Jenn Tran is expressing her disappointment over the lack of Asian American men on her upcoming season of "The Bachelorette."
Tran made history in March when she was named the first Asian American "Bachelorette" after winning fans' hearts as a contestant on Joey Graziadei's season of "The Bachelor."
“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,” she told Glamour ahead of her season of the ABC dating competition, which premieres July 8.
“Asian men haven’t always seen themselves in this position, and I am hoping that me being here and (contestant) 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," she added.
Like "The Bachelor," the "Bachelorette" spinoff, which premiered in 2003, has been criticized over the years for its lack of diversity. It took until 2017 for the show to feature its first Black lead, Rachel Lindsay.
Tran, who grew up the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants in New Jersey, described bonding with contestant Thomas N. over their shared Asian American background during one on-air chat.
"That was a really special conversation for me because he really understood where I was coming from, and my family means everything to me," said Tran. "Knowing that my parents immigrated over here to give me a better life, the sacrifices that they made, and the internal battle that I have with giving back to them in everything and every way that I could but still trying to be independent ... being a child of immigrant parents is something that not everybody can understand."
Tran described to Glamour how powerful it was for her to realize she was the "first choice" for the 25 contestants competing for her heart.
"I grew up in a very mainly white suburban town, and so I’ve always felt like the other. I was a minority. I never felt like I fit in," she explained. "Growing up, I never really felt like I was anybody’s first choice because I was unique in my own way, and I didn’t always see it as a strength or a superpower. I always wanted to shy away from it and be like everybody else.
"But I’ve come to a point in my life now where I’m so proud of who I am and where I come from, and I’m excited to be able to share that with everybody," she added. "But yeah, in that moment, it was really heartwarming for me because I’ve never felt like I have been wanted in that way."
Tran also said she understands how important it is for Asian American viewers to finally see someone who looks like them.
“Any time anyone comes up to me and they’re like, ‘I’ve been waiting for this moment …’ I know how much it means, because growing up, it’s hard when you don’t have any representation,” she said.
“It’s like, Okay, I’m doing this for a reason, and everybody understands how I’m feeling and I understand how you’re feeling.”
