Rachael Kirkconnell has defended Matt James and scolded trolls on social media who have thrown hate at the Season 25 The Bachelor star for dumping her.

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On Wednesday night, Rachael took to her Instagram Story in Matt's defense given the first Black The Bachelor star has been subjected to harassment and verbal attacks online ever since the show's finale aired on Monday night.

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"I am taken aback by what I've seen tonight. If you think that attacking a person I care about with racist insults is what I would ever want, you haven't been listening," Rachael wrote in her post.

"Some of the things I've seen being said to and about Matt are repulsive."

Rachael even turned off comments on her latest Instagram post so people can't slam her or her ex-boyfriend.

"I respect the decisions that Matt has had to make during this experience," Rachael continued.

"If you are directing hate towards him, please stop. Recognize someone's humanity and think about the impact your words have."

Matt announced on The Bachelor: After the Final Rose special that he had decided to end his relationship with Rachael after filming wrapped due to the racism controversy surrounding the Georgia-native.

Rachael was accused of bullying a girl in high school for dating a Black man and recently liking offensive photos on Instagram, such as two friends posing in front of a Confederate flag.

In addition to an image of Rachael dressed in Native-American costume that circulated online, photos also resurfaced of Rachael attending an antebellum-plantation themed "Old South" fraternity party at Georgia College & State University in 2018.

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Rachael admitted on After the Final Rose she had been "living in ignorance" at the time and never stopped to think about what her actions represented, the people she might be hurting, or the trauma her behavior could cause.

Matt claimed Rachael initially didn't understand why her antebellum-party photos were "problematic" for him and their relationship, which led him to the conclusion Rachael simply didn't understand his life or perspective as Black man in America.

Matt therefore said Rachael must do the work to educate herself on her own and it's not his weight to bear or responsibility to help her.

Rachael wrote on Instagram while the special was airing on ABC, "While I never expected this outcome, I respect his decision completely."

Rachael added of her breakup, "Of course I wish circumstances were different, but I still feel blessed for the time we did have together and the memories we made. I got to fall in love, and I truly believe he was the love of my life. He will always hold a piece of my heart."

Rachael also said she believes "there is a reason for everything" and one of her biggest disappointments was the scandal "overshadowing" the beautiful women and their stories on The Bachelor Season 25.

Matt confessed on After the Final Rose his feelings for Rachael won't go away overnight, but he hasn't confirmed or denied whether the door is open for reconciliation down the road.

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Also on the one-hour, pre-taped special hosted by sports analyst Emmanuel Acho -- who replaced Chris Harrison after he "stepped aside" for previously defending Rachael -- made a point to say he doesn't believe in cancel culture and Rachael's mistakes were racially-ignorant and racially-insensitive but not necessarily "racist."

"It plays itself out as racism, but that doesn't necessarily classify someone as a racist," Emmanuel noted. "You have to pull back the curtain and look at their intention. Was their intention malicious?"

Prior to her appearance on After the Final Rose, Rachael released an apology February 11 on Instagram in which she also expressed remorse and regret over the controversy.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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