Andi Dorfman may be revolutionizing The Bachelorette. At least her cousin seems to think so.
Allison Yarrow, a journalist and filmmaker in New York City and Dorfman's first cousin, penned a column for the New York Times calling the reality star "a new breed of bachelorette."
Yarrow, whose mother and Dorfman's mother are sisters who are "very close," wrote about the star of the new season of The Bachelorette in a piece titled, "More Than a Bride, Someone to Emulate."
She highlights the ways that Dorfman, 27, stands out on the show, which has been criticized for its sexist portrayal of women and lack of ethnic diversity in the past. Based in Atlanta, Dorfman is a "sassy, sharp drug-crime prosecuting lawyer," and holds distinction as the first Jewish bachelorette. The brunette beauty also famously left last season of The Bachelor when she felt Juan Pablo wasn't treating her with the respect that she deserved.
"It's clear The Bachelorette has tacked in the right direction," Yarrow writes. "Today, America is a different place for women than it was more than a decade ago when the show debuted. Online feminism was born, women now outnumber men on college campuses and have infiltrated more diverse sectors of the workforce. Anointing a bachelorette who is willing to at once be the brand and subvert it — refusing last season’s seemingly narcissistic bachelor, leaving the show on her own — shows legions of fans that the pursuit of love shouldn’t come at the cost of self."
Yarrow, who called her cousin a "fresh new step" for the show, gushed to Us Weekly exclusively about Dorfman.
"Andi is gorgeous and smart," she told Us. "We knew that she was special but now America will know too. Andi is such a strong and ambitious person. She's goofy and funny [and] super fun to be around! It's so great to see her as she really is on TV."
"I think having a woman like Andi on The Bachelorette really reflects a change in how we as a culture view women," Yarrow continued. "For young women viewers it is great to see someone like Andi, who has a great career and can return to it soon; see her succeed professionally and still go after love."
While the writer didn't offer up any spoilers, she did say that Dorfman is in a positive place after the filming of her quest for love. "I have spoken to her since she returned," Yarrow said. "She's good! She's having a blast right now."
