Why did former ‘Bachelorette’ Rachel Lindsay delete her Instagram?
Instagramers, it’s time. After a struggle to defend what she believes in, Rachel Lindsay has deleted her Instagram. Even though the Bachelorette star had support from many members of Bachelor Nation, it looks like Lindsay has taken a break from social media and her solo podcast Happy Hour.
Wrong bachelor party
During the most dramatic season of The Bachelor with the tall friendly-giant Matt James, one of the top contestants of the season Racheal Kirkconnell was the target of some serious hate over her “racist photographs” before she starred on the reality-show.
According to the Screenrant, Matt James’s contestant has received some backlash after photos resurfaced of Racheal Kirkconnell attending an Old South Ball, which is a party that celebrates Southern plantation life. Apparently these photos were posted by a Reddit user who found these images from a “historically racist fraternity” also known as Kappa Alpha.
Since then, Matt James has spoken about the situation, and claimed that the reality star should get “the benefit of the doubt” and wait for Racheal to explain the situation herself.
However, when the news broke out about Kirkconnell’s past, Rachel Lindsay, who was The Bachelorette’s first black lead, was determined to ask Bachelor Nation’s TV host Chris Harrison about his thoughts on the shocking photographs. But during Lindsay’s interview on Extra, Harrison was unable to provide sympathy for those that Racheal Kirkconnell’s images may have offended.
Chris Harrison’s interview
Chris Harrison explained to the now-married Bachelorette: “We all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion. Because I have seen some stuff online – this judge, jury, executioner thing where people are just tearing this girl’s life apart and diving into, like, her parents, her parents’ voting record.”
Harrison added: “I haven’t heard Rachael speak on this yet. Until I actually hear this woman have a chance to speak, who am I to say any of this?”
Disappointed with Chris Harrison’s answer, Rachel Lindsay told her Instagram followers: “Chris loves to keep saying, We’ve had these conversations, so, I’m gonna go ahead and use that. Because we’ve had these conversations. (I) wasn’t shocked at what he said. I’m just shocked (that) he said it on camera.”
Rachel Lindsay who has always been an advocate for racial change & equality, also explained on her Happy Hour podcast: “As far as me, I’m f***ing tired. I’m exhausted. I have truly had enough. . . How much more do I want to be affiliated with this? How much more can I take of things like this?. . . They hired a diversity consultant – who didn’t attend the class? Did Chris Harrison not sit through that?”
— Chris Harrison (@chrisbharrison) February 11, 2021
Apology
Since Rachel Lindsay’s comments about Chris Harrison’s terrible reply. Harrison has apologized to the public and promised “to do better”. He has also stepped back from The Bachelor franchise till further notice. Harrison confessed: “I will always own a mistake when I make one, so I am here to extend a sincere apology. I have this incredible platform to speak about love, & yesterday.”
Chris Harrison added: “I also apologize to my friend Rachel Lindsay for not listening to her better on a topic she has a first-hand understanding of, and humbly thank the members of Bachelor Nation who have reached out to me to hold me accountable.”
Page Six also reported that Rachael Kirkconnell has desperately asked fans of Bachelor Nation to please stop defending her. She exclaimed: “My ignorance was racist!”
Kirkconnel explained in early February: “I am sorry to the communities & individuals that my actions harmed & offended. I am ashamed about my lack of education, but it is no one’s responsibility to educate me. I am learning and will continue to learn how to be anti-racist.”
— Bachelor Nation (@bachnation) March 1, 2021
End of Instagram
According to Page Six, the executive producers of The Bachelor franchise were extremely saddened by the amount of hate towards Rachel Lindsay after her interview with Chris Harrison in February.
Lindsay’s podcast co-host Van Lathan told Bachelor Nation and the rest of their podcast fandom, that his Bachelorette cohost deleted her Instagram over the extreme hate she received over the last few weeks.
Van Lathan expressed: “My co-host on Higher Learning, Rachel Lindsay, disabled her Instagram earlier today. She did it because that’s how much hate she’s getting from Bachelor fans, who are spamming her with all kinds of rude, hateful things to say.”
Van Lathan further explained: “Rachel is not responsible for Chris Harrison, a forty-nine year-old man who can’t read the room in these present 2021 times. She’s not responsible for that. It’s not her job to make excuses or provide cover for somebody who doesn’t understand what the f*** triggers people in today’s world. You’re going after the wrong person.”
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Do you think Rachel Lindsay deserves all the hate she’s received? Or should Racheal Kirkconnell be deleting her Instagram account? Let us know in the comments below.
