The BachelorThe “Women Tell All” special took an emotional turn when host Jesse Palmer welcomed season 28 contestant Rachel Nance to the stage following her heartbreaking elimination at the Fantasy Suite Week rose ceremony.
In addition to reflecting on her devastating breakup with Joey Graziadei, the 27-year-old ICU nurse took to the ABC primetime platform to speak out about the “hateful” and “racist” social media harassment she has experienced since the show aired. episode of Hometown Week and received a rose over fan-favorite contestant Maria Georgas.
When asked what life had been like for Rachel since the show, she revealed that the last few days had been “an emotional rollercoaster.”
“I’ve been getting a lot of hate messages as soon as the episode aired, a lot of racist comments towards me and just calling me the N-word or calling me Jungle Asian, all because I have a rose,” she explained. “I’m sad because my parents really enjoyed the Hometown episode and then to see people attacking our culture and attacking me… this is a whole new level. It’s just hundreds of people messaging me. “People made TikToks about them throwing up when we kissed, and it’s crazy.”
After her tearful reflection, Joey, who joined her on stage, said, “I want to tell you that I know how hard it is to talk, but by sharing it, you’re going to spread a lot of light on things that should be thrown away.”
Jesse took a moment to call out Rachel’s season 28 contestants and asked them to raise their hands if they received a hate message during the season. Almost all of the 16 women present did so, including golden bachelor assistants Kathy Swarts and Susan Noles.
“Despite all the love that Joey and these women have received, unfortunately there has also been a notable increase in hate on social media,” Jesse said. “Here’s the thing, Bachelor Nation: we love your strong opinions. But I think it’s so important that we lift up these women who are brave enough to be vulnerable and share their stories with Joey and with all of us at home. These women deserve our praise and not our hate.”
At the beginning of the episode, season 28 contestant Maria Georgas also asked viewers to stop harassing her fellow contestants and rivals on the show Sydney Gordon and Lea Cayanan, saying, “I mean, Sydney, the hate that you have been receiving. on social media has crossed the line, and it is something I do not approve of or respect at all. Read, you too. I don’t want you to receive hate. “That’s not what I wanted out of this, I wanted us to be good.”
After reuniting with all of his exes on stage, Joey echoed the call for peace, saying: “People need to remember how much courage it takes.” [for these women] being able to do what they did: go out and be who you are unapologetically and do your best to achieve it. “I should never receive hate.”
In a final message to viewers before leaving the stage, Rachel said: “I just want to remind people that we’re not just faces on a screen. We are not just women trying to find love. People are quick to be little keyboard warriors and walk away because there are no consequences, but we have to pay the consequences emotionally and mentally. Just be nice. Your words have weight [them]. The things you say sometimes really hit home. “Just be nice.”
In the grand scheme of the problems the Bachelor franchise has faced over the years, this quick cry of “Women Tell All” may seem like a small step for Bachelor Nation, but using the massive platform and a united cast of season 28 to condemn online harassment will be helpful. as a refreshing moment in reality TV history.
Tune in The Bachelor Season 28 finale on Monday, March 25 to see how Joey Graziadei’s search for love ends.
