When Jimmy Kimmel announced that Rachel Lindsay was the new Bachelorette, it was a big freaking deal. She was the first black Bachelorette — hell, the first Bachelorette of color at all. And Lindsay says she’s using the opportunity to change the show for good.
She said,
“I do think I can change the perception of the Bachelorette. And not just because of my race. I’m older. I might be the oldest. I turned 32 this season! And, you know, the profession that I have — I think a lot of women will be able to relate to me and rally behind me because there are a lot of us out there who have dedicated so much time to our career but are lacking on the personal side.”
She, much like everyone else, never thought in a million years she would be picked to star in the show.
But it’s clear that Lindsay wasn’t merely picked because of her race. She’s smart, bubbly, beautiful, and warm. But she knows that the fact that she’s a woman of color is high stakes for the show.
“I think a lot of people will tune in out of sheer curiosity. ‘What is she going to be like, is this going to be a different season of The Bachelorette?’ I honestly don’t think it will be. I’m not being, like, so pro-black; I’m just me, and I am a black woman, and I am representing myself in that regard.”
She added,
“I don’t know how to be anything but myself. Whether you say I’m too black, I’m not black enough, this is me. I hope people realize that my journey to love doesn’t have to be any different just because my skin is. I hope that they are open to watching me find love.”
The newest season of The Bachelorette stars Hannah B.
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