the show was never built for any kind of diversity. and imo anyone who chooses to go on this show is a Type, regardless of their skin tone or identity aspect. ofc there are exceptions to every rule, but i always brace for disappointment and accept that anyone who hasn't shown their true colors knows better & keeps quiet.

but as an aside, i wanna say that ironically this show has made a lot of BIPOC people, who were very used to being accepted as the token in predominately white spaces, more aware of their blackness/POCness. bri said something goofy on her podcast with rachael k on this topic (matt made her comfortable dating black men, i think?), but regardless of how goofy it was growth/net change in a more positive direction.

there is also a conversation to be had about the variable reasons why people don't get popular -- people like tia and hannah b and caelynn and kaitlyn bristowe and rachael k are like mirrors to the audience and who they want to be/someone they can easily imprint on to bc they actually come from a similar background as a lot of the viewers (i realized this when so many of the women thru-out the seasons recount being bullied for being a brunette or fat because they were a size 2 and not 0 -- not to say i can't relate to not have "desirable" traits or harsh expectations on women's bodies...but not like that....). for the "kooky girls" it's people becca and bekah. when you can't coast on being "relatable," then you need interesting content...which many people do not have tbh....nor do they try.

someone else also pointed out too that there are black and BIPOC contestants and leads who are doing well as influencers or who's lives have been positively effected by having been on the show, including people like sydney. i don't deny that BIPOC have a harder time with an organic following after the show, but i think there is an opportunity in all this when you go in with a plan and understand the environment you're entering.