Unmarried Women Face Challenges on ‘Big Brother 25’
'Big Brother 25' mirrors how people view single women, impacting their gameplay
Big Brother 25 commenced with a diverse group of 16 houseguests, each hailing from unique backgrounds. This season promises an exciting 100-day journey, during which the houseguests will engage in weekly competitions and eviction processes. The ultimate victor of this CBS spectacle will be determined by garnering the majority of jury votes from their fellow evicted houseguests, earning them a substantial prize of $750,000.
Enthusiastic fans can stay abreast of the current house happenings through the live feeds available on Paramount+ and Pluto. Notably, the house dynamics have rapidly evolved, leading to a division between the more seasoned, partnered houseguests and the youthful singles. Interestingly, within the young singles’ faction, it appears that women face the most significant challenges.
Big Brother 25:Â Battle of the Ages
In recent seasons, the individual or group that successfully establishes a substantial alliance tends to wield influence for an extended duration. In the current season, Reilly Smedley emerged victorious in the inaugural Head of Household competition, subsequently forming the ‘Family Style’ alliance. This coalition comprised notable houseguests such as America Lopez, Blue Kim, Cameron Hardin, Cory Wurtenberger, Jag Bains, Jared Fields, and Matt Klotz.
However, it’s worth noting that Jared Fields, a member of the ‘Family Style’ alliance, disclosed this arrangement to his mother, Cirie Fields. In response, Cirie Fields orchestrated the creation of a rival alliance known as ‘The Professors.’ This formidable group featured Bowie Jane Ball, Felicia Cannon, Hisam Goueli, Izzy Gleicher, Mecole Hayes, and Red Utley, setting the stage for a compelling power struggle within the house.
Within the initial two days of their stay in the house, Jared and Cirie focused their attention on Kirsten Elwin. This strategic decision stemmed from Kirsten’s proactive efforts to engage multiple houseguests privately during that brief timeframe, attempting to sow seeds of influence. Unfortunately for Kirsten, this approach resulted in her exclusion from rival alliances and positioned her as an easily removable houseguest without causing significant disruptions.
Subsequently, Kirsten expressed her feelings of exclusion and confusion, prompting Cirie to engage in a candid conversation with her on the live feeds. “Allow me to speak candidly, as if we were family,” Cirie conveyed. During their interactions, Kirsten made attempts to resolve the tension directly, but Cirie took offense and asserted her seniority over Kirsten, emphasizing the significant age gap and the expectation of a certain level of respect.
It became apparent that Kirsten, a 25-year-old molecular biologist, was not perceived as an equal by the house’s residents. Instead, she found herself in a position where the “professor” alliance sought to assert their wisdom and mentorship over the younger occupants, thereby dictating the terms of engagement within the house.
Certain Single Women in Big Brother 25 Are Regarded as Worthy of Protection
In the second week, a significant shift in power occurred when Hisam secured the Head of Household position. His primary objective was to eliminate Reilly, as she had previously declared her intention to target him during the preceding week. Hisam took the opportunity to elucidate his strategic reasoning through a speech, explicitly highlighting how Reilly’s alliance had coerced others in the house into aligning solely for numerical advantage, rather than allowing individual decision-making.
However, Hisam’s speech did not sit well with members of his own alliance, who perceived it as an affront. They believed he was insinuating their inability to excel in competitions and his desire to collaborate with younger players. This shift in sentiment prompted Cirie to consider protecting Reilly and contemplate retaining her within the game. Cirie was not alone in this sentiment, as Cameron exhibited a peculiar inclination, repeatedly expressing a paternalistic attitude toward Reilly. It is worth noting that Cameron, at 34 years old, was only a decade older than Reilly, making his stance somewhat perplexing. Nevertheless, this dynamic can be understood within the context of societal tendencies to infantilize single women, as they are often perceived as lacking the responsibilities associated with marriage and motherhood. Paradoxically, being underestimated may prove advantageous in the game; however, Cameron’s insistence on Reilly following his lead could potentially undermine her agency within the game or complicate her ability to assert authority before a jury. Ultimately, Reilly met her eviction in the second week.
It’s worth acknowledging that such biases are not unique to the realm of Big Brother. A sociological study has revealed that young, single, professional women without children are frequently regarded as incapable of meeting leadership expectations akin to men and are often perceived as less communal or relational in comparison to their female counterparts. Participants in this study consistently ranked them as the least suitable candidates for leadership promotionswhen juxtaposed with single men, married men, and women with equivalent qualifications.
“Single Women in Big Brother 25 Face Fear Due to Their Sexuality”
If you’re a young single woman in the house, you might notice two distinct reactions – either being treated as someone to protect or as someone to fear. America and Blue seem to fall into the latter category. Cameron and Red opted to avoid them, unlike the partnered or LGBTQ+ women. Red even openly admitted to steering clear of the “pretty girls” to avoid any accusations of flirting, especially from his partner at home.
However, avoiding the single women wasn’t the only strategy. There were comments made about their clothing choices, and even accusations of America flirting with Cameron, despite her clear interest in Cory. Matters escalated to the point where America felt uncomfortable around Cameron, but the partnered women didn’t believe her claims, with Izzy suggesting that America enjoys gossip.
Red’s eviction prompted him to address his use of the term “fast” in the house, clarifying that he meant it in the context of being flirtatious with multiple individuals and using people’s actions to advance in the game. He asserted that his comments were not intended to be misogynistic, citing his role as the oldest sibling to three sisters, emphasizing his protective nature.
This dichotomy of protecting or fearing single women leaves little room for them to be treated as equals. Red explained his reluctance to befriend or align with the single women, expressing concerns about unclear boundaries and potential accusations of flirting. This perspective, however, perpetuates the notion that interacting with single women is inherently dangerous, ignoring the possibility of men in the house taking responsibility for their actions.
Recent seasons of Big Brother have witnessed discussions about whether men and women can simply be friends, with this season seeing Jared admitting to not having female friends. These conversations echo similar debates from the previous season. Notably, last year, Taylor Hale, a young, single Black woman, faced numerous character accusations. This season, similar dynamics are at play, albeit without the racial component. It’s essential to acknowledge that Blue, as a Korean-American, may face objectification and fetishization, a historical issue for Asian women in the United States. Meanwhile, America, who is racially white with Mexican ethnicity, may encounter the sexualization and fetishization that Latina women have historically experienced.
The fear of single women in the house is often linked to perceptions of their sexual freedom, overshadowing their identity as complete individuals. Studies have consistently highlighted double standards in sexual behavior between men and women. While some argue that the double standard of premarital sex nolonger exists, recent incidents, such as Jared’s inquiry about Blue’s past sexual partners, challenge this assertion. Blue’s refusal to answer and desire to protect her privacy were met with persistence, ultimately resulting in the pursuit of a showmance.
As America and Blue continue their journey in the Big Brother house, they find themselves in showmances with partners who hold more social capital. While this may provide some protection, it comes at the cost of relinquishing agency in the game. Moreover, it risks the perception that they lack agency, particularly to potential jurors. While victory remains a possibility, they face uphill battles due to preconceived notions about their age and single status upon entering the house.
