The Bachelorette season 21 star Jenn Tran is making history as the first-ever Asian American Bachelor franchise lead, but the lack of Asian American men in her cast proves that the producers don't care about her. Jenn, a 26-year-old physician assistant student who's originally from Hillsdale, New Jersey, but currently living in Boston, Massachusetts, got her start on Joey Graziadei's Bachelor season. She made it to his Top 6 women, but he eliminated her right before his hometown dates.
Now Jenn is ready to continue her journey to find love during The Bachelorette season 21. On premiere night, she met the 25 men who could be her future husband at the Hummingbird Nest Ranch. Jenn made some connections, including with Sam McKinney, who received her first impression rose and her first and only kiss of the night. However, the lack of Asian American representation in the cast proves that the producers don't have her best interests at heart.
Jenn Tran Admitted That The Bachelorette Season 21's Lack Of Asian American Men Is 'Unfortunate'
Thomas Nguyen Is The Only Fully Asian American Bachelorette Season 21 Contestant
It's shocking that Thomas Nguyen was the only fully Asian American man cast in The Bachelorette season 21, especially since the producers have made such a big deal out of Jenn being the first Asian American lead. On premiere night, Jenn bonded with Thomas about their Vietnamese culture, proving that more Asian American men in the cast would have been good for her. In an interview with Glamour, Jenn admitted that she wished that there were more men in her cast who came from her same culture and background.
"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."
Jenn said, "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." Jenn continued, "Asian men haven’t always seen themselves in this position, and I am hoping that me being here and Thomas N. being there, that the both of us can inspire other Asian men to realize that they can do this too if they want. They can be in this position as well. I’m hoping that it inspires them."
For years, Bachelor Nation has hoped for more Asian American representation in the franchise. Jenn becoming the star is a step in the right direction, but the fact that the producers finally cast an Asian American lead with only one contestant from her background is inexcusable. Jenn should have had more Asian American men in her cast, and her comments about the casting process prove that it wasn't her decision to exclude them from her cast.
Jenn &Thomas Bonded About Their Vietnamese Backgrounds
Jenn Was Glad To Have That Moment With Thomas
During The Bachelorette season 21 premiere, Jenn and Thomas had a lovely conversation about their Vietnamese backgrounds. They spoke about growing up with immigrant parents, and how much their mothers sacrificed for them. Jenn's mother gave up medical school, while Thomas' left pharmaceutical school in order to give their children better lives. They bonded about how their parents sacrificed their dreams for their children's dreams. In Jenn's confessional, she said that Thomas saw a different side of her that not a lot of people can see, and that touched a really special place in her heart.
In her Glamour interview, Jenn spoke about her talk with Thomas, calling it one of her favorite conversations. She shared that she thinks back to it often because it's not every day that she has the chance to bond with somebody about their "immigrant parents, and you get to connect with somebody on that level because not everybody can understand that."
"Being a child of immigrant parents is something that not everybody can understand."
Jenn added that it was "a really special conversation for me because he really understood where I was coming from, and my family means everything to me."Jenn explained that knowing that her parents immigrated to America to give her a better life and made sacrifices for her gives her an "internal battle" about giving back to them "in everything and every way that I could but still trying to be independent." She explained, "being a child of immigrant parents is something that not everybody can understand."Jenn added that her conversation with Thomas "really meant the world."
It's sad that Jenn only had the opportunity to have a conversation like this with Thomas. While she obviously can date men from different cultures and backgrounds, the fact that she pointed out her talk with Thomas as one of the highlights of her first night proves that she would've benefited from having more men from her culture in her cast. Jenn bonded with Thomas on a deeper level because they truly understood each other. If the Bachelorette producers were really committed to bringing more Asian American representation to the franchise, then they would have cast more Asian American men.
The Bachelorette Season 21 Producers Confessed That They Made A Mistake
There's No Excuse For The Lack Of Asian American Representation In The Bachelorette Season 21 Cast
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, The Bachelorette producer Bennett Graebner took responsibility for the lack of Asian representation in Jenn's cast, confirming that it wasn't Jenn's choice in the process. He said, "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. We're not saying it will solve and fix everything. But it is a step."
"That's on us. We didn't do what we needed to do."
While it's true that Jenn being cast in the lead role is important for Asian American representation in the franchise, it should've been obvious to the producers that the contestants that they were casting didn't include enough Asian men. Bennett's comments make Jenn's casting appear like a box being checked to meet a quota, rather than a sincere attempt to represent an Asian American love story on television. Some fans have speculated that these men were originally cast for a different lead, including runner-up Daisy Kent, who turned down the role. However, it doesn't matter. Once Jenn was cast, the group of contestants should've been adjusted for her.
The Bachelorette season 21 producers really dropped the ball when it came to casting Jenn's season. While her 25 contestants might be wonderful, there should've been more Asian American men in the cast. Premiere night showed that some of the men might not be there for the right reasons, so their casting proves even more that the producers cared less about Jenn and more about casting men who would create drama and buzz. The producers were wrong for casting Jenn in her history-making turn as the first Asian American star of The Bachelorette season 21, but then excluding Asian American men from the cast.
