After years of criticism, "The Bachelorette" has officially announced the first black woman as the lead, and she is so deserving.
Although we might still be trying to figure out who will win Nick Viall's heart on season 21 of The Bachelor ABC is already getting us stoked for the next season of The Bachelorette. The franchise announced Dallas lawyer Rachel Lindsay as the first black lead in the history of the show, and we are so stinking excited.
The announcement, which was confirmed Monday and has been teased by the creator Mike Fleiss, came as a bit of a spoiler as Rachel is still seemingly contending for Viall's affection on this season's show.
I have just received approval to make an historic announcement in the coming days regarding #TheBachelor !!!
— Mike Fleiss (@fleissmeister) February 7, 2017
It's unusual for the franchise to make the announcement of their next lead so early in the game, but after years of criticism over the huge lack of diversity, and Juan Pablo being the only other person of color to lead either franchise, we're totally on board with this choice!
Lindsay has been a favorite from the beginning, being the first woman of color to recieve the coveted first impression rose. The current season of The Bachelor was praised for having the most diverse cast to date (though still not enough for our liking!), and this next move is showing even more promise for the show.
So even though we already know it won't be Lindsay and Viall, we're 100 percent ready to watch the 31-year-old attorney find her own love.
On Monday night's Jimmy Kimmel Live, Lindsay made an appearance to talk about the confirmed rumors, and it seems like she has totally moved on from the heartbreak of not being on The Bachelor anymore.
"I'm looking for someone who's ready for what I'm ready for," she told Kimmel. "At this point in my life, at 31, I'm ready to find a husband, someone who's ready to start a family. Someone who can make me laugh [and has] a great smile… I am excited! I'm ready. I'm ready to find love."
Viall took to social media to share some sweet words on the announcement.
Lindsay is seriously the perfect choice, and we can't wait to watch the next season of The Bachelorette premiering on May 22!