Sunny Talking About Sex On The Golden Bachelor Is Not Only Refreshing, But Necessary

The Golden Bachelor Australia is all about breaking down stereotypes and barriers. The refreshed franchise sees women over 50 fall for Barry 'Bear' Myrden, showing that the desire for companionship doesn't necessarily stop at a certain age. Fan-favourite Sunny Long, 58, is a confident CEO who knows what she wants. Still, it felt unexpected when she told Bear she was "very sexually active" in a candid conversation, especially when you consider her upbringing in South Korea.

When Sunny had her first period, she had no idea what was happening and thought she was about to die. Her mother refused to give her any answers, because back then, speaking about sex and periods was considered off-limits. "At the time, my era back in my old country, [it was] very taboo, definitely," Sunny tells Refinery29 Australia. "[I wanted to] talk to my mum, but she just [didn't] want to talk about it, because that's how, at the time, the whole society defined women like second citizens or something. So I [was] brought up that way."

Since moving to Australia in her "Golden Age", Sunny has discovered erotica — thank you, 50 Shades Of Grey — and says she's open about her sex life on national TV for one reason. "Sex is a part of a lot of people's lives, so I think it's important to normalise talking openly about it, especially as an older woman, as it can be seen as taboo. Well, life doesn't end when you're [in your] 50s or 60s," she says. Besides, it's not just about Bear choosing his favourite contestant. The women also need to decide if he's right for them. "We can reject, we can pursue... and I want to know about [Bear's] feelings, and how [he feels about] sex," Sunny adds. "We are human after all, [just] because we are [in our] 50s and 60s, that doesn't mean that I'm not going to talk about sex."

Sunny has been chosen as one of Bear's final two ladies, and she's up against Janette Bendle, a 61-year-old Pilates studio owner. As the competition draws to a close, the contestant admits she was feeling "emotional" before making the declaration about her sex life. "I thought this time [was] a perfect time for me to pursue my happiness now, not as a mother only, but as a woman," Sunny says. "I [wanted] to understand more and [delve] further without any hesitation, without any restrictions... emotions went really high. I was very emotional." For Sunny, finding out about Bear's sexual compatibility was the final piece in the puzzle. "We had a final dinner party, so I asked questions... everything I want[ed] to know about," Sunny explains. "And I was like yeah, okay, now let's find out what our chemistry is like. What do you think about sex?"

The Golden Bachelor contestant feels "strongly" that sensuality doesn't stop when you hit a certain age, and tells us she was "being true" to herself. "Everybody's different, I think we should be able to stress our own passions and you know, [our] viewpoints openly... as long as it doesn't hurt someone's feelings," Sunny adds.

"Bottom line is, I'm a woman, like [those in their] 20s or 30s," she says. "I still feel the same thing. I need to understand. I like to know about it. So I think it's healthy to talk openly about any subjects, let alone just sex."