O'Neal said she didn't think there was a single woman in America who didn't "stand up and applaud" for Hannah and her "very clear, very strong message to Luke and to any person who might judge her for having a normal, healthy sexual life."
"For far too long, the women on this franchise have been unfairly and unduly judged for very normal sexual practices," she continued. "Even though Hannah's comments were directed to Luke, I think that she was also communicating this to the rest of the world. I mean, is there any more clever of a statement of 'Yes, I've had sex and Jesus still loves me'? In a matter of seconds, Hannah made herself a modern-day heroine to many women to feel empowered about their sex life and their voice," she said.
O'Neal also noted that Hannah continued dating Luke even though many of the other men on her season pressured her to dump him. Instead, she took time to establish her own feelings about him.
"This is important and something I often highlight with my patients — eventually you will know clearly for yourself whether or not someone is sustainable and good enough for you," she added.