How an aggressively transphobic Bachelorette comment got past ABC is anyone’s guess.
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Us magazine reported that one of Rachel Lindsay’s suitors on The Bachelorette is coming under serious fire for the transphobic comment he made in his contestant bio, which then somehow got past ABC‘s editing and marketing teams and made it onto the website. The contestant? Hot firefighter Bryce Powers, who we had such high hopes for. The comment? When asked “What’s your biggest date fear?” Powers answered, “The chick is actually a dude.” Yeah, go ahead and cringe. The transphobic comment was later removed from the bio, but not after enraging the internet, because it’s 2017 and this shit just doesn’t fly anymore.
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Us also included ABC’s pretty minimal statement, predictably saying that Powers’ comment isn’t reflective of the network or Lindsay, blah, blah, blah. “This comment does not reflect the views of ABC, Warner Horizon or bachelorette Rachel Lindsay,” it read, with no apology or acknowledgement of the fact that putting trash like that on your website and then saying it “does not reflect” your views is kind of bullshit.
The comment sparked criticism from LGBTQ and specifically trans communities online. Previous RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Sharon Needles tweeted, “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.”
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
Others who weighed in included Emmy-nominated writer Jen Richards and comedy writer Alise Morales.
https://twitter.com/SmartAssJen/status/865382165487304705
https://twitter.com/fatlise/status/865687151899533318
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One look at Powers’ Twitter indicates he hasn’t taken responsibility publicly for the comment, but is anyone surprised? Here’s hoping he had to room with Lucas the whaboom guy during filming, because at least then we would know that some karmic justice occurred.
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