Traitors - Black Contestants - WARNING, SPOILERS! (Title edited by MNHQ)

[Jimpson]

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Time and time again black contestants are voted out early doors on reality show. The latest series of the traitors has been on for 2 days and 2 black women have already gone. I even checked the statistics with AI:

Black contestants are statistically eliminated earlier in some reality shows, particularly Survivorand Big Brother, a pattern that has been documented in studies and fan analyses, often attributed to systemic bias or strategic targeting, with discussions on the topic growing as diverse casting increases. While some instances involve clear gameplay, many viewers and players observe a recurring trend where Black individuals, especially women, are targeted in the early stages, leading to deep discussions about racism, privilege, and gameplay within these shows.

Isn’t it about time that protections were put in place on these shows, to make it a fair for all?

Is anyone complaining that all the treacherous, not to trusted players are white?

Well I'm sure that's true @PinkArt but just seems to be a trend and the timing of it. Things discussed in MN and then they end up being big stories. I do think lots of journalists are on here.

Good heavens , PinkArt, well done for trying to cover all bases. Pity you’re just muddying the waters tho. To repeat something I posted way back on page 2 (ish) of this thread - there is no such thing as ‘unconscious bias’. A person may be bigoted against someone they know little about due to their stutter or false arm or religion or skin colour, and try to stealthily conceal the fact, but there is nothing unconscious about writing a fellow contestant’s name, face to face on a slate with a piece of chalk. Each contestant makes a decision on their estimation of the behaviour and demeanour of their fellow competitors, against a backdrop of wanting to win the competition- and cash - themselves. There’s no ‘phone-in’ by which folks may be able to hide behind their personal prejudices with Traitors. Enjoy the show, it’s great fun.

Lol. I do enjoy the show, hugely. I also work in the industry so it's impossible to watch anything without a work hat at least partly on! Even my dissertation was to do with how dramatic storylines are created on reality TV shows.
Unconscious bias - despite your personal option that it doesn't exist - has been quite a loud conversation within the industry for a while now. It'll be something the Traitors production team will have had a degree of training on, either on this job or another one.

Edited my post so it didn't come up on threads I'm on for people who haven't seen it yet.

Oh don't be silly. People weren't racist until "woke"?

That poster has gone on about "the woke" before, if I remember rightly. 🤣

That poster is likely to be the first to dismiss things like findings of systemic racism in the MET police or statistically significant greater unfavourable maternal outcomes for black women.
Nope, it’s all invented to make black people ‘different and privileged’. 🙄

I’m half black and agree with your exact sentiment.

The season 4 cast is mostly very unlikeable ugh, they give off weird vibes.

Things were improving - you've enabled Reform. And no I dont dismiss worse maternal outcomes for black women - which have, incidentally, improved a lot - but I dont believe focusing on racism alone is the way to deal with the problems. When you are blinded by racism you dont deal with other issues.

Turning a blind eye to racism certainly won’t deal with issues that are literally life or death to some people.
Maternal outcomes for black wonen have improved a lot? I suppose for some ‘a lot’ looks different than it does for others. Recent studies reported in the British Midwifery Journal found that there was a statistically insignificant decrease in the poor outcomes for black women.
So continue to peddle nonsense about enabling Reform while others will get on with trying to improve things for people disadvantaged by bias and racism.

I prefer to blame racists for racism.

Surely you’re not suggesting that poor(er) maternity outcomes for black women is the result of bias and racism …. ?

No I’m sure its all just a total coincidence that black women have worse maternity outcomes than white women, matching for other factors and however you cut the data. 🙄

That’s better ! You’ve had me worried for a moment 😅

Rage bait

They’re discussing exactly this issue on Radio 4 Woman’s Hour right now. From about 10.20am.

I’m just towards the end of the first episode. (I don’t mind the spoilers)

Haven’t read of all the comments yet but I agree with most of the comments I’ve read in the first few pages without even watching all of it. I’ve noticed this pattern on other reality shows so not surprised to hear all this.

It tends to be black women who get targeted moreso than black men from what I’ve noticed.

Maybe those black women who go onto a show called 'Traitors' need to not look at the host when she says 'Traitors' or mount other [black] contestants thereby putting targets on their own backs?

Yes I’d noticed that black participants tend to get eliminated first. And also hoped the bias was unconscious. Good unconscious bias training would seem at least part of the solution.

Even with those actions though there's still an argument about unconscious bias coming in to play. Linda turned her head at 'traitors' and somehow lasted for ages after. Judy did and was immediately out. Netty acted on instinct, rather than thinking twice about how that would look, and was murdered but Ross who was also part of the 'so they know each other' scenario lasted longer. In both, (rather specific but it's a small sample) examples it was the WOC who fared worse. Others have put targets on thier backs this series but are still in the game.

Spot on. Very good points.

Edited: And just to add as I said upthread, this is a pattern myself and many of us have noticed in other reality shows too.

So no, it’s not just about “one Black woman turning her head” when the host said traitors 🙄

What did Maz do that put a target on his back and got him put on the murder list twice and have an early exit?

definitely feeling very very very uncomfortable with the fact first three eliminations were people of colour..... haven't watched show before - is this a common thing? How to counter this? Should POC be given secret shields? Or training for whole group / every show beforehand?