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'The Bachelorette' fans slam ABC show's producers for body shaming Devin Strader

'The Bachelorette' fans criticized the show's producers for exploiting Devin Strader's insecurities

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: During the third episode of 'The Bachelorette' Season 21, Jenn Tran deepened her relationships with the remaining contestants and organized a group date where the men were asked to perform a routine similar to 'Magic Mike'. The men were requested to wear costumes and perform for a live audience, as well as Jenn and host Jesse Palmer.

Before the event began, the men on the date demonstrated their seductive dance moves in front of professional male dancers and were then requested to remove their shirts. Some men were willing to dance, but others were hesitant. When they were informed they would be performing in front of an audience, they were caught off guard.

Jenn told the guys, "Listen guys, I'm not looking the best strip tease, I'm not looking for the best abs. I think what today is really all about is showing your personality and really stepping outside of your comfort zone."

When Jenn mentioned "abs," the camera immediately shifted to a full-body shot of contestant Devin Strader. As he engaged in conversation with his competitors behind the scenes, Devin opened up about his vulnerabilities and shared some of his insecurities with the group.

"I was a fat kid growing up. I'm going out there there's hundreds of people, I don't have abs, I don't have big biceps, like, I have a hairy chest," Devin shared.

During a confessional, Devin said, "I don't have the body for this. I'm doing what I need to do for Jenn so I'm not gonna walk away from a challenge."

Despite Devin's concerns, he put on a stellar performance during his time on the show, surprising both Jenn and the other male contestants with his portrayal of a "Dirty detective."

Shortly after, many fans took to social media to express their outrage towards the producers for the controversial date idea and the perceived manipulation by the show's editors. Many criticized the producers for promoting body shaming and exploiting the contestants' insecurities for entertainment.

An X user said, "The producers are so messy." Another user added, "They did NOT zoom in on devin’s body when jenn said she wasn’t looking for the best abs that was DIABOLICAL." 

A third user went on to say, "All jokes aside the male stripper group date is absolutely absurd. can you imagine if they made a group of women do this like it’s just insane that’s all i have to say." This was followed by a fourth user who quipped, "Please remove the typical men’s stripper segments. We are not interested TheBachelorette."

One user wrote, "Calling it now Devin is going to be one of the it guys in paradise. He’s funny, good looking and is getting the lovable villain edit."

A user said, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think any of us find these body-objectifying episodes sexy, funny, or entertaining. Every season there is at least one person who is VERY uncomfortable. This isn't a prude thing. I don't like watching people feel humiliated."

'The Bachelorette' Season 21 contestant Devin Strader opens up about his insecurities

During their conversation, Devin opened up to Jenn about the doubts and worries he had regarding his body.

“I worked really hard to change that, but I’d be lying to you if I said it doesn’t come up every now and then in my mind,” he shared.

'The Bachelorette' Season 21 contestant went on to say, “So that was another thing that I just wanted to thank you for was giving me the confidence to forget about myself in that moment.”

Who is Devin Strader on 'The Bachelorette' Season 21?

Devin Strader, originally hailing from Louisiana, is the proud owner of a successful freight company based in Houston, Texas. He founded F1 Freight Consultants in 2023 as indicated on his LinkedIn profile.

F1 Freight Consultants LLC is a comprehensive truckload and LTL service provider that is dedicated to meeting the transportation needs of a diverse range of businesses. With a reputation for excellence, the company serves as a go-to resource for all transportation solutions, managing a high volume of shipments with unparalleled efficiency on a monthly basis.

Before venturing into entrepreneurship, Devin served as the vice president of acquisitions at Shark Logistics, LLC from January 2020 to March 2023. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 2019. Devin is deeply committed to his work, takes great pride in his business, and is known for his strong work ethic.

Who got eliminated on 'The Bachelorette' Season 21 Episode 3?

In the third episode of 'The Bachelorette' Season 21, viewers witnessed the departure of three contestants. Aaron Erb made the difficult decision to leave the show in order to focus on his pilot training back home.

Meanwhile, Hakeem Moulton and Tomas Azzano were eliminated after failing to receive a rose from Jenn Tran. The episode was filled with emotional goodbyes as the competition narrowed down and the remaining contestants vied for Jenn's affection.

New episodes of 'The Bachelorette' Season 21 air on Mondays at 8 pm ET on ABC, and are available on Hulu the following day.