Controversial Big Brother Contestant Rylie Responds to Backlash Over Katherine Showmance

The few times the show has bucked that trend generally has to do with how the public has received a contestant. In some cases, it's as blatant as direct racism or sexist behavior. In the case of this summer's Rylie Jeffries, the situation is a bit more complicated.

While the cowboy came into the game with his eye on the prize, he admitted that he might be open to a distraction. His eye quickly found fellow Houseguest Katherine Woodman, launching what television viewers have seen as a largely traditional and familiar showmance.

Live feed viewers, however, have been raising red flags for weeks, calling out what they've seen as controlling and manipulative behavior, all the while decrying CBS for what they've characterized as producers intentionally manipulating the truth to show something sweet and innocent.

The noise got so loud that Rylie's mother, Michelle Jeffries, defended him to TMZ. "They're stuck in a house with no TV, no radios, no phones. They're getting to know each other on a personal level we don't understand," she told the outlet. "He's not some obsessive stalker-type person like everyone is saying. He's got a great heart and wears it on his sleeve."

She went on to say that he's a small-town guy who loves with his "whole heart." She also said that Katherine "sounds like a really great girl" and she'd love the chance to meet her. "If Rylie's happy, we're happy and that's all that matters to me," she said.

Now, a week after his elimination, Rylie is breaking his silence to respond to how he's been perceived in an email interview with Parade. When asked if he thinks his showmance was more positive or negative, Rylie said he "didn't see it in either way."

"I just seen two people that fell for each other and absolutely care for each other, and that’s just what happened," he said, insisting they were able to set it aside to still play their individual games. "I never met a woman who made me feel the way she made me feel, so I wasn’t worried about being a target."

Parade immediately pointed out, though, that he made a comment early on that he would do everything in his power to ensure she won the $750,000 prize at the end of the season. "My connection with Katherine was absolutely amazing. I wanted to protect her and her game at all costs and see her go as far as she absolutely could in this game."

Finally, the magazine got to some of the red flags raised in the live feeds that television viewers may have missed. "At times, you expressed anger that she wouldn’t kiss you or sleep in the same bed as you," the interviewer asked. "You were telling her at points to watch her attitude and tone, and that 'I'm being with you outside of this, whether you like it or not.'"

They went on to tell him that fans perceived this behavior as Rylie "talking down to her, being controlling, and not consenting to boundaries that she’s placed."

"I hear those concerns, and I want to say first that I never intended to make Katherine feel uncomfortable or disrespected," Rylie responded. "I care about her deeply, and every emotion I showed came from a place of love."

In an email interview with Entertainment Weekly, Rylie said, "I understand how things may have come across, but I speak with passion. I love with my whole heart, and maybe that intensity was misunderstood."

"I respect her deeply, and she’s her own person, makes her own choices. I think some moments just don’t reflect who I truly am," he continued. "My intentions have always come from a place of care and loyalty, not control."

"Being in that house, emotions run high and sometimes I didn’t express myself in the best way. I’m passionate, but I’m also learning," he told Parade. "I respect boundaries, and I’m committed to growing from this experience."

When asked if his time out of the house has affected how he views his relationship with Katherine, Rylie said that he's had a lot to process since going from "this intense, high-pressure environment to real life."

"As for my relationship with Katherine, I know who she is, and she knows who I am, and nothing would ever make me view her any differently," he continued. "This experience has taught me a lot about communication and growth, and I’m taking that to heart moving forward."

While he acknowledged that he will grow from his experience in the house, as well as the backlash, that doesn't mean Rylie thinks fans have got it right about him. "I’m a kind-hearted, loving man that wears my heart on my sleeve," he explained. "I wish people would see past the inaccurate version of me that’s being spread online."

He expanded on this with EW, adding, "It’s heartbreaking to be misunderstood. People online don’t know me, but my friends, family, fellow Houseguests, and Katherine do, and that’s what’s important."

"I spent every day in that house with people who truly know me, who see the real me: someone who’s loving, funny, and full of heart," he continued. "It hurts to be painted as aggressive when all I’ve ever done is lead with passion and care."

"I love deeply, and I lead with kindness," the bull-rider added. "It’s painful to see people online twist that into something negative. The version of me being spread isn’t who I am, and I wish people would see past the false claims."