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on the series. Even in this case though, it was hard to neatly pinpoint a “victim.” Danielle, a 41-year old from Ohio, lured the 26-year old Mohamed to America with employment opportunities and the promise that he would be treated like a prince. For his part, Mohamed tried to convince Danielle he actually loved her, but it culminated in an awkward wedding ceremony where he wouldn’t even kiss her. Accusations of abuse flew on both sides with Mohamed claiming he was locked in their small trailer with no heat or electricity. Danielle accused Mohamed of using her for money and citizenship. In the spin-off Happily Ever After, the series followed Danielle as she chased Mohamed across the country to get him deported. Viewers couldn’t stomach watching Danielle, a white woman, chase a brown man across the country, threatening to call the police and ICE along the way. The show mostly pivoted from these uncomfortable stories, but there it is, one unmistakeable glimpse of white womanhood under Trump. In my opinion, the couple that best explores this dynamic is Paul and Karine. Introduced on 2017’s Before the 90 Days, the show followed Paul as he left his small town in Kentucky to visit his girlfriend deep in the jungles of Brazil
NEITHER/NOR
to propose. Paul and Karine have only spoken over the phone and on video chat, relying on translators to communicate. There’s also a 12-year age difference between them. Paul travels to Brazil with crates full of gifts for Karine and her family, giving the illusion of wealth. Paul ends up revealing he’s actually a convicted arsonist which prevents him from getting a job or visa status in Brazil. Even though Paul can’t really provide for his new family, the two still end up getting married (long story short). Eventually, Paul convinces Karine to take their baby and leave her family so they can move to America. Paul doesn’t have a job or a place to live. He’s a convicted felon in America who refuses to engage with the reality of what that means: it’s going to be very hard for him to get a job or a place to live. He convinces Karine to move merely on the promise of what America is and what he says America can do. When she says he needs to find a job or she’ll go back home, he takes her to a water treatment plant and tells her she should be grateful to be in the United States. It’s delusional. Then, there’s perhaps my favorite 90 Day Fiancé participant of all time: Anfisa. Anfisa moved to America to marry Jorge, her long-
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