Yahoo Finance Floribama Shore : Candace's Friend Bethany Helps Guide Cast Discussion About Racism — Watch
Candace's friend Bethany knows how to keep the peace amongst the Floribama Shore cast.
In PEOPLE's exclusive sneak peek at Thursday's episode of the MTV reality show, Bethany joins the group in Athens, Georgia. As they're all sitting around the living room, tensions begin to rise between Candace and Codi.
"You settled for the Black girl because you couldn't get Aimee," she tells him in reference to herself, as he begins to protest.
"That's not a settlement, though," Bethany interjects, adding in a confessional, "Girl, why it matter about Codi wanting to date you? You don't want him. You never wanted him!"
Codi, meanwhile, is at a loss for words. "I don't understand how else I can explain myself," he says.
"What she's saying is that from her perspective as a Black woman, it's more difficult," Bethany says, beginning to speak for Candace. "Black women don't get the privilege of preference like Black men."
"We don't!" Candace exclaims. "It's automatically: If you want me, I should want you back."
"Y'all need to, kind of, sometimes handle Candace with gloves that are a little bit softer, because as a Black woman, we're fighting sexism and racism," Bethany tells the group. "No one else is going to understand that. [Kirk, as a Black man] is only fighting racism. [Aimee, as a white woman] is only fighting sexism. Y'all [Gus, Codi and Jeremiah] are white men — y'all are at the top of the totem pole."
"When it comes to stress or heartache or anything, [Candace is] in the worst predicament as far as society," she adds.
RELATED: Vanderpump Rules' Faith Stowers on Her Experience as the Only Black Cast Member — 'It Was a Lot'
Candace, needless to say, is relieved to have her friend by her side. "Bethany is like a translator for me," she says in a confessional. "She's able to say things in such a really great way, and it doesn't always come out the best for me."
"I do understand where Candace is coming from now, especially [with] the way that Bethany explained it to me," notes Jeremiah. "The fact of the matter is that Candace has a hard time expressing her feelings. She usually is the tough girl when you ask her what's wrong — 'No, I'm good.' At this point, I feel like we cracked through that a little bit and she was finally able to open up."
MTV
Floribama Shore debuted in 2017. The cast includes Aimee Hall, Candace Rice, Codi Butts, Gus Smyrnios, Jeremiah Buoni, Kirk Medas and Nilsa Prowant.
This season follows Jeremiah, Codi, Aimee, Kirk, Nilsa, Candace and Gus as they return to their Southern roots, prepare for life-changing events, and try to repair fractured friendships.
Floribama Shore airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.
