Past and present contestants from The Bachelor franchise flooded Instagram this week to denounce host Chris Harrison's downplay of Rachael Kirkconnell's attendance at an Old South Ball with her sorority in 2018. For some time, there was a key player absent from the conversation—Matt James. But on Friday, the current Bachelor finally spoke up for his fellow BIPOC individuals.
The controversy surrounding Kirkconnell, who is currently vying for Matt's heart on The Bachelor, began when a Reddit user found photos of her at an Old South Ball. The event was thrown by Kappa Alpha, a fraternity with historical ties to the KKK. Costumes at these balls often include antebellum dresses and Confederate uniforms. On Extra, former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay prodded Chris Harrison for his thoughts on the matter. Fans immediately petitioned for a new host when he tried to protect Kirkconnell from the "woke police" and give her a chance to say her peace. He later issued an apology on social media promising "to do better." Soon after, casts of The Bachelor season 25 and The Bachelorette season 16 shared their own respective statements, each supporting Lindsay and condemning racist behavior.
As post after post popped up, all eyes turned to Matt James' account, which remained quiet throughout the turmoil. On Friday, he broke his silence and expressed support for Lindsay. In an Instagram Story, he wrote, "I am beyond grateful to have Rachel as a mentor during this season. Your advocacy of BIPOC people in the franchise is invaluable, I stand with you and the rest of the women advocating for change and accountability." It was short, sweet, and very "Matt." Since the start of the season, the 29-year-old Bachelor hasn't been one to mince words. He shies away from drama, but will speak up when it's needed. For example, he rid Nemacolin Resort of bullies like "Queen" Victoria Larson and Anna Redman in one clean sweep.
It will be interesting to see how the remainder of the season plays out. Kirkconnell seems to be a frontrunner after her one-on-one shopping date with Matt. However, after a TikTok user claimed Kirkconnell used to bully girls in high school for liking Black guys, Bachelor Nation is wondering how pure the 24-year-old's intentions are. She has since issued her own apology and owned up to everything. She said, "At one point, I didn't recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn't excuse them ... I am learning and will continue to learn how to be antiracist." Her statement validates Chris' opinion that she was young and didn't know any better, but is willing to change her ways.
As it stands, Bachelor Nation is more divided than it's ever been. While some fans are calling for Rachel Lindsay to take over hosting duties from Chris, others want to give him and Kirkconnell the benefit of the doubt. Ultimately, it's up to Matt to determine who he has a connection with, and whether or not they showed up for the right reasons.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 pm ET on ABC.
Source: Matt James/Instagram
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