Address racism in reality TV.
Happy Monday! Tonight is the finale of The Bachelor, a conclusion to a season that faced its own racial reckoning along with the rest of the world. Today, Diarra reflects on the controversy from this season and the role reality TV plays in shaping our, erm, reality.
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TAKE ACTION
Join the campaign for anti-racism in The Bachelor franchise. Sign the petition to combat racism in both the ABC and Warner Bros. networks.
Do not support or watch The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, or shows like it that uphold racist speech and insist on painting BIPOC communities in a negative light.
While watching reality shows, consider: what does this narrative to do perpetuate harmful racial stereotypes? How does this show contribute towards a more equitable future?
GET EDUCATED
By Diarra English (she/her)
There’s been twenty-five seasons of ABC’s The Bachelor, yet this is the very first year a Black man is cast as the bachelor. While Matt James has made history being the first Black bachelor, it has not come without racism from both the contestants on the show as well as the viewers. For the handful of Black and non-white contestants that do make it through casting, it is rare to see them past the first portion of the show, let alone make it to the night of the finale.
Things heated up during James’ season when photos of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell at a plantation-themed college party resurfaced partially through the season’s airing. Although Kirkconnell took to her instagram to apologize for her ignorance and James issued a statement more focused on the follow-up conversation had between Rachel Lindsay, the first Black bachelorette in 2017, and Chris Harrison, there still leaves much to be said about Rachael Kirkconnell even being cast on the show in the first place (NBC News).
Kirkconnell is not the first contestant on the popular TV show to be in hot water over racist and insensitive comments. During Rachel Lindsay’s historic season on The Bachelorette, racist tweets from one of the male contestants surfaced during the airing (Variety). After the show finished airing, Lindsay expressed disappointment in the discrepancy between her coverage versus other bachelorettes. Where the white bachelorette's time on the show focused entirely on their happily ever after, Lindsay’s epic season focused on a breakup that seemed to outshine what was supposed to be her moments of happiness (The Washington Post). Why did all of the white bachelorettes get their fairytale portrayal while the first Black bachelorette was painted as being unwanted and unhappy?
Black men and women have long been erased from television, but in the case of reality television, they are used as pawns to advance systemic racism and stereotypes. This is most clearly exemplified in The Real Housewives franchise. There is a clear difference between the way The Real Housewives of Atlanta are spoken about and portrayed versus The Real Housewives of Orange County. Where Black women are "ghetto", "loud", and "uncouth", white women are characterized as being "passionate", "expressive", and "well-mannered".
The Bachelor series’ true problem is the casting. Year after year they have the opportunity to not only choose BIPOC leads, but they also have the chance to reflect the demographic makeup of the United States. Instead, producers and casting choose to allow people with racist pasts to live in the same house with Black contestants, all the while, disproportionately stacking the house with white men and women and offering little to no conflict resolution when problems arise. Big Brother is similarly under fire for having a closed mouth when it comes to racist comments being made in the house and the lack of Black, Brown, and non-white contestants represented in the show.
For young Black boys and girls, it can be especially damaging to watch shows like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and see the people who look like you get sent home in the first few weeks, year after year. Although there are reality dating shows that consist of predominantly BIPOC casts, those contestants were not given a fair hand in terms of portrayal either. Shows like Flavor of Love, I Love New York, and For the Love of Ray J all are negatively focused on the stereotypical loud Black woman trope and exacerbates the idea that Black women are not “lady-like”. The same ideals from slavery and the Jim Crow era of being less desirable and unattractive ring true and even louder on shows such as The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.
Creators of these shows must do better to not only accurately represent the beautiful mosaic of diverse people in the United States, but to thoroughly screen white contestants for racial biases before casting them. Black participants deserve to feel the same lust and fandom white cast members feel, from not only fellow contestants but also fans of the show. The Bachelor franchise has a huge opportunity—especially following after this current season with Matt James—to dig deep and correct their racial wrongs. Let’s all see that they do.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
After twenty-five seasons of ABC’s The Bachelor, this is the very first year a Black man is cast as the bachelor.
For the handful of Black, Brown, and non-whites that do make it through casting, it is rare to see them past the first portion of the show, let alone make it to the show’s finale.
The Bachelor’s racist casting goes beyond the trauma it causes the contestants who experience it, but it also damages those impressionable viewers such as Black boys and girls watching from home.
Shows consisting of a predominately Black and Brown cast are always portrayed in a negative light.
Contestants should be screened for any racial biases, especially against Black and Brown people.
Going forward, The Bachelor has an opportunity to dive deep and correct their racial wrongs. Lets act in opposition to these wrongs and see that they do.
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