01of 12Making a Good First ImpressionRick Rowell/ABC via Getty.Bachelor Nation was first introduced to attorney Rachel Lindsay from Texas when she competed forNick Viall’s heart on season 21 ofThe Bachelor.You could say that Lindsay made a pretty big first impression: she took home the first rose of the competition.
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Making a Good First Impression
Rick Rowell/ABC via Getty.
Bachelor Nation was first introduced to attorney Rachel Lindsay from Texas when she competed forNick Viall’s heart on season 21 ofThe Bachelor.You could say that Lindsay made a pretty big first impression: she took home the first rose of the competition.
02of 12Changing Things UpMichael Yada/ABCThe franchise broke with tradition when itannounced that Lindsaywould be the next Bachelorette while she was still competing for Nick’s heart. Traditionally, ABC announces the next Bachelorette or Bachelor after the season finale. On Nick’s season, she finished in third place.
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Changing Things Up
Michael Yada/ABC
The franchise broke with tradition when itannounced that Lindsaywould be the next Bachelorette while she was still competing for Nick’s heart. Traditionally, ABC announces the next Bachelorette or Bachelor after the season finale. On Nick’s season, she finished in third place.
03of 12Looking for LoveABC/Craig SjodinRachel had no shortage of men to choose from when she became the Bachelorette in 2017 — and madeBachelorfranchise history as its first Black lead.At the time Lindsaytold PEOPLE, “I’m happy to represent myself as a Black woman in front of America and I’m happy for America to rally behind me and see what it’s like for me to be on this journey to find love. Honestly, it’s not going to be that different from any other season ofTheBachelorette.“She added, “I’m obviously nervous and excited to take on this opportunity but I don’t feel added pressure being the first Black Bachelorette, because to me I’m just a Black woman trying to find love. Yes, I’m doing on this huge stage, but again my journey of love isn’t any different just because my skin color is.”
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Looking for Love
ABC/Craig Sjodin
Rachel had no shortage of men to choose from when she became the Bachelorette in 2017 — and madeBachelorfranchise history as its first Black lead.
At the time Lindsaytold PEOPLE, “I’m happy to represent myself as a Black woman in front of America and I’m happy for America to rally behind me and see what it’s like for me to be on this journey to find love. Honestly, it’s not going to be that different from any other season ofTheBachelorette.”
She added, “I’m obviously nervous and excited to take on this opportunity but I don’t feel added pressure being the first Black Bachelorette, because to me I’m just a Black woman trying to find love. Yes, I’m doing on this huge stage, but again my journey of love isn’t any different just because my skin color is.”
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Casting Controversy
Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty; Craig Sjodin/Walt Disney Television via Getty
In February 2021, Lindsay said on Reddit that she believed his casting was intentional: “There was a time where I truly wanted to believe that Lee slipped through the cracks but I now know better. I really think Lee was casted to add controversy and they also knew I would not pick him.”
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Bumps in the Road
ABC/George Burns
Of course, being the Bachelorette isn’t always roses and shirtless hot guys competing for your attention.
In March 2020, Lindsay said onThe Bachelor Happy Hourpodcast that she"got so much backlash for picking Bryan"as Kraus was the fan favorite.
06of 12Winner, WinnerAstrid Stawiarz/GettThere was love at the end of the tunnel for Lindsay, though! She gave her final rose to Bryan Abasolo, whom she alsogave her first impression rose to. Abasolo got down on one knee on the season finale.“It was like an out-of-body experience to hear the words that he was saying to me,” Lindsaytold PEOPLE of the big moment. “I blanked out on what I was saying — I meant it and it was from the heart, but it was just so surreal that it was happening. I mean we’re in Spain, we’re on top of this castle. I’m standing in front of the man of my dreams, and now he’s about to get down on one knee. And so the moment he did it, it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is happening!’ I couldn’t do anything but scream. Like that’s all I could do, I was so happy.”
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Winner, Winner
Astrid Stawiarz/Gett
There was love at the end of the tunnel for Lindsay, though! She gave her final rose to Bryan Abasolo, whom she alsogave her first impression rose to. Abasolo got down on one knee on the season finale.
“It was like an out-of-body experience to hear the words that he was saying to me,” Lindsaytold PEOPLE of the big moment. “I blanked out on what I was saying — I meant it and it was from the heart, but it was just so surreal that it was happening. I mean we’re in Spain, we’re on top of this castle. I’m standing in front of the man of my dreams, and now he’s about to get down on one knee. And so the moment he did it, it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is happening!’ I couldn’t do anything but scream. Like that’s all I could do, I was so happy.”
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Wedding Bells
Clane Gessel
After their engagement, the couple lived together in Lindsay’s hometown of Dallas before relocating to Miami in 2019. The pairmarried in Augustof that year in a ceremony at the Royalton Suites Cancún, choosing not to televise the nuptials.
08of 12Time for Happy HourCo-hosts Becca Kufrin and Rachel Lindsay.Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty ImagesIn July 2019, Lindsay became the co-host of the official Bachelor podcast,Bachelor Happy Hour,alongside Ali Fedotowsky. Former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin took over for Fedotowsky as Lindsay’s full-time cohost in December 2019.
