One of the most opinionated personalities in Bachelor Nation just stepped up to use her massive platform for the greater good.
During Monday night’s The Bachelor: Women Tell All reunion special, former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay was invited back to deliver a much-needed message to fans about the online harassment contestants face for going on the ABC show and how it’s gotten inexplicably worse in recent seasons.
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After the eliminated women from Peter Weber‘s season of The Bachelor hashed out their own interpersonal drama, the reality TV personality joined host Chris Harrison on stage to dive into the serious topic. She began:
“I’m never at a loss of words or opinions, as we know, but I’m really nervous right now. The issue that we’re gonna discuss today is sadly something that most of us have experienced. That’s online harassment, and it’s hate, and it’s so unfortunate, because people have become so comfortable being mean and meaner than ever on social media.”
Rachel continued from there and specifically called out the blatant racism she and others have been subjected to online. As many will recall, the 34-year-old became the first-ever black woman to lead the dating competition series during the show’s 13th season. Rachel explained she knew being the show’s lead “would be hard” but she didn’t expect for things to be as bad as they’ve been:
“I wanted to pave a way for women who look like me who hadn’t been represented in this role on this show. But sometimes I feel like my efforts are in vain because it seems to just be getting so much worse. And I feel like you guys hear us talk about the hate that we receive, but you have no idea what it is.”
Ugh. Just awful.
The televised special took a truly saddening turn as Lindsay began to read off some of the most despicable messages people have written. We won’t repeat them here but it quickly became clear those comments she referenced were not the kind of criticism one might tolerate from viewers watching a quirky reality TV show. Heck, even we poked fun at the silly drama and petty fights that went down this season, too. But nah, those were straight-up hateful and racist remarks that had no business ever being uttered or typed in the first place!
Rachel made sure to point out that distinction while reading through the terrible comments:
“When you’re bullied for the way that you were born or the color of your skin… that’s something that’s not a choice, and that’s something that you can’t change.”
Touching on why this was the right time to address the ongoing bullying issue, she added:
“I think people feel empowered that they can continue to say certain things to us. And if we’re ever gonna fix this problem, we have to acknowledge the problem.”
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A few of the women joined in on the conversation to share their own experiences, including Sydney Hightower, who recently defended herself online after people claimed she “lied” about being bullied and facing racism in high school.
“The things that I’ve had to go through in my life because of the color of my skin and because of where I’m from, I’ve had to be really strong. When these things are said about you and those wounds from your past aren’t… never fully closed.”
She tearfully added:
“When people attack you that way… when it comes to the point of attacking someone for who their mother and father is, and because of the color of their skin, that’s where it has to stop.”
Well said, and good on ABC for taking the time to address such a relevant topic that needed to be discussed. Sadly, this franchise isn’t the only one to be plagued with this issue in the age of social media we’re living in.
WATCH the powerful segment here:
Perezcious readers, do U think this conversation will have a positive impact on viewers?
[Image via Bachelor ABC/YouTube ]
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