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(CNN) - The franchise “The Bachelor” took a moment during one of its specials to address a serious problem.
Rachel Lindsay, who was “Bachelorette” from season 13, directed a small public service announcement about online hatred towards contestants and the bullying they sometimes receive.
"I feel you hear us talk about the hate we receive, but you have no idea what it is," Lindsay said during the "The Women Tell All" special on Monday on ABC. "The only way I can make you feel it is to see it."
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Then he shared some of the messages that women received this season of "The Bachelor", calling them "graphics", "explicit" and "shocking."
The messages moved both Lindsay and some of the contestants to tears.
“You are a stupid and emotional,” said a message projected on a screen. “Kill yourself. You are useless".
Lindsay, who made history as the first black “Bachelorette,” clearly had difficulty reading the comments aloud.
"I'm shaking while I read this because it's shocking, it's awkward," said Lindsay, who also hosts "Bachelor Happy Hour," the show's official podcast.
“I know it's awkward for you to see it. Just imagine how uncomfortable it is to get this in your comments and in your DM every day, every week, every month. ”
Franchise host Chris Harrison also intervened.
"Clearly, what we are talking about is not critical," he said. "This is hate."
All the women of “Bachelor” this season raised their hands when asked if they had received such messages.
Tammy, a 24-year-old house renovator who had some controversial clashes with other contestants while competing this season for the heart of Peter Weber, said she feared even picking up her phone due to the hatred she received.
"I was receiving death threats," he said. "The email of my work said: 'Hey, I want to buy a house', when in fact it was a paragraph about how I should kill myself."
On social media, there were some complaints from those who considered hypocritical that a program that often includes contestants who treat themselves badly among them will talk to the audience about bullying.
Alexa, a 27-year-old esthetician this season, said she had been criticized for her natural hair, but preferred to focus on the positive messages she had received from viewers.
"I received so much love and it meant a lot to receive messages from people who say it's important to have representation and thanked them," he said. “(Hate) is much stronger; You just can't hear that negativity. ”
Bullying
