’90 Day Fiance’: Sumit Doubted by Other Indian – Facebook Scamming and Arranged Marriage Explained
90 Day Fiance: The Other Way cast member Sumit has been in the hot seat all season over his reluctance to come clean to his parents about Jenny Slatten. And, with his recent admission that he was married and kept it secret from Jenny, many watchers want to know more about arranged marriages in India. Particularly the cultural significance of the practice and why it seems to carry so much weight. Recently another Indian man chimed in on social media to explain things for Americans who don’t quite get it.
90 Day Fiance: Is Age Just a Number?
One of the main draws of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way is watching the couples experience culture shock and cultural differences. A big hurdle for 90 Day Fiance‘s Sumit and American Jenny Slatten is him not wanting to disappoint his parents.
An Indian user took to social media to set the record straight on arranged marriage and some of the other factors that go into this practice. One of the first things he mentioned is how their culture views age differences. The user said an ideal gap is no more than 3-5 years.
A potential husband and wife in this age range are at a similar place in life and are experiencing many of the same things. Yet, there’s a 30-year age gap between Jenny Slatten and Sumit. There are many 90 Day Fiance cast couples with significant age differences. But, Indian culture puts a premium on relationships with a slimmer margin.
Arranged Marriages Explained
Many 90 Day Fiance watchers wonder why Sumit can’t stand up to his parents. But, culturally, things seem to go much deeper than an inability to go against the status quo. While dating is a thing, many Indians bring a potential romantic partner home for their parents to vet. And, if the match is agreeable, parents from both sides meet. If either side notes a “red flag” in the relationship, it often ends right then.
There is a picture of Jenny Slatten with Sumit’s mother making the rounds from 2013. And, just based on some of this criteria, it could be that Sumit brought her home to his parents. But they recognized red flags with this relationship.
Going against the grain and not following the traditional route of marriage comes with its own consequences. Pursuing a “love marriage” can result in a strained relationship with the family. In addition, the loss of those close relationships is often felt both emotionally and economically. Financial support and the security of the family support system is often a motivating factor to not go outside the lines.
90 Day Fiance: Sumit, Jenny Slatten, and TLC Frauding?
There has been a lot of frauding claims of late when it comes to this pair and the network. And, this Indian gent said on social media that Sumit doesn’t seem genuine at all. Essentially, the couples that believe strongly in their love marriages should have nothing to hide. Meanwhile, Sumit has lied to Jenny Slatten and his parents on The Other Way.
90 Day Fiance watchers know things between this couple began when Sumit catfished Jenny Slatten online. The fellow Indian said Sumit scamming over Facebook is “very strange”. And, Sumit’s fellow Indian questioned why he even bothered with a Facebook scam in the first place when he could have used an app to meet potential love interests.
TLC editing is a constant topic among 90 Day Fiance fans. Particularly with how the network characterizes cast members or locations. The user said Delhi – where Sumit films – is a very “posh city”. Yet, TLC shows the older, underdeveloped parts of the city. Is TLC trying to promote a typical “third world” narrative when it comes to Sumit and his storyline? The local says that’s how he sees it.
There was similar backlash from South African 90 Day Fiance fans over TLC’s portrayal of their country as dangerous when Tiffany Franco and Ronald Smith looked for a place to live. Certainly, it’s possible a similar thing is going on here as well.
Visa Requirements and “White Girls”
This informative opinion piece also delved into visa requirements in India. It turns out Jenny Slatten would not have given up her US citizenship when she arrived in India. It takes seven years for a foreign spouse to gain citizenship in the country. Typically, that means a long-term dependent visa. And later, an OCI card which allows most of the same rights, although they’re not allowed to vote.
Though Sumit and his fiance Jenny Slatten have technically been together more than seven years, there’s still obstacles. Particularly with Sumit admitting he’s married to someone else on 90 Day Fiance. The poster also addressed the topic of Sumit saying he likes “white girls”. Viewers took it to mean white women, like Jenny, as in Americans or presumably, Europeans.
But, it seems that may not specifically mean Caucasian women. It turns out the term can apply to anyone “fair-skinned”. Whatever happens with Sumit and Jenny Slatten from here on out, it’s interesting to see an Indian’s perspective on this. Catch new episodes of The Other Way every Monday night on TLC.
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