Former 'Bachelor' Contestant Rachel Nance Opens Up About Facing Racial Bias, Filtering Hurtful Words

Bachelor s Rachel Nance Details Too Much Racism From Show s Viewers

Courtesy of Rachel Nance/Instagram

Rachel Nance, a former star of The Bachelor, shared her encounter with racism from the show's audience in a personal essay. She mentioned that she had to use a "safety filter" on social media to block hurtful words like "animal," "Asian," and "skin."

At the age of 27, Rachel was selected to be part of Joey Graziadei's season, which concluded earlier this year. She saw this as a chance to proudly display her cultural background.

"My dad is Arab and Black, and my mom is from the Philippines. I was born and raised in Hawaii, and grew up in a big, blended family that I absolutely adored," Rachel shared with Today. "During my hometown date on Joey Graziadei's season of The Bachelor, I let my family take charge and introduce him to various Filipino customs, such as traditional dances and a lechon feast."

Rachel initially had doubts about whether she was going overboard with the preparations for the date. However, she decided to push those thoughts aside because both she and her family were thrilled with the experience and felt incredibly proud. Following the airing of her hometown date on March 4, Rachel sensed that something was amiss. Despite making it to Joey's final three, she was ultimately sent home after their overnight date, which was broadcast on March 18.

Rachel began receiving direct messages on her social media, with people calling her "disgusting" and expressing disgust at seeing her and her partner kiss. She decided to delete these hurtful messages. As the show aired, her phone was flooded with messages criticizing her family, culture, and even calling her a "jungle Asian."

At first, Rachel didn't let these negative comments get to her. In fact, she responded to haters by telling them to "go touch grass" in a post on her Instagram Story.

Bachelor s Rachel Nance Details Too Much Racism From Show s Viewers

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The attacks on me didn't bother me, but what hurt the most was that people were attacking something my family was proud of: our heritage. The comments were really harsh. I ended up deleting any negative comments on my posts to shield my family from them, but it was overwhelming. They had already seen them.

Rachel revealed that she had experienced racism before but had never talked about it publicly. However, speaking out at the Women Tell All event completely changed things.

While speaking on stage, I could hear the girls cheering for me. Their support made me feel loved, along with the rest of the audience. It was the first time since receiving all those hurtful messages that I didn't feel alone.

In her essay, Rachel mentioned that her upbringing emphasized not displaying too much emotion. However, she now feels prepared to begin the healing process. Rachel also bravely shared in her essay that she is a two-time survivor of sexual assault.

"I realized that not being with Joey was actually the best thing for me. It allowed me to rediscover my love for myself, my family, and who I am as a person," she shared. She also mentioned that she is uncertain about participating in another reality TV show in the future. Despite any potential TV opportunities, she remains dedicated to her full-time job as a nurse. It's surprising for her when patients or people in the emergency room recognize her now. She is passionate about advocating for sexual assault survivors and promoting mental health in the healthcare field.

In conclusion, she expressed uncertainty about what the future holds for her. However, she hopes to continue being a voice for those whose voices have been silenced.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

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