‘Bachelorette’ alum demands show cast transgender lead

Article content

A former contestant on The Bachelorette wants a transgender lead for the reality TV franchise.

Article content

Josh Seiter, who came out as transgender in May and now identifies as a woman, believes the dating show should better reflect the diversity of today’s society.

“America is changing,” Seiter, who uses she/her pronouns, told the Daily Mail.

“It’s not just a bunch of middle-aged cis white people anymore, and the LGBTQIA community makes up a large portion of our country now. Yet we’ve seen zero representation for trans women and men on the franchise,” she explained.

While Seiter lauded the casting of current Bachelorette Jenn Tran and Grant Ellis in the next season of The Bachelor, she still thinks the network can do better.

“How is the show a staple of Americana and our broader culture if they are leaving out the same individuals that make this country so unique and vibrant?” Seiter asked.

Article content

Article content

Article content

“I mean, it’s good they’ve decided to finally cast an Asian woman (Tran) and Black man (Ellis) as leads recently, but where are the trans women and trans men on the show?”

Seiter continued: “There’s so many young trans individuals who don’t see any representation when they turn on the television and I think that’s a shame.”

She added: “Shows with cultural influence like The Bachelor can do so much to make young trans people feel seen and heard, but they have yet to do it.”

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Seiter, now an OnlyFans creator, said that she wouldn’t mind stepping into the role of the first transgender Bachelorette if producers wanted to make it happen.

“I’m not saying I need to be the first female trans lead, although, given the fact my Instagram is one of the most popular pages online and has millions of hits per week, we know the ratings would go up if I was cast in that role,” she said.

Article content

“(The franchise) has so much power, and with that power should come a certain responsibility to represent all people in their storylines; not just average-looking white people with questionable plastic surgery.”

Article content

Seiter first announced her intention to transition in an open letter on Instagram.

“I have struggled with my gender identity — and resulting feelings of guilt and shame — for as long as I can remember,” the Bachelorette alum wrote at the time.

“However, I no longer want to hide who I am, and I no longer want to deal with the mental turmoil that comes with suppressing such an important (part) of me.”

She added: “I simply ask that you accept me now, just as you did before.”

Seiter competed in Season 11 of The Bachelorette, vying for Kaitlyn Bristowe’s heart — but was eliminated in Week 1.

Article content