On April 18, 2012, two African-American men who had unsuccessfully applied to be cast as The Bachelor in the ABC television program of the same name filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, under § 1981 and Cal. Civ. §§ 51, 51.5 against ABC. The complaint was filed as a class action, with plaintiffs seeking to sue on behalf of the class of all people of color who had unsuccessfully applied to star as either The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. The plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, asked the court for declaratory, injunctive, and monetary relief, alleging that they were the victims of ABC's racial discrimination. Specifically, the plaintiffs claimed that ABC has intentionally and as a matter of corporate policy refused to cast people of color in the role of the Bachelor and Bachelorette for all 23 seasons of the two programs.

On October 15, 2012, the Court (Judge Trauger) dismissed the case with prejudice on the grounds that applying anti-discrimination provisions to casting decisions would threaten the content of various television networks and their ability to target certain demographic groups and that it would chill protected speech.

On November 11, 2012, the plaintiffs moved to alter the judgment and to file an amended complaint. On April 4, 2013, both motions were denied.

Christopher Schad - 05/24/2012
Katherine Reineck - 02/21/2016


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