dissection of Gia's behaviour from my point of view

*Note before you read, if I've forgotten anything notable that you'd like to discuss please comment below. I am more than happy to talk about this season and situation!*

I'm not even sure where to start. I have seen snippets of MAFS AU for the last few years on the tv downstairs due to my family watching the series, but I've never willingly put the show on and sat through it at all until S13. (I'm only on episode 12, the explosive dinner party situation, but I am more than happy for spoilers. I invite them if it will keep the discussions going!) The amount of appalling behaviour in the clips pushed me to the point where I had to watch it to 'see it for myself', it was like an 'I cant believe this actually happened' situation.

From the get-go I just didn't like Gia. Personally, I didn't like the way she presented herself, to me it just screams "I have deep-rooted insecurities, and if I can cover them up and convince myself that I'm perfect, everyone WILL think I'm perfect, and I will hurt people to get that across". She tried to say how she "doesn't fall into the stereotype people assume her to be", but then does the exact thing 30 seconds in with extreme mean-girl energy. The immediate response to her poor first impression of Bec was to attack her looks during the mini interview parts of the episode, and I thought it was so distasteful and callous. She's made it clear (on the outside) that she has this godly, princess-like vision of herself, that she is above all in every way, especially Bec, and she proved that by immediately making herself seem above Bec, and setting a 'hierarchy' and bias against her based on physical appearance. I don't have an issue with plastic surgery, I am all for anyone and everyone getting what they want and/or need done to feel better about themselves - but to then project those insecurities you've tried so hard to hide onto other women and make them feel lesser about themselves for your own satisfaction and ego is just something else. It's extremely contradictory, hypocritical, antisocial, detached... The list goes on...

She is oddly obsessed with Danny. I think that's obvious. As soon as she knew Bec and Danny were together she would not stop speaking about them. I feel as though most of her mini interviews were talking about how 'bad' their relationship is. You can visibly tell how much it ate into her mind and how much time she actually spent just thinking about their relationship. I believe that because she has found him attractive and that he is with someone she considers "lesser" than herself, she's in a one-sided war with herself over it. She simply cannot fathom the fact that an attractive man of her standards and type isn't into her and is with someone "lesser" than her. She is pushing this idea that Danny and Bec's relationship is crumbling apart and it's fake to make herself feel better and to convince herself that "its just a matter of time" before Danny will go for her. It's that push she needs to prove to herself and everyone around her that she is the best most wanted woman in s13. I think Danny is extremely genuine and I'm very happy he hasn't fed into her in any way, shape or form. Imo, I think she finds Danny more attractive than her own partner Scott. Although she doesn't openly admit it as far as I'm aware, its extremely obvious due to how much she speaks of him and his relationship, and especially because she ranked him so highly in the rating episode. I think she was so damaged by the fact that Danny was never ever feeding into her delusions that he was obsessed with her, so she became even more vicious and callous towards Bec.

Speaking of Scott, I think he is a very kind and genuine person so far, despite his 'type' and the stereotype he gives off. Gia forces a very in-your-face display about how perfect and amazing their relationship is, and continuously compares it to Bec and Danny's relationship. The light that shines the brightest burns the fastest and that's exactly how I'm seeing Gia and Scott. I don't blame Scott at all, I think it's entirely Gia's fault because she's so hellbent on forcing everyone's view of her to be exactly how she wants/needs it to be - perfect, unmatched and one of a kind. "No one can compare or top this" kind of deal.

Her 'friendship' with Brook is so so forced and synthetic. I'm not going to speak about Brook's behaviour too much in this, as that would be too long for this post and I think it's worth its own post in the future. They are both as bad as each other, in very subtle, different ways. Brook has the social status/reputation that Gia admires and craves. Brook is a model, was very popular in school from what I have seen and read, and Gia needs gratification and reassurance that she is amazing and above all by being friends with Brook. Gia knows she can't get that from Bec, and that's why she pawns Bec and is very flip-flop with her in a calculated way that she thinks benefits herself. Brook's behaviour was appalling, and I can guarantee that Gia chipped in with this behaviour while she was in school because it's how everyone who felt like they were above everyone else behaved. They immediately flocked together. Brook needed Gia to feed her ego and to give 'reason' to her disgusting behaviour, and Gia needed Brook for the validation and to feel better about herself - and to ultimately feel better and above the other women. They both continuously and ruthlessly attacked Stella and Alissa, who both had very secure and stable connections with their partners, and that struck a chord within them both. Gia is extremely competitive and just can't handle that someone has a better relationship than her, and she had to tear them down in any way possible to ruin their relationships from the outside-in. She eventually realised that wasn't going to work when their husbands defended them. That's why she went for Danny and lied about what Danny had said about "Gia being his type" because Gia knew deep down that Bec felt inferior to her, and instead of outright abusing it in broad daylight and manipulating the situation that way, she decided to go about it in a very calculated and callous way. She knew by making this up and telling Bec, that she would ultimately destroy their relationship and she could get what she wanted. It would be like "confirmation" for her that her delusions are true, therefore feeding her ego even further. I think she would see it as an "I told you so" moment to feel better about herself, and also as a manipulation tactic. It would be leverage for her, she would be able to claim that all of her "gossip" and "sh*t-stirring" was actually the truth and she was right all along, therefore more people will believe and side with her in the future so she can use them and manipulate them for her own selfish internal gain.

I personally think she is an awful role-model to her daughter. I would be appalled and disgusted knowing that either one of my friends, let alone my parents had behaved this way. It's a feeling I can't even describe and I struggle to put myself into that position and I can't believe people can still act so cold and vindictive. I personally think due to the callousness and coldness of Gia's very evident and obvious manipulative behaviour that she should've been taken off of the show early on.