How did the reality show The Bachelor with Oleksandr Teren influence Ukrainians’ perceptions of veterans with disabilities?

The 13th season of the reality show The Bachelor, featuring veteran with a disability Oleksandr Teren as the main character, had a noticeable impact on how Ukrainians view this social group. This is confirmed by a study conducted by Gradus Research commissioned by Starlight Media.

Among viewers who watched this season, 71% said they considered veterans with disabilities sexually attractive — compared to just 52% before the project began. The research also showed that after watching, Ukrainians became more willing to imagine romantic or family relationships with people with disabilities.

Veterans with disabilities in the media: changing public perception

To understand how media content influences attitudes toward veterans with disabilities, Gradus Research conducted two survey waves: the first before the premiere of The Bachelor, and the second after the show’s finale. The study involved men and women aged 18–60 living in cities with populations of 50,000 or more.

Before the premiere, only 15% of respondents had regular contact with veterans with disabilities (several times a week), and fewer than half had such individuals in their close circle. After watching the show, these figures increased: 24% reported regular interaction, and 60% said they had veterans with disabilities in their close social circle.

The research also recorded positive shifts in comfort levels during communication. Before the project, only 34% of respondents felt comfortable in such interactions; after watching The Bachelor, this rose to 46%. Similarly, the share of people agreeing that veterans with disabilities can have a full intimate life increased from 68% to 79%. Meanwhile, the proportion who could imagine someone in their close circle forming a long-term relationship or marrying a veteran with a disability grew from 56% to 69%.

The study also documented a gradual rejection of negative stereotypes about veterans with disabilities. The share of those who disagreed with the statement that they are emotionally unstable grew from 13% to 22%. Fewer people considered veterans aggressive — 17% before, compared to 24% after.

Another metric that changed was willingness to watch media content featuring people with disabilities in leading roles. After watching the season, 90% of viewers expressed such interest, compared to 82% before the premiere.

The season’s main character, Oleksandr Teren, says that fighting stereotypes was his personal goal in joining the project. He believes the study’s results confirm positive change: fewer people see veterans with disabilities through a lens of pity or compassion, and more see them as strong, attractive, and full members of society.

This season of The Bachelor became the world’s first inclusive season of the franchise, which has existed for over 20 years.

The survey was conducted via self-completion of a questionnaire in the Gradus mobile application. The first wave took place before the premiere of the 13th season of The Bachelor on October 31, 2024. The sample reflects the structure of the population of cities with 50,000+ residents aged 18–60 by gender, age, settlement size, and region, excluding temporarily occupied territories and areas of active hostilities. The second wave was conducted on January 14–15, 2025, after the project ended. From the sample structured identically to the first wave, only those who declared watching the latest season were selected.