A Woman Against The Bachelor

Being a semi-interested woman in the feminist movement these days, something recently caught my attention.  Sarah Silverman, a woman known for her comedic talents, made a surprisingly serious remark.  Being the outspoken, self-righteous woman that she is, she had no problem expressing her views on the long-running television show, The Bachelor.  Specifically, she referred to the primetime reality show as “degrading” and “offensive” to women.  I wonder, is she taking the show too seriously or does she have a point?

Silverman’s main problem with the show is if younger girls watch it, they may grow up thinking that this is how the real world works.  Girls shouldn’t grow up thinking that they have to jump through hoops to compete for a man’s love.  The Bachelor has no shame in showing women of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities throwing themselves desperately at one man.  However, in defense of the show, little girls shouldn’t be tuning in, and the show does provide a TV-14 rating before it airs every week.  Girls under the age of fourteen are far from the maturity they need to be at to understand how to appropriately view themselves, and exposure to such an unrealistic display of dating will surely leave a confusing and damaging impact on how these young girls grow up. In fact, as Silverman was ultimately trying to point out, the show’s insulting portrayal of single, vulnerable women as assets goes beyond deceiving young girls; it truly attacks females of all ages.

Although I entirely agree with Silverman here that watching the show has a detrimental impact on young girls, I believe that the show has an even larger negative effect on the middle-aged women that agree to be contestants on the show. The show teaches women that they’re only chance of gaining a relationship with a man is to compete with other women, as if on a game show. A healthy relationship takes place between two people who love each other for who they are as people, not as winners of a contest. With the provided aggressive atmosphere of competition, the women act as objects of a contest and not as women on an intimate pursuit for love. Silverman’s commentary ties back to the point that a single and vulnerable heart shouldn’t be manipulated to believe that deserving love means belittling themselves by stacking personal traits up against other candidates.  As Silverman passionately states, “The biggest thing that a woman should realize is that there is not just one slot for a woman in any given thing.”  Despite what the show portrays, it is important to remember that women are capable of attaining anything their hearts desire.