Emotions were running high on the Tuesday, December 1, episode of The Bachelorette — especially for lead Tayshia Adams.
The 30-year-old former phlebotomist walked out of the group date in tears, earning her Here for the Right Reasons‘ “Unfiltered Moment of the Week.”
“I officially broke down,” Tayshia told the men on Tuesday’s episode. “I just had to get out of here and I just started crying because I feel like you guys just put down all of your walls and just poured out to me. And I got so overwhelmed because you guys were just so raw and vulnerable. And I feel like that’s all I’ve been looking for.”
During the group date, several men, including Ben Smith, used art to express their fears, emotions and hopes for the future. After stripping down during the self-portrait section, Ben opened up to Tayshia about his past battle with bulimia.
“The reason I’m in fitness and nutrition, I had an eating disorder for 15 years,” the 29-year-old contestant told Tayshia. “I found out what girls were when I was 15, I realized they don’t like the fat kid. So, I stopped eating, I started working out all the time, lost, like, 70 pounds, and had bulimia for, like, 10 years when I was in my 20s. It’s hard to hide something for so long. I kept it from everybody.”
Ben later revealed to Becca Kufrin and Rachel Lindsay that it was all his idea to express himself on the art date.
“Taking my clothes off was a literal and figurative dropping of my guard,” he said. “And maybe she caught a glimpse of me or maybe she didn’t, I don’t know. But it wasn’t about being naked, it was about removing this barrier that I had up.”
Tayshia ultimately gave Ben the group date rose for his candidness.
“That’s a heavy one, and I’m sure he was scared,” she explained. “Him opening up about something so deep and personal meant a lot. And honestly, my feelings are intensifying for these guys in ways I never expected.”
For more Tayshia — including Us Weekly’s Christina Garibaldi and Sarah Hearon’s second “Unfiltered Moment of the Week” — watch Here for the Right Reasons above!
