Kate Gosselin Suggests Tiger Woods’ Fame Helped Shield Her Kids From Racism
As of September 2025, Kate Gosselin, the former star of the reality TV series Jon & Kate Plus 8, has largely stepped away. Now 50, she resides in Troutman, North Carolina, with six of her eight children. In recent months, Gosselin has re-engaged with the public through social media, particularly TikTok. And former fans love hearing about her life. Here’s what she recently shared about her kids experiencing racism, and why she thinks Tiger Woods’ fame might’ve helped.
Kate Gosselin of ‘Jon & Kate Plus 8’ fame recently talked about her kids experiencing racism
Jon and Kate Gosselin, known for Jon & Kate Plus 8, are parents to eight children: twins Mady and Cara, and sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah, and Joel. The family is biracial. Jon is of Korean descent on his mother’s side and French, Irish, and Welsh descent on his father’s side. Kate is of German, Scottish, and English heritage. Their children’s mixed heritage has been a point of reflection for the family, especially as they navigate their identities in a predominantly white community.
Today, Kate works as a pediatric home health care nurse. She returned to the profession after her reality TV career and has renewed her nursing license through 2027. Recently, she opened up via a TikTok comment about the challenges that her mixed-race children faced with racism. And she expressed constant concern for their well-being.
“Yes!” Kate responded to a fan who asked if her kids faced racism. “However, when I was pregnant with Cara and Mady, I worried CONSTANTLY about it [because] we were in a predominantly white community. BUT I started noticing advertisements, billboards, etc. with one white parent and one Asian parent … it started happening a lot, and I think this was a time when (sorry for lack of a better word) it was looked at as ‘cool’ to be mixed race! It was when Tiger Woods was becoming famous etc … maybe that is why?”
Kate noted that as “young kids,” her children “didn’t go through too much.” However, the racism became worse as they aged. “Until they were older and things changed a lot :( and not for the better,” she commented.
Mady Gosselin previously talked about feeling ‘hyperaware’ of her heritage
In 2022, Mady Gosselin, who was 21 at the time, posted a photo on Instagram of herself as a child. Mady held a doll in the photo.
“She was from the ‘look-alike’ line and I named her Jordan,” Mady wrote on Instagram at the time, according to People. “She did not look like me; she had blonde hair and blue eyes, by my choice. At the time, there wasn’t a doll from the line that looked like me, but more importantly, at 5, I chose a doll that reflected the way I thought I was supposed to look instead of the way I do.”
She then noted that the story made her feel ashamed and uncomfortable. “Having grown up 50/50 (white and Korean), I was hyperaware of my ethnicity from a young age, but the transition from awareness to shame was a slow progression that I didn’t notice happening until I was much older.”
“So, I want to make it known that I’m so proud to celebrate being Korean-American today,” Mady wrote. “I’m proud to be a part of a community that has suffered through decades of ridicule and hate in this country (only made worse in the last two years) but have persevered through it powerfully and gracefully.”
Kate Gosselin was criticized over a decade ago for a photo that critics called racist
In 2013, Kate Gosselin defended a photo of herself that critics called racist. The photo showed Kate wearing a black wig and using her fingers to slant her eyes, according to The Hollywood Reporter. According to Kate, she and Jon Gosselin were playing around with a wig that a fan sent them at the time.
“I married an Asian. I have eight biracial children,” she wrote on her blog. “I’m quite certain that I’m the last person that could be called racist. Naturally, I ‘slanted’ my eyes to show him my best Asian impression, which made him smile.”
“… These types of discoveries and at-home discussions are a normal part of being a loving and accepting biracial family, and it does not make any of us prejudiced,” she continued.
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