Source Of The Image: ABC
Despite the fact that I’ve been an avid observer of The Bachelor’s Degree In franchise for years, as a Black woman, I’ve never really felt comfortable being a fan. The franchise has always had a history for the manufacture of the spectators and participants of color feel out of place and unwanted in the Degree of the Nation. But finally, after years of viewers of color asking for change, and the recent diversity petition signed by more than 80,000 Bachelor fans and alum, ABC has announced its first cable-Black The Bachelor’s Degree InMatt James (four years and six leads after the first Black Bachelorette, Rachel Lindsay). The very convenient in the time of this announcement makes me wonder if the choice is original or just a way for the franchise to save face after having been strongly criticised during the current civil rights revolution.
“Of the nearly 1,100 total contestants The Bachelor’s Degree In and The Bachelorettethere have only been 51 Black women and 38 Black males. That’s only eight per cent in almost two decades.”
Yes, this is a great step for the franchise and a great victory for all the viewers of color who have legitimately label the show a guilty pleasure — but it is not enough. I’m worried that James is going to be used to “meet the quota” for a minority of lead. A Black Bachelorette party and one Black Bachelor’s degree in does not modify the Degree of the Nation’s outrage about the lack of diversity and representation of all the cast of the last 18 years. In fact, I have found that of the nearly 1,100 total contestants The Bachelor’s Degree In and The Bachelorettethere have only been 51 Black women and 38 Black males. That’s only eight per cent in almost two decades. What we need to see is a conscious and continuous effort on behalf of the franchise.
Another reason why I’m indecisive? Oversight with respect to the diversity issue became evident after the Lindsay of the season as the first Black Bachelorette. The producers not only allowed a blatant racist in the season as a contestant for a Black woman, but the whole discussion on the topic during the “Men Tell All” seemed to spark any change. After that the franchise saw some of the lower grades never of Lindsay in the season, the producers then go back to the normalcy of focus in white hannah’s, Laurens, and Bens every season from then on.
For me, this showed that at the time, the money was more important than racism and diversity topic in question. Like many fans, my first reaction to the James announcement was: thank you for finally listening to their fans, but we still need more effort. The executive producers of the show later issued a statement after the announcement of the new season 25 of Bachelor’s degree which addresses these specific concerns.
“We recognize our responsibility for the lack of representation of people of color in our franchise, and commit to making significant changes to address this issue moving forward,” they said in an Instagram post. “We are taking positive steps to broaden the diversity of our cast, our staff, and most importantly, in the relationships that we show on television.”
Perhaps the current climate, centering around Black Lives Matter was a wake-up call, perhaps the petition had an impact, or it could be because Lindsay threatened to leave the franchise if the diversity issue was not fixed (which would undoubtedly result in Black fans to go out with her). Whatever the true reason for the selection of James may be, I truly hope this has lit a fire to make a lasting change to the representation in the that James will not be the last BIPOC of lead, and the future BIPOC the cast members are treated and portrayed fairly.
So, what is the next step for the franchise to continue on this path? Women and men of color deserve airtime in circumstances other than drama, an issue that not only portray them as villains or a tattletale, an advantage that will not be immediately and clearly friendzone them (Peter . . .), and the opportunity to tell their love stories that develop in the air as contestants in previous seasons. We need to see more of that gorgeous white contestants on our screens every Monday night and deserve to have a reality show that actually reflects the world in which we live. Gives us the body, the gender, and people of the diversity that is presented to us each day. This is the opportunity for the franchise to explore the many ways in which it has neglected for so long.
I hope that James in the season gradually disappear, the strange feeling of guilt that I feel to see the show. I don’t want to see the few minority cast member is used as chips and I never want to witness the racism of the casting new (Becca Kufrin the choice of Garrett Yrigoyen and Lee Garrett Lindsay of the season, for example). As James transitions from Tyler Cameron is the best friend to the new titles of degree, I hope that the typical Black man, fetishes, racist tweets, and the problem of the antics are sucked out before selecting your group of women, and that these rules only remain and grow ever more as the show continues.
Step one down, many more to come.
