Rachel Lindsay Says Matt James Becoming First Black Bachelor ‘Feels Like A Knee-Jerk Reaction’
Although Rachel Lindsay, the first black “Bachelorette,” was happy to hear Matt James became the first black “Bachelor,” she says she also feels like the move was a “knee-jerk reaction.”
Lindsay tells Page Six, “Congrats to Matt James. I am happy to see that a black man was cast after 18 years and 40 seasons. I believe it is a step in the right direction. I would be remiss to not point out that based on the current climate, it feels like a knee-jerk reaction and a result of societal pressure.”
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The 35-year-old continues, “This announcement, without any further commitments regarding diversity, sweepingly brushes deeper issues under the rug . Until we see action to address the systemic racism within the franchise, the casting news today is equivalent to the trend of posting a black box on your social media account without other steps taken to dismantle the systems of injustice. I look forward to hearing more about the additional efforts the franchise plans to make towards change.”
Previously, she told Good Morning America, “I want producers of color. I would like for them to cast leads that are interested in dating outside of their race that aren’t just getting their first time experience for the first time on national TV. I need the acknowledgment of that.”
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