*Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers about the past two episodes of The Bachelor*
Thirty minutes into the last episode of ABC’s “The Bachelor,” I was about ready to scream at my computer. Both avid fans of the reality TV show, my roommate and I spend our Monday nights holed up in our room watching dozens of women compete for Matt James’s heart. Though the show’s premise is finding love, episodes are riddled with drama, conflict and heartbreak. Usually, “Bachelor Mondays” are a highlight of the week, but last week’s episode left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Episode four of the Bachelor saw the arrival of five new women into the house, bringing with them tension and drama. The most contested of the five, Brittany Galvin, sparked controversy with her introduction. Kissing Matt before joining the house, Brittany caused uproar from women watching from the mansion window. The most concerning reaction came from contestant Victoria Larson. Dubbed this season’s villain, Victoria quickly became notorious for her blunt and often rude commentary. That night, she deemed Brittany a “slore” — a combination of slut and whore.
As the night progressed, it became clear that this incident was not a fleeting lapse of judgement but rather part of a toxic culture of slut shaming that is all too familiar to the franchise. While Victoria continued to refer to the new contestants as “ho”s, other contestants laughed and chimed in to express their disapproval of Brittany. Contestant Anna Redman deemed Brittany “sketchy” based on messages she received on Instagram prior to coming on the show and even proposed that she entertained men for money. Soon enough, every woman in the house had heard the phrase, “Brittany is an escort.” To my disappointment, the Bachelor franchise ran with this rumor, plastering it all over this season’s previews. Watching all of this unfold, I was disgusted by the blatant woman-on-woman hate.
Though I wish I could say it was, this is not the first controversy surrounding slut shaming on “The Bachelor.” Last week’s mess is part of a long-standing discussion surrounding sexual empowerment on the show. The fifteenth season of “The Bachelorette” featured a heated argument between lead Hannah Brown and contestant Luke Parker after Hannah had sex with another contestant during the fantasy suite portion of the show. In one of the most iconic scenes in “The Bachelorette” history, Hannah refused to stand for Luke’s claims that her sexual choices were a mistake. Defending herself, Hannah clapped back by arguing that her sexual choices were nobody’s business but her own and had no bearing on her character or faith. Sex shaming on “The Bachelor” franchise is certainly not new and it’s disheartening to know that it still plays such a key role in the show.
Luckily, episode five restored some faith. Now one of the most beloved contestants of this season per Bachelor Nation social media, contestant Katie Thurston refused to stand for slut shaming. Throughout the season, Katie stood as a champion for sex positivity with one of the most memorable night one entrances in Bachelor history. Exiting the limo with a vibrator in hand, Katie was not afraid to express her comfort in her sexuality. In response to the rampant bullying in the house, Katie expressed disappointment in her fellow contestants both in interviews and to Matt James himself, prompting Matt to address these issues with the group at the next cocktail party.
Expressing that he wanted a safe, healthy environment for the women, Matt condemned the recent bullying and wanted to know who was affected and who was involved. His next few conversations with the women were heavy; we saw some women break down as others realized their mistakes. In Brittany’s conversation with Matt, we see just how harmful words can be, as she breaks down crying while telling her story. We see a similar scenario unfold when contestant Ryan Claytor expressed her distress after Victoria called her a “ho.” Sending a powerful message, Matt James sends both Anna and Victoria home, showing that he won’t stand for slut shaming. Katie’s advocacy and Matt’s swift action are both steps in the right direction towards a more progressive Bachelor franchise. Regardless, there remains work to be done. Hopefully, in future seasons of the show, we will be able to celebrate kindness and empowerment rather than become frustrated with hate and slut-shaming.