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Entertainment July 30, 2019
Roll Tide!
Via UnsplashThe eleventh season of the reality show The Bachelorette is currently gracing our screens every Monday evening. Us girls (and guys?!) gather round our TV armed with a glass of wine after a long day, ready to watch a woman find her future husband. We become invested in their relationships and wait for the end of the season where they run off into the sunset together to begin their fairy tale lives. There is absolutely no doubt that The Bachelorette is the number one topic of water cooler conversations across the country.
However, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that it is absolute trash TV. People love to hate it (I used to be one of those people). It’s the kind of TV you switch on to make yourself feel better about your own life. We see the men come and go. We compare them to our ex partners. And we are entertained their misfortune. But, most recently, Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette has brought to light to some major issues, ranging from slut shaming to recognizing the signs of an abusive/toxic relationship– I am here for it! Anything that sheds light on issues like this makes for a TV show that I can get behind.
Firstly, the most explosive episode of this season to date featured a conversation between Hannah and Luke regarding sex. He told her he could only deal with her sleeping with other guys if she considered it to be a ‘slip up’. The dead look on his face when he said this sent chills down my spine. He spoke as though he had every right to control what Hannah does with her body. Surely, if you go on a dating show like The Bachelorette, you know what you’re getting yourself into. Right? You are aware that the person you will be fighting for will be spending time with other men on dates and in the fantasy suites.
Luckily, Hannah was strong enough to shut him down after this comment. I cheered with happiness while she told him that she owed him nothing and that he has no right to tell her what to do. There have been so many occasions on TV where women have pandered to their partners needs and played it off as normal. I’m so happy we finally see a strong, sexually liberated woman of faith taking no prisoners. Team Hannah B! Over time, the show has become more and more feminist. It started off as women only giving their partners a kiss on the cheek while the same men were applauded for having sex. I’m so happy now that the tables have turned and we see women comfortable in their sexuality. It’s representation like this on reality TV that will help fight our battle, ladies!
Back in the day, The Bachelorette began as as TV show which was pretty tame. The women didn’t appear comfortable in their sexuality and would only share a small peck with their partners. Now, it is plain to see how times have changed. It’s so exciting to see women showcasing their sexual liberties. They aren’t afraid to say that they want to sex with the men anymore. The fantasy suite has undergone some changes. The Bachelorette has a whole new identity– one that is unashamedly sex positive.
As someone who has studied female sexuality extensively at university, seeing this on TV is amazing. By having this narrative available for women across the country and world, it is empowering them to become more confident in themselves and their relationships. It is providing them lessons of self worth in a non typical way. It’s teaching them the idea of consent and opening up the conversation about sex positivity in women. Reality TV plays a massive part in peoples’ lives. Therefore, it is changes in these shows which are likely to make the shift and change reality.
