Rachel Lindsay has slammed Rachael Kirkconnell for a "vapid" Instagram post in which Matt James' bachelorette seemingly attempted to give the impression she was doing her homework on race and racism.
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Rachel reportedly accused The Bachelor frontrunner of carefully staging a photo she posted on her Instagram Stories to make it seem like she's been doing research and trying to educate herself after repeated racist behavior in her past.
In the photo, Rachael showed off her manicured nails while holding an iced beverage, and she captioned it, "Mid-afternoon matcha."
Several books were visible on a table in the background of Rachael's picture, including Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man by Emmaneul Acho, whom Rachel recently suggested should host The Bachelor: After the Final Rose special for Matt's season in light of all the recent racism controversies.
"You almost feel like you know everything you need to know about her in that picture. The fact that that's what she decided to do," Rachel, 35, reportedly told Becca.
The Season 13 The Bachelorette star -- who was the first Black Bachelorette in franchise history -- admitted, "Vapid is the word that comes to mind" when thinking about Rachael's matcha picture.
"I don't think it could get any worse, unless Matt chooses Rachael [on The Bachelor's currently-airing season]."
Rachael came under fire shortly after The Bachelor's 25th season premiered in early January. Not only did a TikTok user accuse Rachael of bullying her in high school for dating a Black man, but offensive photos of Rachael later surfaced -- including an image of the bachelorette dressed in Native American costume.
Rachel was also photographed at a plantation-themed "Old South" fraternity party at Georgia College & State University in 2018 and had liked insensitive content on Instagram, such as a friend standing in front of a house displaying the Confederate flag.
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Rachael posted an apology February 11 on Instagram and said she didn't realize at her age how "offensive and racist" her actions were but that "doesn't excuse them."
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"[My actions] are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist," Rachael wrote at the time.
"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."
Rachel revealed on Bachelor Happy Hour that several people had sent her a screenshot of Rachael's recent anti-racism Instagram Stories post, according to Us.
"Her apology was well-written, it was pretty and it was sincere. I'm not going to knock anyone's apology. But then the next step is to take action," Rachel told Becca.
"Taking action to me isn't showing everybody that you're reading the book. You have such a big platform. There's a lot of people who don't necessarily understand what Chris said in the interview or why people are so upset, so this is an opportunity for you to explain that."
Rachael is one of three women in the running to win Matt's heart on The Bachelor's 2021 season, which stars the first Black Bachelor in the show's 25-season history.
Rachael issued her apology shortly after Chris Harrison tried to defend her and dismiss the backlash aimed at the 24-year-old Georgia native in an early-February Extra interview with Rachel.
Chris called for "grace" and "compassion" for Rachael. He criticized the "woke police" and said the outrage about her past racist behavior was "unbelievably alarming."
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Rachel subsequently received an offer to host the After the Final Rose special that will air in March, according to Us, but she went on to recommend that Emmanuel, a sports analyst and former pro athlete, would be "fantastic" for the job.
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"Emmanuel is very outspoken about racial injustice, for social justice, and has pretty much been the person who said, 'I can have these uncomfortable conversations, and people trust it,'" Rachel told People earlier this week.
"Who better to lead it? [He's] someone who's not involved with the franchise, no ties, no bias -- I think it'd be great."
Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone reported that the hosting issue for the special will be resolved in the next few days considering The Bachelor: After the Final Rose for Matt's season is scheduled to film in Los Angeles, CA, this upcoming weekend.
Given The Bachelor season still has two or more episodes to go, an Us insider claims ABC has had "conversations" about editing Chris out of The Women Tell All and remaining broadcasts, which were already filmed.
"If not, they may add a disclaimer at the top of the remaining episodes," the insider revealed.
Matt released a statement Monday on Instagram in which he called the past few weeks "some of the most challenging" of his life and expressed how Chris and Rachael's recent actions have been "devastating" and "heartbreaking."
Click here to read spoilers on how far Rachael makes it on Matt's The Bachelor season and whether Matt is still dating or engaged to his winner.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
