Hating On Kathryn Dennis Is Completely Unfair

While it's true that there are plenty of unlikeable cast members on Southern Charm , new series regular Kathryn Dennis seems to be the one the show's editors have chosen as the villain. From her first introduction, Kathryn was immediately portrayed negatively, especially since she's often shown in direct contrast to Cameran, who's always seemed like the most down-to-earth member of the cast. Where Cameran is level-headed, compassionate, and a good friend, Kathryn is a spoiled, stuck up brat with no regard for anyone's feelings but her own — except I don't think that's who she really is. Despite the fact that the show basically wants us to hate her, Kathryn has always been my favorite Southern Charm- er. And even if you don't love her, there's no reason to hate on her. Kathryn might not be perfect, but she's definitely not the villain.

OK, yes, I'll admit it: It's fun to hate Kathryn, just like it's fun to hate her counterpart, Thomas Ravenel, mostly because they can both behave pretty ridiculously a lot of the time. But Kathryn definitely doesn't deserve the bad reputation she's gotten, because as far as I can tell, she's just doing the best she can with what she has.

She's Only 23

And during the first season, she was only 21. Being that I was 21 just four short years ago, I know what it's like. You're dramatic, you're probably drinking more than you're used to, and you're making really rash, selfish decisions. Add a few Bravo cameras in there, and it's basically a recipe for disaster. A lot of growing up happens in your twenties, so I'm hesitant to judge anyone for the choices they make when they're fresh out of college. Kathryn is essentially a kid being wooed by a wealthy, influential member of the community while fighting her urges to do kid-like things. That's tough!

It's A Reality Show

We have no idea who Kathryn is when the cameras are off, and we have no idea how footage is manipulated to make her seem a certain way. What we're shown on Southern Charm could be exactly who Kathryn is, or maybe she was caught in bad, stressful moments that were edited together to turn her into a villain. If someone selectively chose moments of anyone's life, they could make even the most perfect, angelic individual seem like the worst. It's totally possible this is true where Kathryn's concerned.

She Seems To Be An Awesome Mom

From Kathryn's Instagram and the premiere episode of Season 2, baby Kensington seems happy and well taken care of. Kathryn may have been ill-prepared to be a mom at first, but there's no doubt that her daughter is loved.

She's Never Had To Live In "Reality"

Kathryn was brought up wealthy, and I highly doubt she's ever had to deal with the "Wow, I need to grow up" moments that most of us have. She probably doesn't have any student loan debt, she probably never had to decide between shampoo and tomorrow's dinner at the grocery store, and I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't even have any chores growing up. For someone who's been thrust into adulthood after having an unexpected baby, I'd say she's doing pretty well.

Everyone Is Predisposed To Dislike Her

From the moment Kathryn was first introduced to us on Southern Charm, it was clear that she wasn't very well liked by the people of Charleston. People who weren't friends with her seemed to buy into her reputation for being dramatic, which means I don't think anyone ever gave her a fair chance. And when the cameras perpetuated that reputation, making the audience turn on her too, that predisposition wasn't going to get any better.

She Knows What She Wants & She Goes After It

For all her faults, Kathryn has a lot of qualities that are admirable. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I dread and shy away from confrontation, but Kathryn is very direct and is very sure of who she is and what she wants — and she never hesitates to go after it. She's a polarizing person, yes, but she's a strong person, and that's something to admire, even if you don't love everything else about her.

Image: Mathieu Young/Bravo