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icymibachelor · 3 years

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The Good: Season 16 of The Bachelorette

Season 16 of The Bachelorette featured two leads, beginning with Clare Crawley, with Tayshia Adams coming in three episodes in.

Clare had found love with Dale Moss, a Black contestant on this show very early on. This interracial couple was an important love story to be shown on national television, redefining the notion that leads are open to finding love outside of their own race.

After Clare and Dale’s proposal, Tayshia Adams joined the season as the first Black and Latina bachelorette. At the end of her journey, Tayshia found love with Zac Clark, a recovered addict who is now an addiction specialist, and runs his own transitional centre for recovery (Miller, 2020).

But during her time, she has various conversations with her contestants on serious topics. One conversation with a front-runner, Ivan Hall, becomes an emotional one, as both individuals share their stories as living as Black individuals in America. Here are some excerpts from their conversation.

“My brother went through some really dark times in prison. I was the only person he would really open up to about the stuff that goes on behind there. It’s crazy stuff, you know, especially with George Floyd — and that’s police brutality and that’s something that really hit home for me. You can only imagine how much wilder it could be in prison.”

He continues, referencing his past reactions to his brother’s treatment.

“My brother used to tell me stories about how the COs [correctional officers] literally beat him up,” he continued. “I felt so bad because my first question was like, ‘Well, Gabe, what did you do?’ It doesn’t matter. No matter what George did either way — or what my brother did — these people have a job to do and they need to do it right.

Tayshia also shares her own experiences with the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I’m realizing that I’ve been trying so hard my whole life to blend in because I knew I was different. I just remember hearing people yell ‘Black Lives Matter’ … it hit me more than I realize just because those are people in my backyard that I’ve been trying to prove for so long that I’m the same as them.”

Having these conversations shown on national television is important. Real issues are being addressed by Black individuals who have found common ground on an issue that many Americans can relate to. With reference to the casting post, these are the kinds of conversations and screen time that should be given to BIPOC individuals. Storylines need to be emphasized over drama among women that are less important.

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icymibachelor · 3 years

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Recent News: Rachael Kirkconnell

Rachael Kirkconnell was a contestant on the recent season of The Bachelor, 24 years old, and from Georgia. Several allegations about Rachael’s controversial and racist past were revealed during the airing of The Bachelor, all of which will be explored in this post.

On January 4th, 2021, the first allegation sprouted on TikTok, with a user claiming she went to high school with Rachael. Here, she accuses Rachael of teasing her for liking Black men in the past. Other individuals reached out to this user to share similar stories and offer support after the video went viral. Rachael remains silent, neither confirming or denying these allegations.

On January 26th, another TikTok user shared screenshots of Rachael’s Instagram account posting cultural appropriation pictures, allegedly liking posts of her friends in MAGA hats and even posing in front of Confederate flags. The silence from Rachael continues.

On February 4th, pictures of Rachael attending an Old South antebellum-themed party were revealed. For some additional context, Old South parties cannot be compared to a normal college party that individuals come across. This was a formal that commonly took an entire semester to plan, and invitations were required in order to attend. Moreover, the Greek society Rachael was a part of, Kappa Alpha Order, had nationally cancelled this event. Thus, by attending this party, Rachael wholeheartedly understood the racist implications and was supporting a racist event.

Finally, on February 11th, Rachael makes a public statement in regards to the photos and her past actions. Here is her full statement (Kirkconnell, 2021).

“While there have been rumors circulating, there have also been truths that have come to light that I need to address. I hear you, and I’m here to say I was wrong.

“At one point, I didn’t recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn’t excuse them. My age or when it happened does not excuse anything. They are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist.

“I am sorry to the communities and individuals that my actions harmed and offended. I am ashamed about my lack of education, but it is no one’s responsibility to educate me. I am learning and will continue to learn how to be anti racist, because it’s important to speak up in the moment and not after you’re called out. If you are a person who doesn’t understand the offense in question, I urge you to learn from my mistakes and encourage you to use them as a teachable moment.

