'Bachelor,' 'Bachelorette' star Rachel Lindsay says hit ABC shows need to work harder to be more diverse

"Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" star Rachel Lindsay has put producers on notice that she's out of future appearances if they don't address the shows' perceived lack of diversity.

The two reality shows have taken heat for years because many say they haven't included a meaningful number of contestants who are races other than white.

Lindsay said as much in an interview with AfterBuzz TV.

"It's just all been so heavy, and I haven't been able to see the light at the end of tunnel," Lindsay said in an interview, referring to the backlash following the death of George Floyd.

More: Rachel Lindsay calls out 'Bachelorette' for lack of diversity: 'No one else looked liked me'

"This is a movement that didn't start, you know, yesterday or last week," she said. "This is a movement that started years ago as Black Lives Matter but decades ago with us just demanding our lives. It's just amazing to see that we have everyone's attention right now."

It's not the first time Lindsay has slammed the hit ABC show for lacking diversity.

“It was sad for me to look around the room and [see that] no one else looked like me,” Lindsay told Us Weekly last year. “It was sad for me to be the sole representation for women of color.”

In 2017, Lindsay became the first black woman to star as the franchise's lead in Season 13 – and has remained the only one since.

The popular dating show has been on the air for 15 seasons, and 14 out of the 15 leading women have been white.

The lawyer and ESPN host said that she values the insight from all of the women on the show.

"These were women who were open to a new experience and open to love," Lindsay said. "I loved hearing their invaluable insight."

Contributing: Anika Reed, USA TODAY

Follow Gary Dinges on Twitter @gdinges

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rachel Lindsay: 'Bachelor,' 'Bachelorette' not diverse enough