Jenn Tran can’t stop thinking about being the first Asian American lead in the history of “The Bachelor” franchise — not that she wants to.
“I think about it every day, all the time. I think if I pushed it aside, that would be such a dishonor to me in who I am because being Asian American, that’s me,” the 26-year-old aspiring physician assistant told The Associated Press.
A Vietnamese American woman reigning over Bachelor Nation marks a significant moment for the reality TV dating behemoth. Historically, fewer roses on “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” have gone to contestants of color. Those that were handed out often came with plenty of thorns, including racist social media commentary.
Tran’s season debuts Monday on ABC, but it’s already received criticism for having few suitors of Asian descent.
Still, Tran — who made it to the final six in the last “Bachelor” season starring Joey Graziadei — is embracing her unconventional search for love as an opportunity to share her bicultural upbringing.