“As for my family, I love them and how they raised me to be my own individual. They have always encouraged me to have my own views, opinions, and beliefs.

“As I was thinking about what I wanted to say, I couldn’t help but think about how sick people must be of reading these kinds of statements; how a person didn’t realize the trauma that their actions would inflict on other people. It must get so exhausting. I want to put my energy towards preventing people from making the same offensive mistakes that I made in the first place, and I hope I can prove this to you moving forward.

“Racial progress and unity are impossible without (white) accountability, and I deserve to be held accountable for my actions. I will never grow unless I recognize what I have done is wrong. I don’t think one apology means that I deserve your forgiveness, but rather I hope I can earn your forgiveness through my future actions."

That same day, contestants from Matt James’ season of The Bachelor step forward and share a joint statement in response to the controversy surrounding the franchise and Rachael Kirkconnell (Springs, 2021).

“We are the women of Bachelor Season 25. Twenty-five women who identify as BIPOC were cast on this historic season that was meant to represent change,” the statement reads. “We are deeply disappointed and want to make it clear that we denounce any defense of racism. Any defense of racist behavior denies the lived and continued experiences of BIPOC individuals. These experiences are not to be exploited or tokenized.”

The women also lent support to Rachel Lindsay, who had conducted Chris Harrison’s interview and had previously spoken up against The Bachelor’s lack of representation.

Rachel Lindsay continues to advocate with ‘grace’ from individuals who identify as BIPOC within this franchise. Just because she is the loudest, doesn’t mean she is alone. We stand with her, we hear her, and we advocate for change alongside her.

On March 15th, the finale of The Bachelor finally airs. Matt chooses Rachael Kirkconnell, giving her his final rose. However, I should note that during the time of the show filming, the allegations had not come to light yet. Matt was unaware of this controversy during the time of his decision.

On the same night, Rachael and Matt speak on the controversy during the AFR special with Emmanuel Acho. Matt shares that he and Rachael are not longer together after the Old South photos came to light. He reveals that he “tried to be there” for Rachael when the allegations were first publicized on social media, but when “[he] f[ound] out that they [were true], it just ma[de him] question everything” (James, 2021).

“If you don’t understand that something like that is problematic in 2018, there’s a lot of me that you won’t understand. It’s as simple as that.”

Rachael comes out after Matt, and a conversation is shared between Rachael and Emmanuel on her racist actions. When asked about her thoughts after seeing the pictures of herself at the Old South party again, she saw “someone who was living in this ignorance without even thinking about who it would be hurting” (Kirkconnell, 2021).

“You know, I never once asked myself at any point, what’s the tradition behind this, what does this represent, why do we wear those dresses? I’m not going to sit here and say I didn’t know any better, because I could have easily asked myself those questions. I never took the time to make that connection.”

Later, Matt and Rachael see each other again for the first time since their breakup. Rachael apologizes for her past actions and how that has affected Matt, while reminding him that she still believes their “relationship was very strong and the love [they] shared was very real” (Kirkconnell, 2021).

Matt responds with:

“The most disappointing thing for me was having to explain to you why what I saw was problematic and why I was so upset. It was in the context of you not fully understanding my Blackness and what it means to be a Black man in America and what it would mean for our kids when I saw those things that were floating around the internet.”

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icymibachelor · 3 years

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Lack of Representation: Leads

The Bachelor has had twenty-five seasons since airing, while The Bachelorette has only had sixteen seasons. The seventeenth season of The Bachelorette is currently underway (Vishwanath, 2021). Leads are usually chosen from the final three, with it commonly being the runner-up or the third finalist. Audiences have already created a connection with these individuals, attracting them to return and watch their respective season of The Bachelor/ette. If we took a look at the recent leads in both The Bachelor and Bachelorette seasons, you might be surprised (and disappointed).

The Bachelor:

Season 20 (2016): Ben Higgins -- white

Season 21 (2017): Nick Viall -- white

Season 22 (2018): Arie Luyendyk Jr. -- white

Season 23 (2019): Colton Underwood -- white

Season 24 (2020): Peter Weber -- white

Season 25 (2021) Matt James -- first Black bachelor!

