A Sneak Peek of episode 8 for "The Bachelorette" reveals that Dean Unglert's hometown date with rachel lindsay will be an even bigger milestone for him than it is for her. The clip below is filmed in Aspen, Colorado, where Dean takes Rachel to enjoy the scenic sights around Aspen before going to meet his "eccentric" father. As Dean revealed in last week's episode, he hadn't spoken to his father in a long time because he wasn't the dad he was supposed to be, after his mother died when he was only 15-years-old.
"Bachelorette" episode 8 preview for Dean's hometown date
In the clip below, the pair rides ATVs around the back countryside at a farm. Dean says he enjoys being back in the fresh air, but the hardest part is still ahead when he comes face-to-face with his father again.
Hollywood Life reports that ABC's latest "Bachelorette" sneak peek shows the couple walking up to Dean's dad's house. He's a nervous wreck, saying in his interview that he hasn't spoken to his father in two years. “My father converted to be a Sikh of some sort, and I’m suppressing every single emotion that I’m trying to feel,” Dean reveals. His hesitation to see his father just before knocking on the door prompts Rachel to reassure him that she'll be by his side.
Dean requests tolerance for father's faith
On Saturday, Dean posted a message to his Instagram account asking viewers to have religious tolerance. In spite of their sharp differences, Dean is protective of his father's beliefs and wants others to have respect, too. He explained in his Instagram post that when he mentioned his father was "eccentric," he was "not referring to his Sikh faith or the turban he wears on his head." He wrote that he's not asking fans to "spare his feelings (or mine) but instead to be cognizant and accepting of the millions of people that belong to the Sikh community."
"The Bachelorette" contestant went on to say that although he and his father aren't close, he respects his father's decisions to live the life he's chosen.
Dean urged fans not to criticize his estranged father over his looks or belief because in doing so, people are "disparaging an entire faith and culture that includes millions of people." He closed with saying that he knows we're all "better than that."
Dean's estranged relationship with his father is more common than people know.
Many families know all too well how spiritual and religious choices relatives can upend their relationships.
Watch Dean Unglert's hometown date on "The Bachelorette" airing Monday, July 17 on ABC at 8 p.m., ET/PT.