Critical Race Theory and Theory of Gender Performativity
For my content analysis research project, I constructed a theoretical framework that explores the influence of racial/ethnic identity of The Bachelor contestants on how women’s attractiveness and femininity are perceived by Twitter users in the Bachelor Nation. To analyze this, I drew upon Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the Theory of Gender Performativity. Drawing on CRT, my research looks at how racism connects with media representations and social power systems, specifically in the setting of reality television.
Critical Race Theory(CRT)
Critical race theory emerged within the field of American legal studies after the Civil Rights Movement as a response to the perception that the ‘Second Reconstruction’ of that era did not successfully eradicate racism(Delgado 2023; Crenshaw 1988; Ansley 1989). The researchers who subsequently described themselves as critical race theorists sought to comprehend the reasons behind the limited effectiveness of formal legal equality in improving the daily experiences of African-Americans and other individuals belonging to racial minorities (Delgado 2023; Crenshaw 1988; Ansley 1989). Critical race theory explores the perplexing question of why racism continues to exist even if government policies and societal standards widely condemn it. This criticism challenges the concept of objectivity, rejects the dominance of western Eurocentric rationality and liberalism, and criticizes color-blind legal systems. CRT analyzes the distribution of power and how it sustains structural disparities. Regarding The Bachelor, the presence of a mostly white production crew and audience may be analyzed using Critical Race Theory (CRT) to shed light on any unequal distribution of power that can impact the selection of participants, their portrayal, and the public’s perception of them. Additionally, casting, editing, and production choices are just a ways structural racism may be used to examine how candidates of racial and ethnic minorities are portrayed on The Bachelor. The responses that Twitter users have given to these competitors could be an indication of larger societal trends of racial prejudice and discrimination.
This lens has the ability to expose inherent biases and preconceived notions that influence conversations about beauty and femininity on social media sites such as Twitter. Additionally, critical race theory posits that contemporary society is characterized by six fundamental aspects or principles that serve as the foundation for ongoing racial inequity. The concepts are: Material Determinism, Racism as Ordinary, Race as a Social Construction, Differential racialization, Intersectionality and anti-essentialism, and Whiteness as a Racial Category. CRT highlights the convergence of race, gender, and other social identities. It acknowledges that humans possess many identities concurrently, and these overlapping identities influence their experiences and perspectives. Colorblindness on The Bachelor might show up as efforts to minimize or downplay the importance of racial/ethnic identity in conversations about femininity and beauty. CRT promotes critical examination of media portrayals and how they relate to racial justice. Rather than denying that racial dynamics exist, CRT promotes open recognition and discussion of them. By using this perspective, we can the manner in which the racial and ethnic identification of participants on The Bachelor show influences the way beauty and femininity are seen, especially inside the framework of a mostly white media franchise.
Gender Performativity – Judith Butler
In addition, I used the Theory of Gender Performativity to better understand how gender norms and beauty expectations are enacted and reinforced via feminine performances in The Bachelor franchise, as well as how these performances overlap with racial/ethnic identities. Judith Butler, a philosopher and gender theorist, established the Theory of Gender Performativity, which questions conventional views of gender as a fixed or inherent identity. By using Butler’s theory, we can comprehend that the racial/ethnic identification of participants on The Bachelor impacts the audience’s perception of their femininity and beauty. Contestants may express femininity via various cultural lenses, and these expressions are up to interpretation and review by Twitter users. This idea holds that gender is not something that people are born with, but rather something that is constantly performed and enacted via repeated behaviors, acts, and expressions. In other words, gender is not a fixed essence, but rather a collection of socially generated norms and expectations that people absorb and embody through their daily lives.
Butler contends that these gender presentations are more than just imitations; they create and perpetuate the very categories they claim to represent. This theory emphasizes the performative character of gender, highlighting how gender identities are fluid, contingent, and affected by social settings, questioning binary understandings of gender and opening up opportunities for multiple forms of expression and identification(Butler 1999). In the case of The Bachelor, the way specific racial/ethnic identities are shown might influence how viewers perceive attractiveness and femininity on the program. The recurrence of certain representations may either strengthen or question prevailing prejudices, depending on how participants from diverse backgrounds are portrayed. Using these applicable theoretical frameworks, will help to reveal the intricacies of racial and gender dynamics in the Bachelor Nation debate on Twitter, offering light on how these aspects impact viewers’ views of beauty and femininity of women of color.