Former Bachelor star Rachel Nance shared her experience with racism from the show’s viewers in a personal essay, revealing that she had to block hurtful words on social media. Rachel, who is of Arab, Black, and Filipino heritage, wanted to showcase her culture on the show. Despite initial excitement, negative comments started pouring in after her hometown date episode aired, with people calling her family and culture barbaric.
Initially, Rachel tried to brush off the hateful comments, telling haters to “go touch grass” on Instagram. However, the attacks on her culture began to take a toll on her, especially when they targeted something her family was proud of. This led her to delete comments on her posts to shield her family from the hurtful words. Rachel had never spoken publicly about her experiences with racism in the past but decided to address it during the Women Tell All episode.
During the Women Tell All episode, Rachel received support from her fellow contestants, which made her feel loved and not alone for the first time since the hate messages. Despite her upbringing teaching her not to show too much emotion, Rachel is now ready to heal and speak out. She also shared that she is a two-time sexual assault survivor and is passionate about advocating for survivors and mental health in the healthcare field. Rachel mentioned that her journey on The Bachelor made her fall back in love with herself and her family.
Rachel emphasized that not being chosen by Joey on The Bachelor was the best outcome for her, as it allowed her to reconnect with herself and her roots. She expressed uncertainty about her future in reality TV but hopes to continue being a voice for silenced individuals. Rachel remains a full-time nurse and is dedicated to advocacy work for sexual assault survivors. She concluded by stating that she is unsure about what lies ahead but is hopeful that she can continue to be a voice for those who have faced silence and oppression.