Note: the only non-white bachelor was Juan Pablo Galavis in 2014, who was the first Latino (and person of colour) bachelor.

The Bachelorette:

Season 12 (2016): Joelle “JoJo” Fletcher -- white [runner-up in Ben Higgins’ season]

Season 13 (2017): Rachel Lindsay -- first Black bachelorette! [finalist in Nick Viall’s season]

Season 14 (2018): Rebecca “Becca” Kufrin -- white [runner-up in Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s season]

Season 15 (2019): Hannah Brown -- white [not a finalist, in Colton Underwood’s season]

Season 16 (2020): Clare Crawley & Tayshia Adams [Clare is white, runner up in Juan Pablo Galavis’ season, Tayshia is Black and Latina, finalist from Colton Underwood’s season]

Although The Bachelorette seasons are slightly better, The Bachelor’s blatant lack of diversity is disappointing. This can be highlighted when Hannah Brown was selected to be the next bachelorette, even though she was not a finalist. Tayshia Adams, a Black and Latino woman, was overlooked during this season’s selection, even as she was a part of the final three. As earlier mentioned, the system almost always chooses from the final four, so the question of why the producers chose Hannah over Tayshia is posed. Fortunately, Tayshia is seen again as the bachelorette in Season 16, replacing Clare Crawley. Her journey as a bachelorette is an incredibly eye opening one, with impactful conversations being had.

After Hannah’s season of The Bachelor, producers were given the opportunity to cast their first Black bachelor. Mike Johnson may not have been in the final four, but he had made it far enough for audiences to remember and connect with him. Moreover, viewers continuously pushed for Mike to be the next bachelor, and even went as far to create a create.org campaign. Not only was Mike a fan favourite, but he checked ‘all the right boxes’. This phrase is normally used when a contestant fits the criteria of an eligible bachelor/ette, from being emotionally ready to having the end goal of finding a partner. Because of the support from audiences, the refusal to cast Mike Johnson as the next bachelor was a missed opportunity from the producers. Of all twenty three seasons of The Bachelor (before Season 24, where Peter Weber from Hannah’s season was casted as the lead), there has been one non-white lead. Unfortunately for us, Juan Pablo was not great, and audiences can definitely agree.

It is important to note that leads are always chosen from previous season(s), and this falls back into the lack of representation in casting. Although the producers have made significant changes in casting more diverse individuals, this should be carried through when casting leads for their shows. Seeing a BIPOC lead can show that it is not just white individuals who are featured on this show, which has been the common stigma in the past twenty-three seasons. Changes in casting should be fully reflected when bachelor/ettes are chosen.

#thebachelor thebachelorette bachelorinparadise

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icymibachelor · 3 years

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Lack of Representation: Screen Time

Season 25 of The Bachelor was one of the most monumental seasons of this show, in all twenty years of its run. Not only was Matt James the first Black bachelor, but audiences were given one of the most diverse casts. Twenty-five women identified as BIPOC, out of the total casting of thirty-seven women. However, casting a diverse cast and putting them on audiences’ screens are two separate things.

As viewers watched Matt’s season of The Bachelor, most people were able to recognize that most of the drama involved white contestants, meaning their screen time would have been higher. But what audiences are shown is something that is heavily controlled by the production team. If we reference back to their statement shared in June of 2020, the executive producers of The Bachelor committed to “tak[e] positive steps [...] in the relationships that [are] show[n] on television” (Bachelor statement, 2020). By choosing to highlight and focus on the drama that revolved around white contestants, The Bachelor producers failed to fulfill their promise. As the season progressed, most episodes explored the drama among women in the house, instead of the BIPOC women’s stories.

