This is a … call to action. Tyler Cameron, Seinne Fleming and Lauren Burnham are among the members of the ABC franchise demanding change amid the Black Lives Matter movement.
Bachelor Nation took to Instagram on Monday, June 8, to sign and share a Charge.org petition titled, “A Campaign For Anti-Racism in the Bachelor Franchise.”
“ABC and Warner Bros. have been producing Bachelor content for 18 years. During that time they’ve cast 40 season leads, yet only one Black lead,” the description reads. “This is unacceptable. As creators of one of the most popular and influential franchises on television, ABC and Warner Bros. have an opportunity and responsibility to feature Black, Indigenous, People of Color (‘BIPOC’) relationships, families, and story lines. The franchise, and all those who represent it, should reflect and honor the racial diversity of our country — both in front of and behind the camera.”
In addition to calling for the season 25 lead to be a black man, the petition is asking for people of color to make up “at least 35 percent of contestants each season,” a more diverse production team and more.
Cameron, 27, who competed on Hannah Brown’s season 15 of The Bachelorette, posted a link to the petition via his Instagram Story on Monday. Hours earlier, the general contractor fired back at a social media user named Joanne who wrote “all lives matter” on his most recent post from a Black Lives Matter protest.
“No s—t Joanne but black lives matter the most right now because they are the ones whose lives at most at risk,” Cameron wrote. “Here’s an example … I know you have no problem going for a walk around your neighborhood and have no worries at all. That simple freedom isn’t the same for a person of color.”
Rachel Lindsay, who is the only black lead in the history of the franchise, has been vocal since her 2017 season about the need for more diversity on the series. After declaring on Friday, June 5, that she would no longer associate with the show if progress wasn’t made, Lindsay provided suggestions for the network via her blog, Honestly Rach.
“Cast leads that are truly interested in dating outside of their race,” she wrote. “Stop making excuses for the lack of diversity and take action to rectify the problem; diversify the producers on the show to make your contestants of color feel more comfortable; and stop creating problematic story lines for people of color.”
Us Weekly has reached out to ABC for comment. Scroll through to see how Bachelor Nation is coming together for a change:
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