Ariana Madix is baring her soul in a way she never has before on Vanderpump Rules.
In tonight's fresh episode, the SUR waitress connected with her castmate and confidante LaLa Kent during a clothes-shopping outing. While chatting about her intimate life with boyfriend Tom Sandoval, Ariana dropped a bombshell that caught many fans off guard.
“I really don't want anyone touching my private area, almost ever. I feel uneasy about my own body,” Ariana confessed. “I was trapped in a relationship that was both mentally and emotionally damaging, where I was constantly told my vagina was repulsive, that I had cellulite, and I'd hear things like, ‘Why would you wear that?’ and ‘Why don't you dress like her?’ and ‘How come you can't look like those other women?’ And those remarks stick with you.”
She went on, “I've always carried these struggles with my confidence, with my physique, these leftover pains from my history. When Tom and I first got together, I think the thrill of something new was so intense that I just managed to block out those inner voices. But as our bond deepened and matured, those old wounds have swelled into a massive burden that now occupies a huge chunk of my mind.”
Upon hearing her friend's raw honesty, LaLa offered some guidance that she practices each and every day.
“Well, I think you're flawless, and it might sound cliché, but I honestly do this routine every morning. I stand in front of the mirror and I speak to each part of my body, telling it ‘I love you,'” she disclosed. “My mother taught me from a very young age to appreciate every single aspect of who you are.”
Right after the episode aired, Ariana started getting an outpouring of support from viewers watching at home. In response, she shared her appreciation online.
“It's really tough to be fully vulnerable on national TV and discuss the darkest corners of my soul, but I'm incredibly thankful for friends like @lala_kent,” she wrote. “I haven't won this battle yet. Thank you all for opening up with your own experiences and for being so compassionate.”
Vanderpump Rules airs Monday nights at 9 p.m. exclusively on Bravo.
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