Rachel Nance was eliminated from The Bachelor on Monday night’s (March 18) episode and has since addressed the racist messages she’s received from viewers throughout the season.
After Bachelor leading man Joey Graziadei eliminated her following their Fantasy Suite date, Nance appeared on stage with host Jesse Palmer for the Women Tell All segment. In the emotional interview, the 26-year-old ICU nurse opened up about the hate she’s experienced online.
In a new interview with People, Nance admitted, “I was nervous to talk about it because I know some people feel uncomfortable when they hear that racism is still going on in 2024. But I think people need to sit in feeling uncomfortable because, how do you think I feel getting those messages?”
Nance explained she decided to speak out because she wanted to help others in a similar position.
“I thought for further people who look like me, who are going to go through what I go through, I need to speak [about] what’s happening and bring light to it because ignorance is not bliss,” she shared. “And I wish I didn’t cry as much, but I think you could really feel how much it affected me by sharing that.”
Disney/John Fleenor
She said one of the hardest things was knowing her family had to see and experience those hateful comments. Viewers met Nance’s Filipino and African American family during the hometown dates episode when Graziadei visited Rancho Cucamonga, California.
“To see hate after something so beautiful is disheartening,” she continued. “But hopefully we can do better moving forward and people can just be kind and just pick what you say. Think before you speak. It’s not that hard.”
Despite the hate, Nance is determined to continue representing people who look like her, especially now she is a reality TV star.
“Growing up as a mixed girl in Hawaii, there wasn’t many people who looked like me on TV,” she stated. “I’m very honored that moving forward, girls can say, ‘Hey, if Rachel can do that, I can do that. If Rachel can speak her truth, I can speak her truth.’
She added, “Being in an interracial couple, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s totally beautiful, and I don’t see why it should be an issue. And hopefully moving forward, girls who look like me can get that recognition, representation more.”
While the hateful messages were a negative part of the experience, Nance shared a positive of the show: it gave her a newfound confidence.
“Before I came into this, I didn’t have a lot of self-confidence. I just dated because I thought, hey, I don’t want to be alone,” she confessed to People. “And after dating Joey, he really taught me that I can get what I deserve and there’s someone out there for me. It wasn’t him, that’s totally fine. Whoever it is, call me up because I’m tired!”
The Bachelor, Mondays, 9/8c, ABC
