Reality television is a prominent cultural force, influencing how society views and discusses topics such as beauty, femininity, diversity, and even love. In this particular context, The Bachelor emerges as a well-known American reality dating show in 2002, providing a significant platform for individuals from various backgrounds to vie for cishet love and romance. The contestants on the show play a significant role in shaping public perceptions of attractiveness and femininity, with their racial and ethnic backgrounds being a key factor in this dynamic. Since then, throughout its many seasons, the program has largely failed to include participants from diverse racial and ethnic origins, which does not accurately represent the multicultural makeup of modern US society. However, with recent events like the racial reckoning in 2020, the franchise may temporarily increase the diversity of the cast to reflect the current social climate. Nevertheless, despite endeavors to foster diversity and inclusiveness, inquiries endure about the depiction and handling of competitors of color inside the show’s narrative structure.As viewers interact with the show on social media platforms such as Twitter, their thoughts and conversations shape the overall impressions of the contestants’ looks and personalities.
The media substantially influences our perception of truth and our internalization of information. The representation of love, the recipients of love, and the individuals deserving of love are reinforced by television programs and franchises such as The Bachelor, which significantly impact its audience. Freur’s article explores how viewers interact with and shape their identities while watching reality television. Freur (2018) examines the many levels of identification and parasocial relationships that viewers form with the program candidates and how the collective identity of Bachelor Nation goes beyond being just fans. It includes a shared cultural experience and a feeling of belonging among participants. Articles of this kind highlight viewers’ connections with candidates can be substantial, even without personal acquaintance. This dynamic drives my interest in examining the impact of the racial/ethnic background of The Bachelor Contestants on the public perception of women’s beauty and femininity among Twitter users who follow The Bachelor. Twitter functions as a dynamic forum where users express their ideas, offer insights, and participate in conversations about the show’s competitors and their performances. Twitter users greatly influence public impressions and discussions about the looks, actions, and relationships of candidates within the “Bachelor Nation” group, which consists of dedicated watchers and fans of the show.
In light of this context, it is crucial to examine how the racial and ethnic background of The Bachelor candidates influences the perception of women’s beauty and femininity among Twitter users who are part of the Bachelor Nation. Through analyzing the perception and discourse around competitors of different backgrounds on Twitter, my primary goal is to better understand the intricate relationship between race, beauty ideals, femininity, and gender norms in the context of reality television. These findings not only enhance our comprehension of how media portrays and how audiences perceive but also illuminate broader social perspectives on race, ethnicity, and gender in modern society.
Research Question & Variables
The final research question is: What impact does the racial/ethnic identity of The Bachelor Contestants have on the public impression of women’s attractiveness and femininity among Twitter users of Bachelor Nation (The Bachelor Viewers)? In my research, the independent variable is racial/ethnic identity, which is divided into several categories, such as White contestants and competitors of color, such as Black, Latina, and Asian. The women are not asked to self-identify within the show, so race is defined by outward appearance and skin tone and features. This categorization is used to examine the influence of race on the dependent variable. The dependent variable is the public impression of women’s attractiveness and femininity on Twitter among viewers of The Bachelor. Attractiveness for this project is being defined as being attractive, agreeable, or desirable to others, often physically or aesthetically. It includes a range of attributes beyond physical appearance, such as personality traits, behaviors, confidence, intellect, sense of humor, compassion, and other qualities that attract others to someone. Femininity for this project is being defined as a collection of features, behaviors, and characteristics historically associated with being feminine or womanly, as defined by American culture. These attributes often include features such as nurturing, empathy, sensitivity, tenderness, gracefulness, and humility. The dependent variable is anticipated to fluctuate in response to variations in the independent variable, race. Dubrofsky (2006) found that women of color who participated in The Bachelor had lower success levels than their white counterparts. The Bachelor’s environment is structured so that women of color may be present but are mostly insignificant to the main storyline. Their role is primarily to shape the narrative around the white women’s involvement and the white bachelor’s quest to find his perfect partner. The show’s racism is not explicitly apparent (Dubrofsky 2006).