For additional illustration, an infographic on Season 25’s featured screen time is shown. Episode 1 to episode 7 holds the most women, as after episode 8, there is more focus on the relationships between the lead and their final four. Between this timeframe, Sarah, a white contestant, has over thirty minutes of screen time, with three white women coming in right behind her. Serena P is the only BIPOC individual in the top 5, but is not followed by other BIPOC women. Instead, Kit and MJ claim around twenty minutes of screen time after her. The remaining BIPOC individuals are scattered in the lower quadrants, with no more than twenty minutes of screen time in the seven episodes.

Moreover, what kind of screen time are the women given? Is a positive image being illustrated on audiences’ screens or is it negative? Let’s take a look at the fifth episode of Matt’s season. The graphic is attached for reference.

For individuals who have more than four minutes of screen time, Matt is the only BIPOC individual in this category. The rest are white contestants, with MJ taking the highest spot after Matt (Bachelor Data, 2021). Although the majority of these contestants have negative segment tones, the amount of screen time spent on drama and negative connotations are decisively being chosen by producers to be shown. Some, if not all, of the negative screen time could have been redirected towards the exploration of the BIPOC women’s relationships and personal experiences with Matt.

Next, individuals who received between a minute and four minutes of screen time featured more BIPOC contestants. However, the majority of their screen time is negative, due to the large focus on the drama between various women (Bachelor Data, 2021). There are few women, such as Abigail and Chelsea, who received more positive screen time segments. On the other hand, Ryan, Jessenia, and Brittany, had negative segment tones (Bachelor Data, 2021).

By painting the vast majority of BIPOC women in negative tones and heavily featuring the white contestants, the producers are not fulfilling their promises. If they truly wanted to demonstrate and highlight the diverse relationships and storylines of their contestants and leads, cutting parts of the drama would have been beneficial. Allowing BIPOC individuals to share their story on such a large platform is an essential factor in ensuring real change. The Bachelor producers cannot meet their commitments halfway, and need to be continuously called out until meaningful changes are made.

#thebachelor thebachelorette bachelorinparadise

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icymibachelor · 3 years

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The Lack of Representation: Casting

Casting is one of the most important factors in a reality television show, with emphasis placed on ‘reality’. Seeing a diverse group of people on a television screen can influence an individual’s outlook on themselves, the people around them, and society as a whole. When a person of colour watches an incredibly popular show such as The Bachelor, and mainly sees white individuals being casted, this can cause an unconscious shift in the way they see themselves. People of colour may be less inclined to watch the show, and more importantly, diverse individuals across the country are rarely represented on such a popular reality show.

To illustrate, let’s take a look at the casting from the recent seasons of The Bachelor/ette. The following statistics are credited to @bachelordata on Instagram. Season 13 of The Bachelorette brought us the incredible Rachel Lindsay, as the first Black bachelorette. However, her season had 54.8% white individuals, with only 45.2% people of colour (Bachelor Data, 2021). The following seasons of both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette were filled with white contestants, with less than 40% of them being POC. Notably, season 15 of The Bachelorette with Hannah Brown, had a shockingly low number of 26.7% POC, and over 70% white individuals (Bachelor Data, 2021).

Season 16 of The Bachelorette was set to film in early 2020, but filming was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Alter, 2020). During this time, the Black Lives Matter movement became the most-talked about issue across the world. Audiences of The Bachelor franchise decided to shine a light on the issues within this franchise, calling out the lack of representation in casting, screen time, and production itself. Consequently, a large portion of Crawley’s season was recast in an attempt to include more people of colour (POC), as well as older individuals (Shaw, 2020). This gave us one of the more diverse casts from The Bachelorette, similar to Lindsay’s season in 2017. However, the majority of contestants were still white, with less than 50% making up POC (Bachelor Data, 2021).

In June 2020, Matt James was announced as the next bachelor, leading the 25th season (Longeretta, 2021). Matt became the first Black bachelor in twenty years of this show, which was a monumental change. He was initially casted to be a part of Crawley’s Bachelorette season, but was pulled out during the recasting, and most likely in talks to be the bachelor because of this. In Matt’s season of The Bachelor, 65.8% of contestants were people of colour, while 34.2% of them were white. This significant change made the 25th season so much more memorable. Before this season, the season with the highest percentage of POC was Rachel Lindsay’s season, in 2017.

