‘Bachelor’ Contestant Rachael Kirkconnell Breaks Her Silence After Being Accused of Racist Behavior

Rachael Kirkconnell, a current contestant on Matt James’ season of “The Bachelor,” is speaking out after reports circulated that she attended an antebellum plantation-themed fraternity formal in 2018.

A week ago, a Reddit user uploaded a photo of Rachael from the formal, a party held yearly by the fraternity Kappa Alpha, which considers Confederate general Robert E. Lee its “spiritual founder.” Last month, a photo of Rachael wearing a Native American costume also surfaced. In addition, a former high school classmate took to TikTok to accuse Rachael of bullying her for “liking black guys.”

Rachael wrote on Instagram, “While there have been rumors circulating, there have also been truths that have come to light that I need to address. I hear you, and I’m here to say I was wrong. At one point, I didn’t recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn’t excuse them. My age or when it happened does not excuse anything. They are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist.”

She continued, “I am sorry to the communities and individuals that my actions harmed and 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 antiracist, because it’s important to speak up in the moment and not after you’re called out. If you are a person who doesn’t understand the offense in question, I urge you to learn from my mistakes and encourage you to use them as a teachable moment.”

The statement continued, “As for my family, I love them and how they raised me to be my own individual. They have always encouraged me to have my own views, opinions, and beliefs.”

Kirkconnell went on, “As I was thinking about what I wanted to say, I couldn’t help but think about how sick people must be of reading these kinds of statements; how a person didn’t realize the trauma that their actions would inflict on other people. It must get so exhausting. I want to put my energy towards preventing people from making the same offensive mistakes that I made in the first place, and I hope I can prove this to you moving forward.”

She ended by writing, “Racial progress and unity are impossible without (white) accountability, and I deserve to be held accountable for my actions. I will never grow unless I recognize what I have done is wrong. I don’t think one apology means that I deserve your forgiveness, but rather I hope I can earn your forgiveness through my future actions.”

Afterward, the women of "The Bachelor" Season 25 and the men of the Season 16 of "The Bachelorette" posted statements in support of Rachel Lindsay. Abigail Heringer shared the below.

Dale Moss followed up with this statement:

The posts come after “The Bachelor” host Chris Harrison issued his own apology.

In an interview with “Extra’s” Rachel Lindsay, who was the Season 13 Bachelorette, Harrison raised eyebrows for seemingly defending Rachael.

Harrison told Lindsay, “People are just tearing this girl’s life apart and diving into her and her parents’ voting record. It’s unbelievably alarming to watch this. I haven’t heard Rachael speak on this yet. And until I actually hear this woman have a chance to speak, who am I to say any of this?

“I saw something that said, ‘This person is a registered Republican, therefore they are this…’ We have to be so careful when we start labeling people,” Harrison emphasized. “Where is the narrative of her falling in love with Matt? When you are trying to react to something on social media, there is no grace… I’m just going to give her the grace and the time to actually come out and speak.”

When Lindsay noted that the pics that had emerged were “not a good look” for Kirkconnell, Harrison argued, “Well, Rachel, is it a good look in 2018? Or, is it not a good look in 2021? Because there’s a big difference.”

Lindsay, who made history as the first Black Bachelorette, responded, “It’s not a good look ever. She’s celebrating the Old South. If I went to that party, what would I represent?”

“I’m not defending Rachael,” Chris stressed. “I just know that, I don’t know, 50 million people did that in 2018. That was a type of party that a lot of people went to. And again, I’m not defending it. I didn’t go to it.”

Chris shared his take on what might have happened. He said, “My guess? These girls got dressed up and went to a party and had a great time. They were 18 years old. Now, does that make it OK? I don’t know, Rachel — you tell me. But where is this lens we’re holding up and was that lens available, and were we all looking through it in 2018? I don’t know. I don’t have these answers.”

Lindsay pointed out that, “Just because it was a popular party, you know, doesn’t necessarily make it right.”

Rachel also argued that it was “frustrating” that Kirkconnell has not addressed the photos. In response, Chris debated that it was a “slippery slope,” adding, “She will speak — my guess — and when she does, I’m going to hear her out. And if I disagree with her, if you disagree with her, then we can have our say.”

Harrison reiterated several times in the interview that he was not defending Rachael.

On Wednesday, Harrison apologized for the interview. He wrote on Instagram, “To my Bachelor Nation family — 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, and yesterday I took a stance on topics about which I should have been better informed.