Picture imperfect
Cosmo pulls cover of Bachelor contestant
A gaggle of women are gathered near a waterfall in Costa Rica, where suddenly someone far more powerful than Bachelor Peter Weber appears: the editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, Jessica Pels, who announces that the contestants will be modelling swimsuits with Weber. The best photograph will be featured on the cover of the March issue of Cosmopolitan, a bigger prize than the usual rose and immunity.
Pels announces that Victoria Fuller, who pulled Weber close for a passionate kiss during the photo shoot, wins the cover. But this episode was shot months ago. While this week’s episode was airing, Cosmo released a statement from Pels, saying it had pulled the cover with “Victoria F.” because of modelling gigs she’d done for White Lives Matter attire.
“It’s been reported that what she modelled for was actually a Marlin Lives Matter organization focused on preventing white and blue marlin from being overfished,” Pels writes, “which used ‘white lives matter’ and ‘blue lives matter’ messaging on its promotional shirts and hats.”
To Pels, it doesn’t matter that Fuller was modelling for an organization ostensibly aiming to save fish. “Both phrases and the belief systems they represent are rooted in racism and therefore problematic,” Pels writes. “Unequivocally, the White Lives Matter movement does not reflect the values of the Cosmo brand. We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, and any cause that fights to end injustices for people of colour.”
Pels’s statement noted that Cosmo had already printed images from the photo shoot in its March issue, which included an inset of Fuller’s cover. They chose another digital cover, featuring actor and singer Lucy Hale. A photo of Weber and Victoria F. still appears alongside the magazine’s interview with the Bachelor.
Fuller is a 26-year-old medical sales representative from Virginia Beach, Va., and was the centre of some awkwardness last week when an ex of hers, country singer Chase Rice, showed up to serenade her and Weber during their date.
Fuller hasn’t directly addressed the modelling gig, though on Instagram she’s noted that “there will be a time & place where I can defend myself, but for now I choose to wait.”
Nearly every season, there’s a Bachelor or Bachelorette contestant whose social media choices are highlighted as controversial. While Becca Kufrin’s 2018 season of The Bachelorette was airing, viewers learned through news reports that finalist and fiancé, contestant Garrett Yrigoyen, had liked Instagram posts mocking feminists, joking about throwing an immigrant child over the border and making fun of transgender people. Contestants do not typically address off-camera drama while the season is airing, but Yrigoyen released an apology for “mindlessly tapping” on “hurtful, degrading, and dehumanizing” posts.