Ciara Miller Doesn’t Owe Amanda Batula A Less “Harsh” Delivery After Betrayal
Black women face unfair scrutiny for assertive reactions to betrayal, while white counterparts face no such policing.
Black News 
Ciara Miller didn’t mince words when she confronted her ex-friend Amanda Batula for sleeping with her ex. And depending on who you ask, she was either men or not mean enough. If you ask her Summer House co-star Kyle Cooke, during the Summer House season 10 reunion, her approached was “harsh.” It’s the kind of tone policing Black women face on a daily basis.
Batula broke girl code, she betrayed her in the most sinister way, yet Miller was expected to take it easy on the Batula because…why? Cooke validated Miller’s feelings, but in the same breath said, “You have every right to feel the way that you feel, but that was hard for me to hear.”
He was possibly trying to save her from the angry Black woman trope, but then again was he perptuating it? Reality stars consider how their actions will be perceived by viewers constantly. Often, the aggrieved party on reality television is made to look like they are overreacting to being betrayed, attacked, or gaslit.
It happens most often when that person has a marginalized identity.
With Friends Like These, Who Needs Side Chicks?
Miller replied, “That’s your wife, that’s not my wife,” justifying the way she spoke to Batula about her disloyalty. She said that for good reason.
Miller went off on Batula about lying to her about her entanglement with West Wilson. Wilson and Miller dated throughout the Hamptons-centered series. Wilson played in her face consistently before delivering the final blow of hooking up with her bestie behind her back. Batula cried on Miller’s shoulder about the impending demise of her relationship during the season. She turned around she dealt with her ex after. Friends don’t do that!
This was not a cameras-up connection. People rented out conference rooms and movie theaters to watch the reunion.
Miller had Batula’s location. That is a serious friendship. You don’t give your longitude and latitude to any ol’ body! Batula blew Miller off by not answering her calls. Miller checked her location. She found her bestie was at her ex’s house.
Even after this, Wilson and Batula lied about their connection, going from platonic to romantic. They each admitted to it on the couch with their castmates.
Miller pointed out that of the million men in New York City, Batula chose the one who hurt her friend. That’s a fact.
Keeping It Cuter Than Required
Miller chose not to slut shame Batula. She pulled a Maddy Perez and kept the conversation about their friendship. The only name she called Batula was a “snake in the grass.”
She chose the classy move. But the classy move is never considered classy enough when it is coming from someone people are not supposed to see as a victim.
Miller theorized that Batula and Wilson might just make it as a couple because Batula lacked the will to tame his fuckboy ways. She described Batula instead of insulting her.
“The best woman for West is someone who’s not going to check him on anything, and that’s totally Amanda,” she told host Andy Cohen.
West caught some shade too, but even that was chill. She didn’t even touch the wardrobe, instead leaving it to Lena Dunhman to call him a “streetwear boy,” on Cohen’s radio show.
Batula tried to interrupt. Miller told her to shut up, and demanded that she acknowledge the depth of their friendship and the ways that Miller was there for her. She dragged her with the truth. She did not insult her appearance or her endless supply of pouty expressions. Still, it was considered “harsh.”
A Clapback Worthy Of Sorry Not Sorry
Batula made faces and rolled her eyes in between eeking out half apologies as Miller spoke. She tossed daggers across the couch. She acted like was hurt by Miller instead of the other way around! Leaked audio from the reunion caught the condescension in her tone.
She claimed to be remorseful, but her whole demeanor gave “sorry not sorry.”
That would be enough to make anybody leap across those cushions and snatch up that pitiful junior bridesmaid bun. Miller restrained herself under the circumstances. She relied on her wit only.
Carlos King lauded her legendary read on his Reality with The King podcast, telling her, “Ciara, come get your baddies chain.”
Standards Shouldn’t Change Based On The Victim
Best friends are supposed to be loyal – Amanda, not loyal! That deserves a tongue lashing at the very least. Ciara actually was not as harsh as she could have been.
Black women are always told that displaying their displeasure crosses some invisible line of decorum. The Bravoverse is not the place to be dainty and demure. This is a world where people toss drinks and advise one another to f**k themselves with a cheese grater. Ariana Maddox ‘ethered’ Racquel, aka Rachel, after Scandavol.
Miller’s actions were not excessive in that environment.
People took it further than Miller even during the reunion. Mia Calabrese went straight at Batula’s neck. “You went from being married to one of West’s side bitches. That’s crazy,” Calabrese told Batula.
Lindsay Hubbard lashed out at Wilson for his actions after Miller asked her former bedroom buddy, “Is this how you treat your friends?” Hubbard dragged Wilson through the Hamptons barn and back again.
She, her bob, and her dazzling Maddox-style revenge dress held nothing back. Cooke did not feel the need to check Hubbard on her tone.
He didn’t accuse her of being too harsh.
He knew he didn’t have to. The audience was not going to receive Hubbard popping off the same way.
That’s a problem, across franchises, networks, and the world.
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