Significant changes have been made to The Bachelor franchise, especially in terms of casting. This allows audiences, especially people of colour, to feel better represented in a reality television show. On June 12, 2020, The Bachelor executive producers released a statement where they committed to diversify the relationship they show on television. Here is the full statement, shared on all social medias and through their website (Bachelor statement, 2020):

We are excited to move forward with both Matt James as the new Bachelor and Clare Crawley as our next Bachelorette. We acknowledge our responsibility for the lack of representation of people of color on our franchise and pledge to make significant changes to address this issue moving forward. We are taking positive steps to expand diversity in our cast, in our staff, and most importantly, in the relationships that we show on television. We can and will do better to reflect the world around us and show all of its beautiful love stories.

- The Executive Producers

Diverse casting with proper representation was given to audiences. However, the issue now lies with the lack of screen time being allocated for these BIPOC individuals. If you cast the most diverse individuals ever, but don’t show them and their stories, are you really casting a diverse group of people?

Read about screen time here.

#thebachelor thebachelorette bachelorinparadise

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icymibachelor · 3 years

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Introduction to The Bachelor/ette Franchise

ABC’s The Bachelor first aired on March 25th, 2002. Created by Mike Fleiss and hosted by Chris Harrison, this reality television series has garnered incredible success. Spinoffs such as The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Bachelor Pad, The Bachelor: Winter Games, and The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart have been created because of its popularity.

In this blog, the focus will mainly be placed on the sister shows, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, as their plots are very similar, with a switch in the sex of the leads and contestants. To preface, here is a summarized and typical storyline in a Bachelor/ette season.

Main Plot:

This show focuses on one eligible bachelor/ette who dates twenty-five participants in the hopes of finding a partner by the end of their journey. Eliminations occur during this process, and contestants are narrowed down until the final one, where the bachelor/ette will propose (or be proposed to). During this time, participants travel to various locations as they develop their relationship with the lead, with drama revolving around the contestants as they vie for the lead.

Elimination Process

The bachelor will interact with contestants through various activities, and a collective cocktail party is usually held at the end of the week. Activities can include (but are not limited to):

A group date: The lead and a group of participants are involved in an activity, typically a competition that rewards the winners of this activity with more time with the lead. In turn, the bachelor/ette will normally reward an outstanding contestant with a rose during this group date.

A one-on-one date: The lead and one participant will spend a day together, with the earlier portion spent doing an activity, and the latter is spent together at dinner. The bachelor/ette typically rewards a rose to their date, but if they choose not to, the contestant is immediately eliminated.

A two-on-one date: This usually occurs when there is preexisting drama between the contestants, and the lead can choose one of the participants, or neither. This is done by rewarding a rose to the individual of his choice, and the other one is eliminated.

Episode Progress

Relationships become truly solidified by the time there are four contestants left, and there will be a focus on this throughout the blog. Here are the final weeks explained.

Hometowns: Once there are four women left, the stakes become higher, and the relationships have become much more serious. The lead will visit the hometowns of each of their four participants, then eliminate one at the rose ceremony (at the end of the episode).

Fantasy Suites: The lead and the remaining three individuals spend a day together, and in the evening, the bachelor/ette has the opportunity to invite their date to spend the night with them without the cameras present. One contestant will be eliminated at the rose ceremony.

Women Tell All: This episode takes place before the finale, where the lead will make their choice between the final two women. Here, all the women who had been previously eliminated from the show will come back to share their thoughts on the bachelor/ette, and the drama that had occurred.

Final Rose (season finale): The two remaining contestants will meet the lead’s family, and consequently, the lead will make a decision between the two of them. The bachelor/ette will propose, or be proposed to, and the lead will give them their “final rose”.

After the Final Rose: This episode is typically connected to the Final Rose episode. The lead, finalist, and the runner-up return to the stage to discuss their experiences and thoughts. An update on the lead’s relationship is given.

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