BACHELORETTE fans praised Katie Thurston and Andrew Spencer’s “important” talk about interracial dating after last season’s racism scandal involving Chris Harrison.
On tonight’s episode of the ABC series, the couple got into an intimate conversation about their past dating lives with struck a chord with viewers who said the show has come “a long way.”
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Katie, 30, chose to give tonight’s second one-on-one of the episode to Andrew – who flashed a huge smile as he ran up to his girlfriend.
The pair then had a Q&A themed date – answering detailed questions tucked into envelopes before heading off to a romantic candlelit dinner.
When talking to the 26-year-old, Katie immediately felt a bond over having similar home lives – with neither of their parents having healthy marriages growing up.
Andrew revealed his dad has been “locked up” since he was six-years-old, and he turned to sports to stay out of trouble.
The topic then changed to dating – and Andrew revealed he had concerns over an interracial relationship with Katie due to partners from his past.
At the dinner table, he said in a serious tone: “I am a Black man and you are a white woman.
“There’s things that people look at differently. I had an ex who was concerned about what our children would look like.
“And I knew her, I knew her heart, she wasn’t trying to be racist. She was concerned with people coming up to her at the grocery store and thinking those weren’t her kids.”
Katie began to choke up as tears swelled in her eyes, clearly touched by the story she was just told.
“That breaks my heart to hear that you experienced that. I feel so naive as a white woman of the struggles that you experience as a Black man.
“Especially a Black man trying to date a white woman,” she responded back.
She then proclaimed that she does “not give a f**k” about what anyone thinks about the racial dynamic of their relationship.
Though they both understood there would be potential obstacles in their way, they decided they were both up for handling whatever comes their way together before he was awarded a rose.
After last season’s racism scandal with host Chris and Matt James contestant, Rachael Kirkconnel, many fans felt this conversation was important and long overdue.
“That was a beautiful and creative date. And thank you for keeping in Andrew S’s conversation about race,” one admirer tweeted.
Another said of the ex host: “Andrew S talking about race and the importance of it! I love hit because that’s a real question that has real emotion and stigma.
“Chris woulllddd NEVERRRRR let that be aired. Lol!”
“Andrew S and Katie giving #BachelorNation the template for discussing race within dating on The Bachelorette,” a third insisted.
Another gushed: “I’m so glad we got to see Andrew S and Katie talking about race.”
“Wow another honest conversation about race between Andrew and Katie – I did not expect this from this episode,” a fan insisted.
While one more quipped: “Chris Harrison fans Watching Andrew S and Katie discussing race and interracial couples.”
Chris was fired from the franchise earlier this year over remarks he made about Rachael’s involvement at an Antebellum-themed plantation party.
The longtime host received mass backlash for the way he spoke of how the series handles race – and the show as a whole had many viewers outraged.
