For affirmative action

In a forthcoming issue of Psychological Science, Erin O’Mara Kunz, Jennifer Howell and Nicole Beasley’s “Surviving Racism and Sexism: What Votes in the Television Program ‘Survivor’ Reveal About Discrimination” compiles statistical data of winners, finalists, and eliminations. It states that “Survivor,” a cerebral, outdoor competitive reality game, was systemically biased “in favor of white men, and against women of color.” Their statistical data reveal what many long suspected: In the earliest rounds of the game, racial and gender bias motivated players to consistently nominate Black women and people of color for elimination. While players were motivated to vote players of color out early, the elimination data also suggest those decisions were not motivated by a player of color’s intelligence or physical strength. After 20 years, 40 seasons, and 731 contestants, 15 “Survivor” winners were women, and 25 were men.

In summer 2020, CBS and “Survivor” agreed with Color of Change, the NAACP, and The Survivor Diversity Campaign to immediately create racially balanced reality TV casts. As a result, the next two seasons’ “Survivor” winners were women of color. To date, only five women of color became millionaires playing the zero-sum game.

CBS’ multiracial casting didn’t change in season 43. Six people of color and two white players, one with a limb loss, voted overwhelmingly to award the cash prize to a white male player over a white woman and an Asian male. Season 43 proves that CBS’ affirmative action and diversity inclusion measures did not harm white people or remove white men’s access to wealth or economic opportunity.

Ideally, state Sen. Dan Sullivan could model CBS “Survivor” executives with commitments to intentionally create multiracial and multiethnic safe spaces throughout the state. A racist may not consider this, but those who are committed to financial freedom, liberty, and justice will and do.

ANISSA M. RAIFORD

Benton