‘Married at First Sight’: Christina Wants Henry to Take the Lead in the Bedroom

Henry Rodriguez, a 35-year-old clinical recruiter, and his wife, Christina, a 30-year-old flight attendant, are one of the most hotly-debated couples on Lifetime’s Married at First Sight season 11 in New Orleans.

Many Married at First Sight fans have criticized Christina for being overly harsh and judgmental, as well as for seemingly misrepresenting her living situation. Meanwhile, others have argued that Henry hasn’t put much effort into his marriage, making him seem overly passive and introverted.

On the Sept. 23 episode of Married at First Sight, “Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby,” Christina and Henry tried to discuss some of their issues with Dr. Viviana Coles, one of the show’s three experts. But a later conversation about relationship dealbreakers seemed to leave the couple right back where they started.

Henry admitted that he shut down in his relationship with Christina

Henry and Christina sat down with Viviana on the most recent episode of Married at First Sight to discuss their sex life, as well as their ongoing marital problems after just three weeks of marriage.

“There is definitely something there,” Christina said of her connection with Henry. “But we didn’t start out the way that I think we should have.”

Henry agreed with his wife, admitting that he’d been “keeping a lot in” and that it took him a while to open up.

“I kind of folded up like a card table,” he confessed.

Christina went on to claim that the pair was more “friends who are married” than newlyweds at the moment. Viviana warned the couple that they should make sure to keep their romantic spark alive instead of landing in the “friend zone.”

As for sex and romance, though, Christina had a clear preference—one that Henry wasn’t living up to right now. The Married at First Sight star explained that she wanted, even needed, her husband to initiate sex and take the lead in the bedroom.

“That’s a non-negotiable for me,” she said. Viviana advised Christina to let Henry know about her own desires more often so he’d feel more confident in doing so.

Henry looked skeptical about the possibility of taking more initiative in the couple’s sex life, but he did agree to try.

“I think it’s one of those things where, once the barrier is broken, it’s a lot easier,” he agreed.

Christina told Henry that a lack of confidence was a ‘dealbreaker’ for her

But Christina and Henry‘s renewed resolve to make things better was short-lived. During an intimacy exercise assigned to them by the Married at First Sight experts, Henry opened up to Christina about his problems with self-confidence. He explained that his weight issues as a child had affected his body image and overall self-esteem.

Christina didn’t respond to her husband with much warmth. Instead, she seemed turned off by Henry’s admission.

Christina told Lifetime producers that she wished Henry would “get over” his self-esteem challenges. “Some of the things that are stuck in his head seem so easy to get over for me,” she complained. “It’s so long ago…I’m just wondering why he’s still bringing it up.”

The Married at First Sight bride also told Henry that her biggest relationship dealbreaker would be a partner’s lack of confidence. For his part, Henry took his wife’s statements as passive-aggressive—especially because he’d just told Christina about his ongoing struggles with confidence.

The ‘Married at First Sight’ couple seemed to be at a standstill

Over dinner with his castmate, Bennett Kirschner, Henry admitted that the Married at First Sight process had been a “struggle” for him so far.

Calling Christina’s remarks about confidence a “gut punch,” he wondered aloud if he’d have to get over his self-esteem problems immediately in order to make his marriage work. If not, he lamented, he’d juts have to “see how it played out.”

Henry broached the topic with his wife later, and she reiterated that she didn’t want to be partnered with someone who wasn’t outwardly confident.

“I think I’m actually starting to realize that that’s something I really like, and it is a dealbreaker,” Christina told Henry. “I’ve worked so hard to overcome this lack of confidence within myself, and I’m just wanting someone else to actually feel that way as well.”

She went on to probe Henry about his plans for improving his self-esteem, but he didn’t seem receptive to the conversation. He appeared to shut down instead, leaving the couple at yet another apparent impasse.