Jenn Tran is the star of The Bachelorette Season 21 and has become the first Asian-American lead in the show’s history. Tran, an American woman of Vietnamese descent, appeared on Joey Graziadei’s season of The Bachelor where she was eliminated in Week 7, just before Joey’s hometown dates.
More than a Milestone
I feel so, so grateful and so honoured to be the first Asian Bachelorette in this franchise,
Her casting signifies both a step forward for diversity and highlights the challenges regarding the representation of Asian men in reality TV.
Tackling Stereotypes and Representation
In her interview with Glamour magazine, Tran touched on the casting issues, saying, I can’t really speak to the casting process and the decisions that were made, but it is unfortunate that there weren’t a lot of Asian men this season.
This isn’t just an issue noted by fans; producer Bennett Graebner also voiced his thoughts: No one told me we couldn’t.
Despite the challenges, Jenn sees her role as an opportunity to inspire others. She expressed, I’ve always wanted to see Asian representation on TV and I feel like it was really sparse.
A Bond Over Similar Upbringings
During the season, Jenn formed a connection with a contestant who shared a similar background. She stated, It’s not every day that you get to bond with somebody on your immigrant parents. That was a really special conversation for me because he really understood where I was coming from.
A Show Moving Towards Inclusivity
The Bachelor franchise has been criticized for lacking diversity over the years. Bennett Graebner has openly acknowledged these shortcomings: That’s on us. We didn’t do what we needed to do… Our hope is that they will see Jenn and realize this is a safe space… But it is a step.
Pride and Representation
With her family’s sacrifices in mind, Jenn embraces her role with pride: But I’ve come to a point in my life now where I’m so proud of who I am and where I come from, and I’m excited to be able to share that with everybody.
