Gender Stereotypes In The Bachelor

Over the last couple of years, reality television has secured a spot for itself in American media and has become one of the most prevalent genres of television. Not only has it provided entertainment, but is now taking a toll on what American culture sees as socially acceptable. Within the scripts of these “reality” shows are controversial topics such as gender and racial stereotypes and roles that the writers of these shows try to mask in plain sight. The series, The Bachelor, is one of the most well-known reality dating shows where women are flown all over the world in hopes of falling in love with the eligible bachelor. Throughout this show, these gender stereotypes and codes are displayed through each episode. Reality dating television

The moment a women finds out her unborn child is going to be a girl, the stereotypes of how a women should act, look, and her career choice start. For instance, in the article “List of Gender Stereotypes” by Holly Brewer, she says “We assume that our daughter will be very "girly" and fill her closet with frilly dresses and her toy box with tea sets and dolls. What this is essentially doing […], is setting our child up to be the "perfect lady," and teaching her how to be the stereotypical woman.” Throughout the show, the women are taken to beautiful cities and countries, and dressed in extraordinary gowns, not to mention that these gowns are not provided by the show, and must have their hair and makeup done at all times. This show displays examples of the “princess effect” that stimulate women’s idea to have to look and act a certain way for them to be princess-like and accepted by society. In the journal “Fairytale Dreams: Disney Princesses’ Effect on Young Girls’ Self-Images” by Professor Letizia Schmid, Schmid states why the princess theme started. “Fairy tales written during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were intended to teach girls and young women how to become domesticated, respectable, and attractive to a marriage partner and to teach boys and girls appropriate gendered values and attitudes” (Schmid 2). Another example of the princess effect shown in The Bachelor is when Ben and Cailia are in the fantasy suite after a romantic date through a river in Jamaica. As they sit on the bed and kiss, fireworks are firing off in the background with soft romantic music playing to emphasize on the “princess themed” scene. “This is most obvious with regard to The Bachelor’s reliance on a common female stereotype – that of the woman whose ultimate goal is to meet her Prince Charming and live happily ever after – and this modern