'Bachelorette' Contestant Criticized For Transphobic Reply To Dating Q&A
"The Bachelorette” doesn’t officially kick off its 13th season until Monday night, but one of the 31 men vying for Rachel Lindsay’s love has already started off on the wrong foot.
ABC posted contestants’ bios to its website this week, and Bryce, a 30-year-old firefighter, has been criticized for how he responded to a certain question: What’s your biggest date fear?”
“The chick is actually a dude,” Bryce responded, per The Wrap.
The contestant invited swift backlash from the LGBTQ community, including comments from “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” alum Sharon Needles and transgender actress Jen Richards.
well ‘Bryce’ from The Bachelorette, my biggest fear is that my weird-headed Elven date turns out to be a transphobe pic.twitter.com/H5T1JDFOrF
— Bec Shaw (@Brocklesnitch) May 19, 2017
Bryce from the Bachelorette's biggest fear is trans women who are attempting to conceal their birth sex. I see why yer single, douche bag.
— Sharon Needles (@SHARON_NEEDLES) May 19, 2017
Dear Bryce, on behalf of trans women I can assure you: none of us want to date your bland preppy 1980's teen movie villain rhombus ass. xo https://t.co/VbcN4bya4s
— Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) May 19, 2017
ABC provided The Wrap with a statement denouncing Bryce’s answer. “This comment does not reflect the views of ABC, Warner Horizon or bachelorette Rachel Lindsay,” a representative stated. The network promptly removed the line from its website.
As Refinery29 points out, Bryce wasn’t the only contestant to display uninformed views about transgender people. Lucas, a man who lists his occupation as “whaboom,” stated that if he could have lunch with any one person, dead or alive, he’d choose Bruce Jenner (”dead”) and Caitlyn Jenner (”alive”).
“Would be a very interesting convo,” Lucas said.
“Lucas is fetishizing the experience of a trans woman,” Refinery29’s R.A. Farley wrote. “I’d like to think that Lucas wants to talk to Caitlyn Jenner in an effort to understand the trans experience. But I can’t help but think that’s not the case.”
Those missteps aside, Season 13 of “The Bachelorette” has been praised for being the series’ most progressive yet, with a black bachelorette and a more diverse set of contestants than ever before. The series returns to ABC Monday at 9 p.m. ET.
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When you're Jojo and your choices are Robby and Jordan. #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/R3NKblvIMM
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Me if I was #TheBachelorette and they flew me all the way across the world to put me up in a Marriott. pic.twitter.com/3zhrZo3tsc
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I'm impressed that the high-quality plastic they made Robby out of doesn't melt in the heat. #TheBachelorette
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— Mariah Garrity (@mariah_garrity) August 2, 2016
JoJo's mom is the Chris Harrison we deserve. #TheBachelorette
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When you literally have no idea why you're on this show #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/kHg4iZYhvw
— Jessica Goodman (@jessgood) August 2, 2016
If a man asks permission to marry your daughter say, “she isn’t a piece of property you stupid asshole ask her your goddamn self.”
— Ally Maynard (@missmayn) August 2, 2016
— Michelle Collins (@michcoll) August 2, 2016
Jordan is nailing his audition for generic husband who is poisoned in a Lifetime movie. #TheBachelorette
— Jill Biden (@JillBidenVeep) August 2, 2016
“She’s my best friend.”
“You’ve known her for six weeks.”
“She’s my only friend.”
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Im sorry but please dont ever let the food burn. Thats what i need to hear from a man. "I will never let the food burn." #TheBachelorette
— Becca Tilley (@beccatilley5) August 2, 2016
Let's shave Rob's face and give him a new hair cut and see how we feel about it in the am. #TheBachelorette
— Ashley S. (@AshleySpivey) August 2, 2016
It's hard to choose between two men but I recommend throwing your hands in the air and saying... #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/D9t2pIK9WF
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me when Robbie said I'm gonna be engaged when I walk out of there #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/e6GUADaKNB
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ROBBY: ok she's not smiling. She's crying. Better keep going telling her how much I want to love her for 1000 years
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.@JoelleFletcher Don't do it!!! #TheBachelorette
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I don't know a ton about dumping people but I'm pretty sure repeatedly saying "I wanted it to be you," isn't helpful. #BacheloretteFinale
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At least it wasn't me again .. #TheBachelorette
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Waiting for Steve Harvey to come out and tell us there has been a mistake #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/r5iYCY43UM
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another really huge night for American democracy pic.twitter.com/uPZhloiE2n
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TFW Chris Harrison suggests you invite your brother Aaron to your wedding. #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/hb7hdvEqLM
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Chris Harrison keeps plugging Family Feud. I LIKE THAT SHOW STEVE HARVEY HOSTS #TheBachelorette #AFR
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This season of #TheBachelorette summed up: JoJo- Best taste in clothes, worst taste in men
— Princess Problems (@PrincessProbz) August 2, 2016
Watching #TheBachelorette was exactly like a relationship: Hated it the entire time it was happening, missed it as soon as it ended.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.