Disabilities Representation in Reality TV
The Bachelor and all the other shows in the franchise have become a part of my weekly routine in the last couple years. It’s one of my favorite things to do with my friends. I love watching and yelling at the TV when a contestant or the bachelor/bachelorette is making terrible decisions and admiring all the gorgeous outfits. The first episode of the most recent season introduced Daisy, a 25-year-old account executive from Becker, Minnesota. Right off the bat all my friends (and I) marked her as a favorite because she was so sweet and caring. Part of her introduction video told viewers about how, due to both Lyme and Meniere’s disease, she experienced a variety of medical issues, including a significant loss of hearing in her left ear. She made the choice to get a cochlear implant and is now living her life to the fullest and is now ready to find love. Daisy got me thinking about how I’d started seeing people with different disabilities entering the world of reality TV, at least in some of the shows I watch.
