Lincoln Adim - **Sleuthing Spoilers**

Aunties_Love wrote:

source

Fangirl26 wrote:@Sprite Okay thanks! I think I was looking at the wrong site: https://www.disneyabcpress.com/abc/shows/the-bachelorette/photos/ ?? ....my personal opinion is that they should remove him or edit him out

A note: This week’s recap is somewhat delayed because A. I’ve been traveling but mostly B. I, like many, am having a hard time coming to terms with the news that one of Becca’s suitors was convicted of sexual assault. You can read my more complicated thoughts on that below:

I’ve been stewing on this for days and I still don’t even know where to begin. This week, it came to light that Lincoln was convicted of indecent assault and battery for a sexual assault that occurred in 2016. In case you forgot, it’s currently 2018. This wasn’t something that happened post-filming. This has been on the record for two years. He was found guilty on May 21st - a week before the season even premiered - and it’s not like the show has given him an unfavorable edit in light of this information. ABC claims that Lincoln lied about having been accused of sexual assault (******** duh) and that the third-party background check company they used should be found at fault. Sure, fine. Blame the company if you want - and I do think that something this huge being left out of a background check warrants a thorough investigation - but I refuse to absolve ABC and The Bachelor of any guilt. Let’s not forget that this is the same show that has had its own producers sued for sexual harassment, the same show that sparked a national controversy and conversation about the very nature of consent, the same show that casts racists and abusive assholes and markets them as, at best, amusing dramatic “villains” and, at worst, suitable and even desirable life partners for women. Remember when they brought Becca’s terrifying ex on the show to surprise her and pretended like it was some kind of romantic gesture? I can’t begin to imagine how Lincoln’s victim (and, let’s be realistic, “victims” is likely a more apt descriptor, as this kind of behavior is often indicative of a larger pattern) feels watching him on TV, being celebrated as this handsome dude with a cool accent (which is how I thought of him after the first episode! Why wouldn’t I have?) who deserves a shot at love like anyone else. I can’t imagine how it feels to be Becca, watching yourself gush about and be kissed and touched by someone whom you now know is capable of assault. As a human woman who lives in America and has been alive for more than ten minutes, I know all too well how it feels to see a guy you know has been abusive to yourself or others be not only not rejected by your peer group, but actively embraced and praised. Allowing someone like Lincoln on this show is so enormously hurtful to so many people. The Bachelorette can be the super most fun, but I’ll be the first person to say that its problems are beginning to far outweigh the entertainment it provides. I feel sickened and slapped in the face, honestly. It makes me not want to watch this show anymore. It's a classic “guilty pleasure," but just how far is that guilt supposed to go? How much further will they push? How many more people will they endanger? Having someone who’s (now) a registered sex offender on the show is dangerous. What if Lincoln made it to the Fantasy Suites and spent the night alone with Becca? What if they got engaged? What if he had assaulted Becca, or, more realistically, gone on Bachelor in Paradise and assaulted someone there? (I say “more realistically” purely in a statistical sense - there are far more opportunities for assault when there are A. More potential victims strolling around and B. When the environment and opportunity for exposure is far less controlled than that of The Bachelorette proper.) Who should be held responsible? Obviously, Lincoln is the criminal here. He’s the one at fault. But I believe it’s ABC’s responsibility - morally speaking, if not strictly legally - to not expose their cast and crew to abusers and, equally importantly, not to expose America to abusive men and market them as acceptable life partners for women. It’s wrong. It’s so wrong. I’m thinking long and hard about whether it’s responsible for me to keep making lighthearted jokes about a show that so deeply troubles me. Do I have to stop watching altogether? I really don’t know. I’d love to hear any thoughts on this because mine are so muddled I barely know which way’s up anymore.