"""Reality""" TV
I threw in the extra quotation marks in an effort to indicate that sort of air-quote-accompanied sarcastic tone I use when discussing America's latest TV obsession.
I've seen a few posts lately about Bachelor/Bachelorette phenomenon - talk regarding the absence of people of color. I noted a lack of same-sex options, as well as a lack of diversity in general.
A new program has me revisiting thoughts I remember beginning to form some time ago. This new date-a-bunch-of-strangers-who-are-competing-for-one-guy's-approval debacle involves an average (read: overweight) guy choosing among a gaggle of average (read: plus-sized) women.
I am offended by this concept just as much as the shows full of size 0 model-types. I am a "plus-sized" woman. I am also a lesbian. The later has nothing to do with the former, and vice versa. I say this so no one can think I'm offended at the sight of "normal" women(all quoted terms are from the teaser ads for the show). What offends me is that we are airing programs that aid in the perpetuation of the social construct that we are all shallow folk who rely on the outer appearance to make serious decisions regarding our potential partners. Indeed, I find certain physical traits attractive. But I do not make the leap into relationships without examining what lies beneath - nor do I discount any human being on the basis of any of their physical attributes. I'm neither gifted, nor ultra-enlightened. I'm not implying superiority. I am, however, expressing sadness and disappointment that I am in a distinct minority.
I have seen a few minutes of another new show that has potential partners meeting one another in complete darkness - I assume in an effort to encourage them to shed the very limitations I outlined above. The moments I happened to see, however, seemed to show that these particular folks were incapable of shedding that bias as they were ready to dismiss their previously revered partner once they got to see them by the light of day.
Perhaps I am lamenting the very nature of humans and perhaps this nature is, in some, immutable. If that is the case, I'm happy to be a part of the aforementioned minority.
I've seen a few posts lately about Bachelor/Bachelorette phenomenon - talk regarding the absence of people of color. I noted a lack of same-sex options, as well as a lack of diversity in general.
A new program has me revisiting thoughts I remember beginning to form some time ago. This new date-a-bunch-of-strangers-who-are-competing-for-one-guy's-approval debacle involves an average (read: overweight) guy choosing among a gaggle of average (read: plus-sized) women.
I am offended by this concept just as much as the shows full of size 0 model-types. I am a "plus-sized" woman. I am also a lesbian. The later has nothing to do with the former, and vice versa. I say this so no one can think I'm offended at the sight of "normal" women(all quoted terms are from the teaser ads for the show). What offends me is that we are airing programs that aid in the perpetuation of the social construct that we are all shallow folk who rely on the outer appearance to make serious decisions regarding our potential partners. Indeed, I find certain physical traits attractive. But I do not make the leap into relationships without examining what lies beneath - nor do I discount any human being on the basis of any of their physical attributes. I'm neither gifted, nor ultra-enlightened. I'm not implying superiority. I am, however, expressing sadness and disappointment that I am in a distinct minority.
I have seen a few minutes of another new show that has potential partners meeting one another in complete darkness - I assume in an effort to encourage them to shed the very limitations I outlined above. The moments I happened to see, however, seemed to show that these particular folks were incapable of shedding that bias as they were ready to dismiss their previously revered partner once they got to see them by the light of day.
Perhaps I am lamenting the very nature of humans and perhaps this nature is, in some, immutable. If that is the case, I'm happy to be a part of the aforementioned minority.