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Time for Happy Hour
Co-hosts Becca Kufrin and Rachel Lindsay.Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
In July 2019, Lindsay became the co-host of the official Bachelor podcast,Bachelor Happy Hour,alongside Ali Fedotowsky. Former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin took over for Fedotowsky as Lindsay’s full-time cohost in December 2019.
09of 12Extra, ExtraNoel Vasquez/GettyAfter serving as a special correspondent in 2019, Lindsay joinedExtraas a correspondent in August 2020.
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Extra, Extra
Noel Vasquez/Getty
After serving as a special correspondent in 2019, Lindsay joinedExtraas a correspondent in August 2020.
10of 12Calling Out RacismRachel Lindsay (L); Chris Harrison.Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; Paul Hebert via Getty ImagesIn 2021, the franchise and its host, Chris Harrison, came under fire when Rachael Kirkconnell, a contestant on Matt James' season, was called out for past racially insensitive social media posts. The posts showed Kirkconnell — who has sinceapologized— dressed in Native American attire in costume and attending an antebellum plantation-themed college party in 2018.Harrison addressed the situation during an interview with Lindsay. During their14-minute, unedited conversation,he defended Kirkconnell, and said people should have “a little compassion” in the wake of the resurfaced photos and questioned the “lens” of 2021 compared to 2018.Harrison’s statements were met with backlash and he eventuallyissued a statement apologizing, eventually announcing he would be stepping away from the franchise for a period of time. In June 2021,he officially exitedthe franchise.Days after the interview, Lindsay said on her podcast,Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay,“I can’t take it anymore. I’m contractually bound in some ways, but when it’s up, I am, too. I can’t. I can’t do it anymore.“After speaking out against the host and condemning his actions, Lindsay was thrust front and center in the controversy. Eventually, due to the harassment that she received online, Lindsay temporarily deleted her social media.
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Calling Out Racism
Rachel Lindsay (L); Chris Harrison.Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; Paul Hebert via Getty Images
In 2021, the franchise and its host, Chris Harrison, came under fire when Rachael Kirkconnell, a contestant on Matt James' season, was called out for past racially insensitive social media posts. The posts showed Kirkconnell — who has sinceapologized— dressed in Native American attire in costume and attending an antebellum plantation-themed college party in 2018.
Harrison addressed the situation during an interview with Lindsay. During their14-minute, unedited conversation,he defended Kirkconnell, and said people should have “a little compassion” in the wake of the resurfaced photos and questioned the “lens” of 2021 compared to 2018.
Harrison’s statements were met with backlash and he eventuallyissued a statement apologizing, eventually announcing he would be stepping away from the franchise for a period of time. In June 2021,he officially exitedthe franchise.
Days after the interview, Lindsay said on her podcast,Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay,“I can’t take it anymore. I’m contractually bound in some ways, but when it’s up, I am, too. I can’t. I can’t do it anymore.”
After speaking out against the host and condemning his actions, Lindsay was thrust front and center in the controversy. Eventually, due to the harassment that she received online, Lindsay temporarily deleted her social media.
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Rachel Lindsay.Astrid Stawiarz/Getty
In April 2021, Lindsayannounced that she would be leavingtheBachelor Happy Hourpodcast after 100 episodes, telling listeners that she had been struggling.
“It’s been really, really hard for me lately and a lot of the things that we talk about on this podcast are also about taking care of yourself and finding your peace and protecting that peace and protecting your mental health,” Lindsay said. “And so for me, I just feel like I’ve come to the end of doing the podcast and I’m glad that I’m leaving on a high note where it’s the 100th episode, it’s such a big milestone.”
12of 12Telling AllPaul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan via Getty ImagesIn a June 2021 piece forNew York Magazine,Lindsay shared everythingabout her time with the franchise, from the light (the mansions are not as nice as they appear) to the very, very heavy (“I felt exploited.")“The franchise has spent 19 years cultivating a toxic audience,” she wrote. “They have constantly given it a product it wants: a midwestern/southern white, blonde, light-eyed Christian. Not all viewers are like that. MyHigher Learningco-host and I have divided it - there is a Bachelor Nation, and there is a Bachelor Klan.““Bachelor Klan is hateful, racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, and homophobic,” she continued. “They are afraid of change. They are afraid to be uncomfortable. They are afraid when they get called out.“ABC did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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Telling All
Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
In a June 2021 piece forNew York Magazine,Lindsay shared everythingabout her time with the franchise, from the light (the mansions are not as nice as they appear) to the very, very heavy (“I felt exploited.")
“The franchise has spent 19 years cultivating a toxic audience,” she wrote. “They have constantly given it a product it wants: a midwestern/southern white, blonde, light-eyed Christian. Not all viewers are like that. MyHigher Learningco-host and I have divided it - there is a Bachelor Nation, and there is a Bachelor Klan.”
“Bachelor Klan is hateful, racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, and homophobic,” she continued. “They are afraid of change. They are afraid to be uncomfortable. They are afraid when they get called out.”
ABC did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
source: people.com
