Jenn Tran opens up on becoming first Asian Bachelorette, ‘I really struggled…’

Jenn Tran reflected on her childhood struggles ahead of The Bachelorette Season 21 premiere on ABC Monday. The 26-year-old Vietnamese American is the first Asian lead on the long-running reality show. In a recent interview, Tran opened up on how she “never really had Asian representation in the media.”

First Asian Bachelorette Jenn Tran recalls past struggles

Tran made her debut on The Bachelor franchise in Season 28, which featured Joey Graziadei as the lead. Now, she is all set to star as the first Asian Bachelorette in the hit franchise's 22-year history. Ahead of her historic appearance on the show, Tran revealed her biggest struggle while “growing up.”

ALSO READ: The Bachelorette Season 21: Jenn Tran's 25 suitors, release date, where to watch and more revealed

“I really struggled with my identity in trying to figure out who I was and who I could become,” she told USA Today, adding, “To be able to be that role model that I was looking for when I was a kid, it really is surreal.” Tran, who is a physician assistant, also revealed feeling a “lot of pressure” for her new role. “I absolutely experienced a lot of pressure being the first Asian American bachelorette,” she said.

ALSO READ: ‘Hawk Tuah Girl’: Here's how much Hailey Welch is profiting off NYC appearances

“And I think that if I didn't feel that pressure, that would be weird, right? Because this is a very historic moment, being the first in 21 seasons. It's a moment that a lot of people have been waiting for. And it means a lot because we're working towards change,” she continued. She admitted, “I just never saw myself as a main character before,” adding, “The perfect bachelorette is just who you are to your core and being yourself.”

Nancy Wang Yuen, sociologist and author of Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism, said of Tran's lead role in the famed reality series, “To be able to see (Asian Americans) on huge reality shows that are watched by a lot of people, that makes a huge difference in how people perceive Asian Americans.”