In Monday’s fourth episode of the Swiss edition of “The Bachelor,” a coming-out story grabbed headlines: 18-year-old contestant Julia from Lucerne told Bachelor Danilo that she is transgender. The 30-year-old, who on the show must pick from among 16 women, responded in a model fashion.
For her disclosure, Julia, the youngest contestant, crashed Danilo’s date with fellow contestant Coco. “For me, it’s important that this comes out now and not sometime later,” she said with a gravity that suggested more than just nerves — and Danilo’s first thought was that Julia might already have a child. But far from it: “I don’t usually talk about this openly. I’ve undergone a major transformation; I used to be of the other gender. I realized that very early, so I could change very early.”
Danilo reacted to this coming-out in a remarkably relaxed way: “So, to me you’re a woman, and that will stay that way,” the Bachelor said. He accepted her as she is — a “beautiful woman,” whom he even described as “super hot.” He showed his acceptance in the quintessential Bachelor manner: he gave her a very romantic kiss. And Julia swooned about “butterflies in the stomach.”
Coming-out can also lead to rejection
Not all heterosexual contestants respond so casually to such a coming-out: When, in 2022, the Trier-born Jess on “Love Island” told her chosen partner Adriano about her trans identity, he replied coldly: “That’s not for me, I don’t want that with a transgender — also because of children” (TheColu.mn reported).
Julia is, by the way, already the second transgender contestant on the Swiss “Bachelor”: In 2017 there was already a transgender woman named Daryana. Bachelor Joel sent her home in episode two — with the words: “I can’t imagine a future with you for personal reasons.” To the newspaper Blick, he also indirectly cited her trans identity as a reason: “I want to become a father, and that is biologically not possible with Daryana.”
