Tuesday, July 18, 2017

How ‘The Bachelorette’ showed millions a different side of the Sikh faith

What happens when America’s best-known dating show meets one of its most-misunderstood religions?
“The Bachelorette” brought Sikhs into the spotlight Monday night. One of the finalists took Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay home to meet his estranged dad, a yogi and convert to the minority faith. People who identify as Sikh make up just a fraction of 1 percent of the population.
Sikh fans were nervous about the portrayal, which was teased in promotions as part of the drama between contestant Dean Unglert and his father, who he says emotionally abandoned him and became “eccentric” after his mother died. Before the episode, Dean took to Instagram with a heartfelt call for religious understanding.
“I’m asking for a favor: when I said my father was eccentric, I was not referring to his Sikh faith or the turban he wears on his head,” he wrote. “I’m not asking you to spare his feelings (or mine) but instead to be cognizant and accepting of the millions of people that belong to the Sikh community.”
with thanks : washingtonpost : LINK : for detailed News Story. Must read.

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