Summer is not only a time for people to enjoy the outdoors, but for a drama filled reality series known as “Bachelor in Paradise”. While the first episode started routinely, introducing each contestant, one introduction caught the attention of many fans.
Demi Burnett, the first openly bisexual contestant in franchise history.
This series is part of “The Bachelor” franchise that has been on TV for 17 years. The show features contestants who got dumped from previous seasons of “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” on an island in Mexico, spending their summer trying to find a relationship.
Each week the show follows contestants and their possible relationships. At the end of the week either the men or the women give a rose to the person that they want to continue a relationship with — those who don’t get a rose — go home.
The producers, to stir up drama, bring in other contestants for couples who may or may not be exclusive yet continuing this until there are only four couples left.
In an unexpected twist, the producers choose to bring a women Burnett had been casually dating from home, Kristian Haggerty, onto the show. Giving Burnett an opportunity to figure out what relationship she wants to continue.
Burnett told Hannah Brown, this year’s bachelorette, that she did not know what she wanted with Haggerty so she decided to come onto the show.
Fans were surprised by this move because Haggerty has not been a part of the franchise before, which is not typical for the format of the show. However, the decision was supported, which allowed viewers to see Burnett explore her feelings with Haggerty.
While Burnett and Haggerty now try to figure out their relationship, Burnett in the first week of the show began a relationship with a contestant named Derek Peth. And during the second week revealed to him that she has been casually seeing a woman back home and she misses her. Peth responds with love and support for her.
Burnett also reveals that she came out to her parents only a short time before the show started filming. Because of this, she was worried about what viewers think of her coming out so publicly.
Fortunately, the details Burnett has shared about her sexuality so far have been met with positivity from fans. Burnett’s story is important for the representation of not only bisexual women, but for those who are struggling to figure things out regarding their sexuality.
Representation is important for minority groups in order to show that these people exist and that it’s OK to be different.
The lack of representation of the LGBTQA community in the media con- tinues to be a problem that our society faces today and Burnett’s story is a step in changing things. And with Burnett and Haggerty relationship now able to grow on the show, they have already shared many heartwarming moments, such as their emotional reunion and heart to hearts about coming to terms about their feelings for each other. Both of them decided right away that they want to have an exclusive relationship with each other.
As the summer goes on, fans will get to see the relationship between Burnett and Haggerty grow. Many trailers have teased that the two are likely to get engaged.
“Bachelor in Paradise” airs on ABC every Monday and Tuesday night at 8 p.m. episodes can be streamed on Hulu the day after each episode airs on TV.
Nicole Hindberg can be reached at [email protected].