Rachel Lindsay made history a few weeks ago when news broke that she would be ABC’s first black lead in the 33 season franchise of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.
"To be the first African-American woman is a beautiful thing," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "I’m honored and humbled to be the one chosen. Because that’s how I feel: like I was chosen to be in this role."
The 31-year-old civil defense litigation attorney from Texas broke so many firsts on the previous season of The Bachelor. She was the only black woman to ever receive the first-impression rose, and she was also the first to land in Viall’s final three. For the die hard fans, it was obvious she wasn’t going to the final two because there would be no need for her own personal show next season.
Though production has yet to start on her season, Lindsay now faces the possibility of breaking another barrier within the franchise of she were to pick a black man as her winner. "That is a very common question that I get from black people," she said when speaking to THR at the taping of the Women Tell All reunion special, which aired this past Monday. "Honestly, I don’t want to go into this process with any preconceived notions or any pressures to do something for somebody else. I hate to sound selfish, but it’s my process."
She goes on to explain that the journey to love is strictly hers and whether the person is black, white, red, she’s not choosing a man for America for herself.
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Lindsay is prepared for any and all criticism no matter what she chooses to do but the plan is to rise above it and have her season be as successful as the previous ones with hopefully the most diverse cast ever.
"I’m hoping that as a black Bachelorette you’re going to get to see a more diverse cast, a cast that’s reflective of what America looks like," Lindsay said. "And not just Bachelor Nation or whatever else, but what America looks like."