The Bachelor’s Rachael Kirkconnell asks defenders of her past racist behavior to ‘please stop’

Bachelor star Rachael Kirkconnell spoke out on camera for the first time about the racism controversy currently rocking Bachelor Nation.

The season 25 frontrunner condemned people questioning the backlash she has received since past racist behavior surfaced on social media in an Instagram video posted on Thursday night.

‘If you are in my comments or defending me anywhere telling people that I did nothing wrong, that there’s nothing to be hurt about, there’s nothing to be angry about or offended about, please stop,’ the 24-year-old said in the seven-and-a-half-minute long clip.

‘That’s not our place to tell people what they can and can’t be offended about. That’s wrong and that’s part of the problem. So please stop saying that I did nothing wrong. That’s not true,’ she added, suggesting that people instead ‘encourage others around you to do better.’

Clad in a cream-colored Colorado sweatshirt, the statement came two weeks after Rachel initially issued an apology upon coming under fire for her past racially insensitive behavior.

‘Over the last few weeks, since I put my statement out, I’ve gotten a lot of messages. I’ve got a lot of people asking me, “Well what have you done to change since then?” And I’ve also had a lot of people message me saying that they aren’t understanding why people are so upset. But they want to, and they’ve asked for resources, which I think is great,’ she started the video.

‘But then there’s also people messaging me saying, “You know, you’ve done nothing wrong, don’t listen to people.” And I’m just tired of getting all of this and not saying anything,’ she continued.

‘I think that the first big step in all of this is white people stepping up and taking accountability. Things will never change if we don’t all work together in working towards this racial progress and this unity that we want,’ Kirkconnell went on.

The Georgia native admitted she’s been ‘hesitant’ to use her platform to post anti-racist resources out of fear it would be seen as ‘performative’ or as ‘something that I don’t truly stand by.’

‘But I’ve come to realize that sitting aside and hiding in the corner… doesn’t help anyone or anything. Even if that is what people think when I speak on these subjects of injustice and racism, you know, that’s not what really matters,’ she said to her 449 thousand Instagram followers.

‘This entire movement we are in in this country, it’s just so much bigger than this. I want and need to use my privilege and my platform that I so do not deserve just to shine a light on these issues and try and do what I can to, you know, take a step in the right direction,’ she pointed out.

The reality star also featuring several social media accounts that provide anti-racism resources on her Instagram stories. 

‘I promise to continue to amplify BIPOC voices and resources if there’s a chance these can reach someone and begin conversations, because breaking the generational chain of racism starts with conversations and education. It’s one of the biggest steps we can take,’ she wrote on one of the slides.

The racism controversy erupted when photos surfaced of Kirkconnell, who is still in the running on the series, at an ‘Old South’ plantation-themed frat formal in 2018.

She also allegedly liked photos online of friends in Donald Trump–supporting MAGA hats and images that prominently featured Confederate flag displays.

Other images appeared to show the graphic designer dressed in costumes modeled on Native American dress, which many native people find offensive. 

Rachel’s mom also spoke out in support of her daughter, describing the heated public response as ‘demoralizing and depressing.’

‘No one should have to go through what she has been through. We have seen the devastation and heartbreak this has caused for Rachael,’ Kim Kirkconnell told The Sun on Thursday.

‘Rachael has felt hopeless and frustrated about not being able to address the issue and speak her side,’ she told the outlet. 

‘We feel that the situation has gotten even more out of hand due to this,’ she added. ‘Many of us have received threats. But mostly I just worry about Rachael, because she has been by far the most devastated by this. These are issues that she is very passionate about, and she feels like she let everyone down.

Rachel’s latest statement came days after current Bachelor Matt James spoke out about her actions as well as host Chris Harrison, who said he is ‘stepping aside’ from the series for an undisclosed amount of time after defending her.

‘The past few weeks have been some of the most challenging of my life, and while there are several episodes left of the season, it is important that I take the time to address the troubling information that has come to light since we wrapped filming, including the incredibly disappointing photos of Rachael Kirkconnell and the interview between Rachel Lindsay and Chris Harrison,’ the 29-year-old began. 

‘The reality is that I’m learning about these situations in real time, and it has been devastating and heartbreaking to put it bluntly.’ 

‘Chris’s failure to receive and understand the emotional labor that my friend Rachel Lindsay was taking on by graciously and patiently explaining the racist history of the Antebellum South, a painful history that every American should understand intimately, was troubling and painful to watch,’ he continued. ‘As Black people and allies immediately knew and understood, it was a clear reflection of a much larger issue that The Bachelor franchise has fallen short on addressing adequately for years.

‘This moment has sparked critical conversations and reporting, raised important questions, and resulted in inspiring displays of solidarity from The Bachelor nation. It has also pushed me to reevaluate and process what my experience on The Bachelor represents, not just for me, but for all of the contestants of color, especially the Black contestants of this season and seasons post, and for you, the viewers at home,’ he wrote.

‘I will continue to process this experience, and you will hear more from me in the end. My greatest prayer is that this is an inflection point that results in real and institutional change for the better,’ he concluded.

Harrison appeared to defend Kirkconnell in a car-crash interview with Lindsay in which he urged for people to show the contestant ‘compassion’ and hit out at the ‘woke police.’

‘Is it [not] a good look in 2018? Or is it not a good look in 2021? Because there’s a big difference,’ Harrison said. 

The comments sparked outrage from former and current Bachelor contestants, including Kirkconnell, who shared a statement criticizing them.  

Since then, Harrison has issued a statement saying he will be stepping back from all Bachelor shows for a ‘period of time,’ though he hasn’t specified how long or if he was suspended from the franchise.