Filipino American ‘The Bachelor’ contestant reveals ‘racist’ viewer abuse
By Ryan General
Rachel Nance, a contestant of Filipino and Black descent on “The Bachelor” Season 28, spoke out against the surge of racist and hateful messages directed at her following her elimination during the “Women Tell All” special last week.
Key points:
- Nance, a 26-year-old ICU nurse from Hawaii, revealed that after being eliminated, she endured hateful comments about her interracial background from fans of the show.
- Addressing the online hate, host Jesse Palmer emphasized the need to uplift and support the contestants who bravely share their stories.
- Other contestants, including Maria Georgas, expressed solidarity and denounced the harassment targeted at fellow contestants Sydney Gordon and Lea Cayanan.
- Bachelor Joey Graziadei echoed the sentiment, highlighting the courage it takes for contestants to open up and calling for an end to online hate.
The details:
- Nance, whose mother is Filipino American and father is Black, spoke emotionally about her time on the show. She shared that since getting the rose, people online started calling her the “N-word” or “Jungle Asian.”
“I’m sad because my parents really enjoyed the Hometown episode and then for them to just see people attacking our culture and attacking me…this is a whole new level. It’s just hundreds of people messaging me stuff. People made TikToks about them throwing up when we were kissing, and it’s just insane.”
- In response to Nance’s tearful revelation, Graziadei consoled her and said, “I want to tell you I know how hard that is to talk through, but by sharing that, you’re going to spread so much light on things that should be shed.”
- Earlier in the episode, Georgas condemned the online harassment directed at fellow contestants, urging viewers to stop the hate and promote positivity.
- When Palmer asked the female contestants whether they’d received hateful messages online, the majority of them, including Golden Bachelor alums, raised their hands. Palmer highlighted the rise in hate on social media and called on Bachelor Nation to support the contestants rather than perpetuate negativity.
- In her final message, Nance reminded viewers that they are not just “faces on a screen” or “women trying to find love.” She then urged people to “just be kind.”
About the show:
- Previous seasons of “The Bachelor” franchise, including the 25th season featuring Matt James, have similarly faced race-based controversies and instances of online harassment directed at contestants.
- “The Bachelor” Season 28, which premiered on Jan. 22, aired its finale on Monday, March 25.
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