husband of 32 years, John, died in 2021 — was given another shot at love in May when her casting was announced.
In a September interview with the Wall Street Journal, the school administrator said she wanted to find “the ultimate gentleman” — like her father.
“He never let my mom carry the heavy groceries in. He always hopped up when somebody walked in the room. He always opened doors,” she said.
As for her biggest red flag? A man who is rude to waitstaff, the former waitress said.
The “Golden Bachelor” airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.