We are demanding that The Bachelor franchise include fat contestants in their pool of hopeful singles.

Fat people exist. Fat people are beautiful. Fat people deserve a chance to find love. Fat people deserve social platforms and capital. Fat people are not punchlines or traumatic storylines.

In its 20 years on American television, there have been only two documented, self-identified plus-size contestants within The Bachelor franchise. They both went home on night one.

Let that sink in.

44 combined seasons, 1,100+ contestants. 2.

Diverse body inclusion in the arts & entertainment industry matters. This representation is one of many ways our society can and must tackle and eradicate violent anti-fat bias, which is rooted in anti-Black and white supremacist patriarchal ideology.

In its most recent seasons, as a result of great urging and pressure, The Bachelor franchise, ABC and Warner Bros. have made strides to be more inclusive in their casting practices. Yet they refuse to budge on their antiquated depiction of thin bodies exclusively. Their failure to include individuals of all body sizes, including marginalized fat bodies, is harmful, anti-fat, and racist.

Each season The Bachelor tells a large contingent of its fanbase they are not worthy of the fairytale or of being loved if they are over a certain size. People want to see themselves on screen so they can identify with the contestants and feel invested in their stories. Now is the time to expand upon the mirroring of a real American society, one that is not exclusively thin and majority white. Now is the time to start being inclusive of all bodies and all people, and not just on “night one.”

With this petition, Bachelor Nation calls on The Bachelor franchise, its creator Mike Fleiss, NZK Productions, Warner Bros., and ABC to take the following actions to stand against anti-fat bias in their show:

1. Cast a minimum of 5 diverse, fat people each season of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette

2. Give equitable, non-fat identity-focused screen time to the fat contestants

3. Choose leads who specify that they will date diverse fat people

4. Provide support to fat contestants, including on-set mental health professionals, inclusive wardrobe sizing, and mental health support to navigate anti-fat harassment from the audience once the show airs

5. Hire fat staff and production and incorporate fat inclusion training from fat liberationists

Join us in demanding change in The Bachelor's discriminatory casting practices. Sign our petition today and share it on social media! Don't forget to tag us @rosesforeverybody on instagram @roses4everybod on twitter #rosesforeverybody #fatbachelorinclusion