Charity Lawsonwalked off into the sunset on the finale of theThe Bachelorettewith an engagement ring on her finger and a tall dark and handsome fiancé,Dotun Olubekoon her arm. Besides being a picture-perfect bachelorette with Barbie-adjacent looks and a smile that could warm even the coldest heart, Charity dodged every curve ball hurled her way with a matter-of-fact precision that felt strategic. Bachelorettes from previous seasons have enjoyed being the object of affection for a twenty-five handsome eligible bachelors, but unlike her predecessors, Charity was extremely open to affection with all her suitors; kissing 19 of her contestants. Charity embraced PDA as a necessary part of the process even vowing to break the record for the longest kiss in Bachelor Nation history with runner-upJoey Graziadeiearning equal praise and criticism from social media. She succeeded in breaking the record with a four-minute and 26-second kiss, bypassing the previous record by a minute and four seconds. During the first few episodes it seemed quite possible the producers of ABC were working on a chapstick or chewing gum endorsement from all the smooching on each episode.
Charity Was Criticized for Excessive PDA
Uncomfortable with the role reversal,Braydena 24-year-old traveling nurse, voiced his disappointment in Charity making out with multiple bachelors to the dismay of his cast mates. Brayden was called out for calling Charity “classless” and was challenged to explain himself or be eliminated. He denied the allegations and apologized for the miscommunication and then proceeded to indulge in yet another passionate make-out session with Charity. He eventually went home but not before eliminating himself because he couldn’t assure Charity that he would be ready to propose to her by the end of the process. Ironically, Charity never had to defend herself against Brayden’s accusations because the other men were furious at his attempt to sully her name. Aaron, a 29-year-old software engineer was willing to throw himself on a proverbial sword for Charity’s honor, snitching on Brayden to both Charity and production several times.
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From the consistently problematic Brayden, to her difficulty in trustingXavier, due to his previous history of cheating, and Aaron doubling back after being eliminated, Charity remained unmoved in her declaration that the end result would be a proposal. Watching the final ten men interact with Charity was like watching the same movie over and over again. It would start with a great date, lots of compliments and a few make-out sessions, then each week like clockwork through lowered lashes and a soft tone, Charity carefully let each of the guys down. Her ability to deliver bad news while affirming each guy that their connection was real, just not real enough was epic. For viewers, it was difficult to decipher who Charity’s real connections were because her actions while sweet and feminine with each contestant, read very perfunctory and duplicated.
Charity’s Vulnerability Scored Big
Her soft persona ignited the protector in the men vying for her hand resulting in several cast members arguing over the opportunity to spend time with her. Through the men almost coming to fisticuffs, none considered Charity might’ve been less than genuine in her declaration of connections, a testament to how well she played the game. As the season moved quickly towards the finale and four bachelors, Xavier, Joey,Aaronand Dotun remained, Charity continued to play it cool insisting there were substantial connections with each man. She released Aaron first and then Xavier with such delicacy that both men were teary-eyed and left still vowing their undying love for her. Charity’s rejections went down so smooth, the men didn’t even register their last conversations as the end, resulting in Aaron doubling back after being released and proclaiming he wanted to fight for Charity’s love.
After tenderly releasing Aaron for a second time, Charity proclaimed she was in love with both men. During confessionals, she insisted the week would end in a proposal, but remained unsure which man she wanted to drop to one knee.
For Dotun and Joey, Charity’s equal parts vulnerability, affection, and gratitude script paid off in dividends with their loyalty and willingness to fight for her heart. The scenes with her family didn’t add clarity, instead, her mother shared that she knew her daughter struggled with indecisiveness and would need to overcome that character flaw. The finale ended of course with Dotun beating out Joey by a hair and of course, a beautiful heartfelt proposal that Charity readily accepted. The final good-bye scene with Joey was one of the most heartfelt inBachelorettehistory with her tear-soaked admission, “I can’t even imagine that this is the end of our love story,” is one of the moments that will no doubt be added to numerous promotional reels for the franchise.
But unlike previous seasons, not one contestant left with ill feelings or feeling that their emotions were toyed with. The men’s special featured 23 men still praising Charity as the perfect woman. Not even this season’s villain Brayden had anything negative to say about Charity. And of course after the ending was revealed, Joey showed up for the LIVE season finale with a visible broken heart but hopeful with the consolation prize of being the next bachelor.
Single Women Should Take a Note From Charity’s Book and Embrace the ‘Soft Life’
Charity proved casting producers struck reality gold when they selected her as the lead for season 20. In seasons past, Bachelorettes were a bit shy or apprehensive at the idea of switching roles and being the focal point of 10 bachelors, but Charity embraced the process more than some of her male predecessors. She embraced the definition of vulnerability in every aspect, showing and accepting affection from each suitor and even choosing several for overnight dates once she moved into the final episodes. Charity was the perfect subject to deliver what the audiences consistently pine for from this reality-based love story that’s spanned over twenty years. She represents the epitome of Bachelor Nation in its pursuit of a love crafted for romance novels and future television appearances. The possibility of a beautiful single woman being given the opportunity to meet 25 equally attractive members of the opposite sex willing to compete for her love is the stuffRomComsare built on but for Charity, it appears to be more than a fantasy. It was clear from day one that Charity was embracing the process in its totality and that she was determined to achieve her goal of leaving with the right man, and a happily ever after. Her willingness to take a chance on love in front of the entire world and to approach each bachelor as if he could be herPrince Charmingmade Charity’s journey unique, and it also could be what will make her journey more successful than Bachelorettes in past seasons. Immediate interviews with Charity and Dotun suggest the two are crazy in love and eager to start their lives together.
Reality television certainly offers no promises of lasting love, but if Charity’s ability to give love, receive love, and adapt to challenges are any indicator, she stands an excellent chance of getting exactly what she wants, again.
