“Welcome to Plathville”'s Olivia Plath Opens Up About Dating After Divorce from Ethan: 'It's Been Hard'

The reality star discussed her love life during Wednesday's episode of the 'So Bad It's Good with Ryan Bailey' podcast

Welcome to Plathville star Olivia Plath is reflecting on her divorce from Ethan Plath.

During Wednesday's episode of the So Bad It's Good with Ryan Bailey podcast, the 25-year-old reality star opened up about what life has been like since she split from ex Ethan in March 2023.

Eithan and Olivia announced their divorce with separate statements posted at the same time on Oct. 27, 2023. The split then played out on the tear-filled season 5 finale of TLC's Welcome to Plathville just over a month later.

While speaking on Bailey's podcast, Olivia admitted, "I married someone I didn't know and that went very poorly for me."

She confirmed she's "been dating a bit" post-divorce and said the "dating" part has been "hard," but called first dates specifically "not hard at all."

"I purposely like to say whatever weird things come to mind 'cause I'm just like, take it or leave it right? Like, I am who I am," she said. "Recently [I was] talking to this guy, and the subject of how to milk a cow came up and we had a little argument. And I'm like, 'Talk about whatever you want. There's no set rules.' "

Olivia insisted she isn't on dating apps, telling Bailey, "I'm a true crime fanatic and I'm a little too scared of being rolled up in an oriental rug and found in the desert."

"I don't have trouble on a first date. I feel like I can make conversation pretty easily and you know, I feel like I'm pretty personable," she said, adding that the "hard part" for her is "getting past the first date."

Related: 'Welcome to Plathville' Is Back! Ethan and Olivia Plath Continue to Struggle and Kim Has a New Man (Exclusive)

Olivia, who grew up in a fundamentalist Christian home and has been speaking out about her negative experiences in recent years, commented on growing up "in purity culture, which basically told me that as a woman, like I was solely responsible for keeping men from going to hell."

"If I dressed too inappropriately and they lusted over me, I caused him to stumble. If I had sex outside of marriage, then I was like a crushed flower, chewed up gum," she said. "And even like conversations revolving around sex very much like this is for men and for women it's for procreation."

Olivia said that even though she might not "believe those things" in her mind, she's been "struggling" with the idea of walking away from "purity culture" and that the beliefs are "deeply ingrained" in her.

"That's where it's hard for me. That's where I'm tripping up recently is like trying to bring that shame to the light and send it packing on its way. And it's really hard. There's a lot of hangups," Olivia continued.

She said of marriage, "I got my trial run out of the way. It was a whole experience. I wouldn't trade it 'cause now I know what I don't want. And I think that that's just as valuable as knowing what you want."

Related: Welcome to Plathville Sneak Peek: Kim Plath Tells Moriah and Lydia About Her Boyfriend — and They Are Not OK

Olivia and Ethan tied the knot in Oct. 2018 when they were both just 20 years old.

Before their separation announcement, Plathville fans had long speculated about the couple's relationship. In addition to their lack of social media posts, they had been facing various relationship challenges on-screen. In 2021, Olivia moved out of their shared home for a time.

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Olivia now knows what she wants in a partner.

"I'm looking at character. I'm like, it's super important for me to date someone who is very curious about life, who's very compassionate towards other people," she told Bailey.

"Because if they're curious and compassionate towards themself, they can be that way towards other people. And those are two things I really want in a partner. I also want someone who doesn't go into it looking like, this is a relationship forever. This is a relationship as long as it's healthy and happy," the reality TV star continued.

Olivia — who admitted she has a soft spot for Italian men — added of having her divorce play out on TV: "I was terrified of the ramifications of getting divorced with the public watching. It was scary but honestly, the best thing that ever happened to me."

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