By Rachel Lu

Dear readers, we have finally reached the end of this journey and while I wish I could write about a beautiful engagement, happy ending, and Jenn finding growth as an Asian American woman, the finale made all of this impossible.

Instead, I’m reminded of the cruelty of reality TV, the manipulation of the people portrayed, and in particular, the facade and false promises of representation.

In this episode, Devin and Marcus meet Jenn’s family. Ultimately Jenn sends Marcus home and decides that she will propose to Devin in an act of self-empowerment and independence. Yet, just as we are expecting to witness a unique proposal, we are disrupted by a live segment of Jesse Palmer telling us that it wouldn’t be right to show the proposal without hearing from Jenn first.

Jenn, dressed in a black dress, arrives on stage with tears in her eyes and reveals to the live audience that immediately after the proposal, Devin became a different person and eventually called off their engagement, claiming that he had never loved her. 

Jesse, the host, welcomes Devin on stage for the two of them to have a conversation for the first time after the breakup. Jenn reveals that Devin followed a previous bachelor contestant, Maria, on Instagram after their relationship ended, and proceeded to go out clubbing with Jeremy in New York. All pointing out that Devin never cared for her.

Thinking back, it’s heartbreaking to see Devin posting memes about the show on Instagram, while Jenn’s heart broke repeatedly every Monday night. Worst, Jenn had to endure the intense promotion of the show, the public judgement, and incessant interviews, all while keeping the secret of her heartbreak under wraps. 

When Jesse said they will now watch Jenn’s proposal and asked rhetorically: “shall we?” Jenn replied sarcastically, perhaps to herself: “Do I have a choice?”

At that moment, I realized Jenn is just another character in the Bachelor franchise. In fact, she didn’t have a choice, as she likely signed a ridiculously long contract with the show’s producers. Nevertheless, it felt cruel watching Jenn, sobbing on stage broadcasted live, reliving an engagement that was later stripped away from her off-camera. 

In the past month, I’ve higlighted the highs and lows of representation for the first Asian American Bachelorette. There are genuine moments where Jenn shared her culture to America – including her speaking Vietnamese with her mother at the top of the finale– and moments where representation fell short and superficial (cue Thomas N.).

Yet, arriving at the finale, I look back and think about how pointless all of this is, when the show never fully respected Jenn as a real person with real feelings.

While Jenn concluded that she had grown so much on the show, my heart was breaking for her. Jenn’s emotions should not be peeled open, layer by layer, until she stands exposed raw on stage and rendered choiceless in a moment of great vulnerability. Jenn certainly does not deserve a man who leaves her defenseless on live television. 

Yet, when the clock struck 11:00 pm EST, and I was still shocked on Jenn’s behalf, the host pivoted the show into a sneak peak of the next segment – the Golden Bachelor. Just like that, Jenn’s journey through love ended abruptly as the segment came to an end. And just like that, I’m snapped out of the reality constructed on screen, one that promised representation as a solution to decades of exploitation.

Previously in 2017, ABC was accused of using race to boost ratings during its season with a Black American bachelorette. People are repeatedly tokenized, objectified, and belittled on television. They are not given the full agency and respect to be portrayed as full human beings.All forms of representation come with a catch.

Jenn fulfilled a promise to herself and finished the journey by “doing it my way.” The Bachelor franchise failed her.

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