Serene Russell is showing she has fellow Bachelor Nation member Rachel Nance’s back after the season 28 contestant received racist hate.
“It’s so sad because when you’re in this position you have a lot to process anyways — it’s hard [to] understand the magnitude of what the regular experience is like — let alone being racially and culturally attacked,” Serene, 28, wrote via her Instagram Story on Tuesday, March 19. “Sharing your innermost thoughts and feelings knowing the world will see it is incredibly difficult — it’s insane that we are still dealing with this disproportionate prejudice in 2024.”
Serene first appeared on Clayton Echard’s season 26 of The Bachelor and went on to get engaged to now-ex Brandon Jones on season 8 of Bachelor in Paradise. She noted she’s “so proud” of Rachel, 26, “for being willing to speak on this important matter even though it’s cast a shadow over her entire experience.”
“While addressing this so people can (hopefully) learn / letting Rachel process this is important; let’s remember that there is so much more to her as a human than the things people said to her when we see her in the future,” Serene said, adding that her heart goes out to Rachel and her family. “No one should have to experience this.”
Alongside the message, Serene reposted a clip of Rachel from the Women Tell All on Monday, March 18. During the episode, Rachel became emotional while recalling the racist hate she has received after Joey Graziadei gave her a rose over Maria Georgas.
“I’ve just been getting a lot of hateful messages as soon as the episode aired,” Rachel said through tears. “A lot of racist comments towards me, calling me the N-word, calling me Jungle Asian, all because I got a rose. It’s just been very frustrating.”
After the Women Tell All taping, Us Weekly asked Rachel about the backlash.
“You have to think about it in this way: we’re exhausted at these ceremonies, right? And we all understand that we’re tired. So if you see the interaction, Maria and I, we’re fine. We kissed when I left and it was all good,” Rachel replied. “It was a valid question in my opinion. I think we’re all nervous going into the ceremony, and she was also valid to pull him. So you can do whatever you want in this world, and I do think it’s sad that I was getting some heat for that, but I said what I said and I’m not going to cower away from that. And Maria was fine with what I said.”
After fantasy suite week, Rachel didn’t receive a rose from Joey, making his final two contestants Kelsey Anderson and Daisy Kent.
The Bachelor concludes on ABC Monday, March 25, at 8 p.m. ET.
