Opening up.

Bachelor Nation fans first met Abigail Heringer on Season 25 of “The Bachelor,” and she went on to find love with Noah Erb on Season 7 of “Bachelor in Paradise.”

During her time on the Bachelor Nation shows, Abigail opened up about her hearing loss and how she wears a cochlear implant.

Now, the Bachelor Nation fan favorite is stopping by for an exclusive chat with us here at BachelorNation.com to discuss the importance of Disability Pride Month, which we are celebrating the entire month of July.

Check out her full interview below!

Bachelor Nation: First of all, happy Disability Pride Month! What would your younger self say if she could see you educating hundreds of thousands of people each week about deafness/hearing loss?

Abigail Heringer: Thank you so much! I think she would be so shocked but so proud of what I’m doing! I used to never talk about my disability when I was younger, as all I wanted to do was to fit in and be “normal” like my other friends. And so to see how far I’ve come in being comfortable with my disability and being so blessed to have a platform to share my experiences with others is something I’m so thankful for every day!

BN: Yes, you should be so proud! What does celebrating Disability Pride Month mean to you?

AH: It means celebrating and embracing what is so beautifully different about me! For so long, I had concealed my disability in fear of being rejected or feeling like the odd one out, and so to have the opportunity to celebrate that side of me is so liberating! And to hear and celebrate other people’s stories and experiences is something that excites me and makes me motivated to want to continue these conversations!

BN: Love that so much. What has it been like connecting with others in your community with your series “Hear Me Out”?

AH: It’s the most amazing thing. Growing up with hearing loss and with a cochlear implant was isolating at times. My sister really was the only other person I was consistently around that had a similar situation. I never saw much representation for my type of hearing loss experience and so to have a completely different experience with my “Hear Me Out” series has been so rewarding. To be able to share my experiences that I once felt like were only experienced by me but are also experienced by so many others really makes me feel like I’m part of an amazing community. And to see other people answer questions in my comments and supporting other families makes me proud that my page has connected so many that are looking for resources, other people to connect with, and get their questions answered!

BN: Yes, we love keeping up with the series every week. It’s really such an amazing place to learn. What have you learned to love about your disability that you didn’t ever expect to?

AH: I’ve learned to love opening up and sharing my experiences as a deaf person! Before, I hated talking about it because I felt like nobody cared or wanted to learn about it. But that quickly went away after going through the “Bachelor” experience. I quickly saw how many people wanted me to talk more about it, to learn, and how they can be an ally! The opportunity to educate others and address misconceptions about hearing loss/cochlear implants is something that has been so rewarding!

BN: How incredible! We’ve loved watching Noah be such an incredible partner and advocate for you; do you have a favorite memory of how he’s supported you when it comes to your deafness?

AH: He’s quite literally the best! On our one-year anniversary last year, we got all dressed up for a nice dinner in L.A., and when we were halfway to dinner, my processor beeped. And when it beeps, that means I have five to 10 minutes until my battery dies. My heart sank. I turned to him and told him we didn’t have time to turn around before our reservation. He said, “Let’s still go. We’ll make the most of it.” We get there and my processor shut off, but we still had the most amazing date. I read his lips throughout, and if I didn’t understand something, he wrote it out over text. I never felt so comfortable being in such a public space without being about to hear anything, and that’s still one of my favorite dates to this day!

BN: Oh, my gosh, that is so sweet. We love you and Noah so much! What’s your advice for people who want to become better allies and advocates for the disability community?

AH: Ask intentional questions! I personally love when people ask about my disability, what it’s like for me, things they can do to help, repeat things without getting annoyed, etc. When I feel like someone is making an effort to learn and is self-aware that I may not be picking up on something goes so far in my book.

BN: Great advice! Last question: What is one thing you wish people knew/understood about deafness/hearing loss?

AH: It’s not a one-shoe-fits-all situation!! It’s such a spectrum when it comes to hearing loss. Some have partial hearing loss, while others have full hearing loss, like myself. Some are born with it, some lose it later in life. Some use ASL, some don’t, some use both! My whole goal of my “Hear Me Out” series is to share my experiences with my form of hearing loss in which I use a cochlear implant and rely on vocal communication. But that’s not the only form of a hearing loss experience out there. I’m definitely not an expert in all the different areas and I love learning alongside everyone else!