The Bachelorette: Racism in Reality TV

Reality TV has seen a sig-
nificant rise in viewers

in recent years, with shows

like Love Island, The Bache-
lor/Bachelorette, and countless

others. This genre has attract-
ed millions of viewers, sparked

social media conversations,
and shaped lifestyle trends.
One of the most appealing
aspects of reality dating shows
is their ability to televise a
“perfect” version of love and
romance. Love Island places
contestants in luxurious villas,

while The Bachelor offers ex-
travagant dates, from hot air

balloon rides to private con-
certs. For many, these shows

provide an escape from ev-
eryday life, immersing view-
ers in a drama-filled paradise.

Unlike traditional Holly-
wood stars, reality TV con-
testants are often ordinary,

normal people who rise to

fame overnight. This relatabil-
ity makes it easy for viewers

to connect with and cheer for
the contestants. Fans witness

every high and low, every ar-
gument and confession, mak-
ing the show more interactive.

Recently, The Bachelorette

featured its first Asian-Amer-
ican star, Jenn Tran. For many

Asian Americans, Tran’s ap-
pointment as the Bachelorette

was a huge step forward. How-
ever, instead of being celebrat-
ed, Tran faced immediate crit-
icism, with viewers and social

media complaining that she
wasn’t their first choice for the
role. Despite her willingness
to represent Asian-American
women and her courage to step
into the spotlight, she was set
up to fail from the start. The
men cast for her season were

reportedly expecting a differ-
ent lead, and many appeared

uninterested or even dismissive
of her throughout the season.
When Senior Lucy Henrich
was asked about her thoughts
regarding Tran’s reality TV
journey, she responded, “It’s not
her fault at all; she stood up for
what she believed in and didn’t
want to settle down for guys who
fully played her.” Henrich went
on to highlight a critical issue:
“In some ways, It was cool that
she was comfortable enough in
her identity, both being Asian
and a woman, that she was

probably aware of the fetishi-
zation that the men had. They

didn’t want her as a person; they
just wanted to win the show.”
Tran may not have found love

during her time on The Bache-
lorette, but she left a lasting im-
pact on the genre of reality TV

and shed light on the chang-
es that still need to take place.