The Bachelorette’ 2017 Premiere Spoilers: Rachel Lindsay Asks Contestants If They’ve Dated A Black Woman


After twelve seasons, The Bachelorette franchise finally cast the show’s very first black lead. Rachel Lindsay, a 31-year-old lawyer from Texas, made history by being the first African-American bachelorette for the show’s thirteenth season. Lindsay is not only the first black Bachelorette, but she’s also the first lead in Bachelor history. In a new interview, Lindsay revealed that she would be having the “race discussion” with the contestants the first night.

Rachel Lindsay said that she’s honored to be the first black Bachelorette. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Lindsay said that she’s very well aware of that fact and will bring it up to the contestants the night of the premiere. The Bachelorette 2017 lead said that she would approach it the same way she did when she talked to Nick Viall about dating a black woman.

“With the guys, you know, if it’s something new to them, then I want to talk about it the same way that I [wanted] to talk to Nick about it: ‘Have you ever dated a black woman before?'” she shared.

Even though she was thrilled with what was deemed as “historic casting” on The Bachelorette, Lindsay said that she did not want her race to be the sole focus of the show. She explained that she’s not different from the former Bachelorettes, who went on the show looking for love.

“You know, it’s about me, too, but I don’t want it to be something that defines our relationship. But I think it’s something important to address,” she added.

That being said, Rachel Lindsay revealed that she’s open to dating people of all races. The Bachelorette 2017 lead said that she specifically told the producers that she did not want to limit the selection process to a specific type of race just because she’s African-American.

“I don’t just date a specific race. I date everyone. I’m open to everyone. I’m hoping to see a cast that reflects that as well, and I’ve told [producers] that,” she recalled.

More than anything, it’s the guy’s personality that draws her in. Lindsay said that she’s looking for a confident, funny man with good morals. The Bachelorette fans who are looking for drama this season, however, may be in for a disappointment. According to Lindsay, she will not be entertaining any drama, pettiness, or cattiness at the Bachelor mansion.

“I’ll just deal with situations as they come to me, so if guys come to me about a villain in the house, I’ll be aware of it, my antennas will be up but I’m not going to feed into it too much. That’s not my style.”

In the interview, Rachel Lindsay also shared that she received quite a bit of advice from Nick Viall. The 31-year-old shared that she was impressed with how decisive Viall was, even if it meant breaking hearts, including hers, along the way. Lindsay said that she also wanted to be that kind of Bachelorette and not let the guys hanging.

“He knew what he wanted to do and he did it, and I’m gonna take that with me into my season. I’m not going to toe the line or be indecisive when I make my decisions. When I know I want to do something I’m just gonna do it,” she said.

According to her, the former Bachelor warned her that she might end up getting more emotionally invested than what she thought would. Rachel Lindsay, however, doesn’t see herself following Viall’s footsteps and getting intimate with the remaining contestants in the fantasy suites.

The Bachelorette 2017 premieres Monday, May 22 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC. Watch the promo for Rachel Lindsay’s season below:

[Featured Image by ABC]

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