Several women from the hit show, The Bachelor, have come forward to lend their support for Rachel Lindsay in light of Chris Harrison’s comments on Rachael Kirkconnell. He had been accused of defending Rachael’s controversial social media comments.
‘The Bachelor’ Spoilers: Chris Harrison Faces Further Backlash Over His Comments On Rachael Kirkconnell
This comes after Chris gave an interview which seemed to defend Rachael’s social media activity that included accusations of racism which appeared to be glamourized. Naturally, Rachel hit back. In a joint statement issued by the show, the women attacked what they perceived was a defence of racism:
“We are the women of Bachelor Season 25. Twenty-five women who identify as BIPOC were cast on this historic season that was meant to represent change. We are deeply disappointed and want to make it clear that we denounce any defense of racism. Any defense of racist behaviour denies the lived and continued experiences of BIPOC individuals. These experiences are not to be exploited or tokenized.”
And they lent their support for Rachel who was very vocal about the issue: “Rachel Lindsay continues to advocate with ‘grace’ for individuals who identify as BIPOC within this franchise. Just because she is speaking the loudest, doesn’t mean she is alone. We stand with her, we hear her, and we advocate for change alongside her.”
So what sparked the anger? In an interview with Extra, Chris failed to denounce Rachael: Instead, he said: “I have seen some stuff online. Again, this judge, jury, executioner thing where people are just tearing this girl’s life apart. Until I actually hear this woman have a chance to speak, who am I to say any of this? I saw a picture of her at a sorority party five years ago, that’s it.”
However, the immediate backlash forced the star to apologize and backtrack his comments: “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.”
We will have to see if there are any further consequences. If you enjoyed reading this article, then make sure you check out our other features on the Daily Soap Dish. Please also visit TVRocker for all of the latest exciting news on all of your favourite daytime television soaps