Time for reality update
Petition urges diversity in ‘Bachelor’ series
Fans of “The Bachelor” are eager for more diversity.
A new online petition signed by more than 55,000 people urges the makers of the popular dating reality series to cast a black lead for the show’s upcoming 25th season.
The Change.org petition, which was launched this week by a group called the Bachelor Diversity Campaign, also calls for at least 35% of the cast to be Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC), for the contestants to receive “equitable screen time,” and for mental health resources to be provided to them.
Organizers note that of the 40 combined seasons of “The Bachelor” and “The
Bachelorette” that have either aired or been cast, only one has featured a black lead. Rachel Lindsay starred on “The Bachelorette” in 2017.
“The franchise, and all those who represent it, should reflect and honor the racial diversity of our country — both in front of and behind the camera,” reads the petition, which is titled “A Campaign For Anti-Racism in the Bachelor Franchise.”
The campaign calls for ABC, the network that airs “The Bachelor,” and Warner Bros., which produces the series, to carry out the changes.
Representatives for “The Bachelor” did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“The Bachelor,” which features a male lead, debuted in 2002 and has aired 24 seasons. The show centers on the lead finding love with one of the contestants.
“The Bachelorette,” which centers on a female lead, premiered in 2003 and has run for 15 seasons. Clare Crawley, a white former runnerup on “The Bachelor,” has been cast for Season 16 of “The Bachelorette,” which was set to premiere in May but postponed due to the coronavirus crisis.
Lindsay, 35, wrote in a blog post Monday that she would dissociate herself from the franchise if issues aren’t addressed.
“Yes, more diverse contestants do appear on the show now, but is the lead truly interested and open to dating outside of their race?” she wrote. “I think that is evident by how far their ‘journey’ takes them during each season. It is a naive expectation to believe that leads will authentically start an interracial relationship for the first time on national television. The sad reality is that people of color become placeholders as the token person of color to add some flavor to the second half of the season.”
The Change.org petition also calls for the series to apologize for “enabling systemic racism,” to hire more BIPOC employees behind the scenes, and to provide equitable compensation. It urges the show’s makers to vet potential cast members to prevent someone with a prejudiced past from joining.
Multiple former cast members have supported the petition, including Nick Viall and Nicole Lopez-Alvar.