The consent issue around Aria and Caleb

I am getting so tired of people ragging on Caleb for not supporting Aria's perception of their relationship. If you reversed their genders and Aria was a guy insisting that a woman validate his perception that she has deeper feelings for him than she herself is expressing, I don't think people would defend him. He'd be labelled an overstepping creep.

Caleb didn't engage in sexual activity, nor did he ever say anything to Aria to suggest that he wanted to break things off with Mariah and pursue things with her on the outside. He absolutely participated in the 'trial marriage' but being an emotional support to Aria, and treating her as a confidant in return. So yes I do think she is right that they bonded and connected emotionally. I'd even go as far as to say I could believe he maybe nursed a bit of a crush on her, she is extremely beautiful after all.

BUT the crucial thing here is, whatever feelings were there and however deep they ran, he made an active choice to commit to his current partner and never wavered from that in his words OR his actions. He did not consider whatever emotional bond he had with Aria to be especially deep or meaningful to him in the long run. Which is something he is completely entitled to!

Why do some people on this sub seem so hell bent on the idea that he needs to be forced into validating a perspective that he doesn't agree with? Is he not allowed autonomy? Doesn't he have the right to define his own reality? Aria's feelings are not his responsibility and he owes her less than nothing.

Again, if you reversed their genders I think people would pick on how uncomfortable this pushiness from Aria (and the people who seem to identify with her on here) actually is. Why is everyone so comfortable speaking over this guy and telling him what his feelings are/were? It's just so odd.