Is Steven finally start practicing polygamy ?
It's "difficult" when 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way season 3 star Steven asked his Russian lover, Alina, if he can continue to date other women. Is Steven finally start practicing polygamy ?
ET's Melicia Johnson spoke with the 25-year-old reality star about his unexpected move, which 20-year-old Alina described as hurtful and shocking on an episode of the hit TLC show.
Steven, a devoted Mormon from Utah, and Alina, a Russian native, met on a language-learning program. Although she was apprehensive to meet with him at first because she stated some Russians believe Mormonism is a cult and she was afraid he would kidnap her organs, the two hit it off. They are preparing to move to Turkey together after spending only two weeks together in person because he is unable to move to Russia owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, there have been some complications. Alina, who postponed her college graduation to be with Steven, told her friends that she was "uncomfortable" with his chatting too much to a female friend, and that at one point during their romance, Steven asked for permission to visit other women.
"It's kinda tricky," Steven says of his request to date other women.
While he intimated that viewers would have to wait for more information, he stated his reasoning when questioned if he would be okay with Alina asking for permission to date other guys.
"Well, you know, we were long-distance," he continues. "And we'd never spent so much time together before. I had just come out of a relationship and didn't feel emotionally ready to leap into a relationship, especially with someone as great as Alina because I felt like we had a connection and something was different about her, and I wanted to be ready for that. So, if she wanted to, I wouldn't mind, and I wouldn't ever ask her to do something if I wasn't okay with her doing it. Because it's crucial in partnerships to be on the same page."
Steven also argued that he wasn't lying when Alina told her friends that they were both virgins waiting for marriage to have sex because of Steven's religion. Steven eventually revealed to cameras that he was not a virgin and had previously had sexual relationships.
"I don't believe 'not honest' is the proper language here; it's just something that didn't necessarily come up," he says. "I'm not sure I realized at the time how important that was to her. It's not something I normally bring up in casual conversation. So, Alina, most of the time when we called and talked, we didn't discuss those topics. When I phone and talk to individuals, I don't normally tell them how many people I've slept with. So that was something we never brought up with Alina."
Steven believes abstinence is still a good habit.
"Sexuality should be something unique, and I think that's how I usually talk about it, is just something sacred, and I think it kind of led her to believe, perhaps," he adds of her belief that he was still a virgin.
And he stated it didn't matter if Alina wasn't a virgin anymore.
"I adore her, and I don't feel like... as long as she's herself, that's who I love," he says. "I guess it was difficult to bring up the subject since I didn't want to disappoint her. The hardest part for me is that I'm concerned she'll see how I didn't live up to those ideals and think, 'Oh, maybe the whole church thing isn't worth it.' And clearly, I wouldn't marry someone who wasn't ready to live in the church with me."
Some people have labeled Steven as hypocrite for failing to live up to the principles of his religion, but he is unconcerned.
"I think Jesus said it best: 'He who is without fault among you, let him first cast the stone," he says. "So many people have so many opinions, and they are just that: opinions. My personal thoughts and opinions are mine, and I'm lucky enough to be able to have whatever opinions I want."
When asked if viewers might expect a marriage between him and Alina this season, Steven suggested that there will be plenty of surprise happenings.
"I can honestly say that from when and where the show started... until now, I wouldn't have guessed everything that transpired, and it's scary, and I'm really anxious for my mom to see it," he quips. "Don't watch my bits, Mom. She can watch Sumit and Jenny and skip my bits if she watches Kenny and Armando."
"Every episode is going to have me on the edge of my seat because I'm going to be... there's so many different angles to our plot that I honestly don't know which portions they're going to pick to focus, so I'm, like, very nervous," he explains. "What are they going to show this week, I wonder? Because, as you know, I occasionally do things that turn out to be extremely weird, and I don't realize it until it happens, and then I'm like, 'Oh my my, I'm so weird.'"
TLC airs 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way on Sundays.