Love Is Blind season 9 participant Anna Yuan has reacted to a wave of public comments regarding her appearance.
“Hello everyone, just a reminder that I am human,” Anna, 28, shared on her Instagram Stories on Thursday, October 2. “A human who has invested her life in making other women feel beautiful.”
The hairstylist shared several screenshots showcasing social media users labeling her as “chubby” and erroneously stating that she wouldn’t find true love on the show because she’s not a “hot girl.”
“I have battled with my weight since childhood,” Anna expressed on Thursday. “For the first time, I am proud of how healthy I am. I’m not a character.”
She further stated, “I am just like you, a real human being. Please show kindness. Love you all, regardless!”
In a subsequent Instagram Story, Anna urged fans to cease “flooding” her DMs.
“It’s quite shocking to see so many people coming out to comment about me,” she conveyed. “If you think you know me, you really don’t.”
Anna is among the contestants on season 9 of Love Is Blind, located in Denver, Colorado. Although she developed initial connections with Patrick Suzuki and Blake Anderson, Anna ultimately decided to exit the experiment. Her departure caused a stir within the pods, especially for 30-year-old Patrick, who was anticipating a date with her.
“I found myself being quite open, which made me uneasy as it was a deeply personal aspect of my life. These are very delicate issues for me,” Anna shared with Tudum about her choice to leave the show. “It’s not just sharing it with whoever I’m dating—this is going to be shared with a large audience.”
As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Anna also expressed concern over her parents’ response to the show’s concept.
“With my parents having immigrated and facing language barriers, I’ve always automatically stepped into the role of their helper,” she described to the outlet. “When I told them, ‘Hey, Mom and Dad, I’m going to be on this show where they will take my phone away, they were like, ‘Are you being taken against your will?’”
Out of respect for her parents, Anna ultimately chose to return home.
“I was overwhelmed,” she admitted. “My eyes were nearly swollen shut from crying. I felt embarrassed.”
Although Anna indicated she had the option to explain her intentions to Patrick during their scheduled date, she opted against it as she no longer wished to be filmed.
“I don’t regret it, as I don’t believe the connections formed were robust enough to lead to a successful marriage,” she reflected to Tudum, indicating that she had applied to the show without expectations of getting engaged. “I went in with an open mindset, realizing that anything could happen. I’d have been fine if I didn’t find my match, given how unconventional the experience is compared to traditional dating.”
Post Anna’s departure, Blake directed his attention towards his connections with Megan Walerius and Kait Nemunaitis, before ultimately leaving the show single. Patrick, on the other hand, proposed to fellow contestant Kacie McIntosh, who ended their engagement soon after their face-to-face reveal.
Love Is Blind season 9 is currently available for streaming on Netflix, with new episodes released weekly.
