The Bachelor star Matt James has revealed why he's willing to take Rachael Kirkconnell back.
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Matt has confirmed his relationship with his The Bachelor Season 25 winner is back on although he had broken up with her in February after she publicly apologized for her racially-ignorant and racially-insensitive actions in the last several years.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
Matt and Rachael have seen each other about a handful of times over the last month and have been photographed strolling through New York City and California together.
"I think the best way to put it is that we can have critical conversations about being in this relationship and what I need in a partner -- especially if that woman isn't Black -- to understand what comes with me and my life and being Black," Matt told WSJ Magazine.
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"It's on people who care about being allies to do the work to be truly antiracist."
Matt added, "And I think it's unfair to leave people without the ability to unlearn and be better."
Matt is now having deep conversations with Rachael he apparently wishes he had in the Fantasy Suite when getting to know her on The Bachelor's 25th season, which filmed in late 2020 and aired earlier this year.
During a March appearance on Good Morning America, Matt was asked if he and Rachael ever had a conversation about what it would be like or mean to be in a biracial relationship and potential raise children together.
Matt -- who, as far of The Bachelor's format, got to spend an entire night off-camera with Rachael during their Fantasy Suite date that cast members frequently cite as providing an important forum for intimate conversations they aren't comfortable having on-camera -- replied, "I think that a lot of the time spent during filming and having those conversations were amongst the other women of color."
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"The conversations I had with [Chelsea Vaughn] and the conversations I had with [Michelle Young]," Matt revealed.
"And I think that we could've had those conversations amongst the white women who were there as well. But hindsight is 20/20. I wish I would have asked more clarifying questions."
Matt admitted he had no knowledge of Rachael's controversial past during filming and those racially-charged revelations -- including Rachael posing in costume at an offensive antebellum-themed "Old South" fraternity party at her Georgia college in 2018 -- resulted in him eventually dumping the bachelorette weeks before their live After the Final Rose appearance in March.
As for the future of The Bachelor franchise, Matt told WSJ Magazine he hopes casting and staff behind the scenes will become more diverse.
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"If you have different people of color all across the board, it's going to help you tell a story that's more representative," Matt explained.
"If someone has never... been with someone who doesn't look like them, they're going to have a hard time."
Matt told People late last month that he's "not pursuing any relationships right now outside" of his with Rachael.
"I [am] going to focus on my relationship with her," Matt noted.
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Matt said when he broke up with Rachael after giving her the final rose, he wanted to give her some space and the opportunity to educate herself on racism in America and "put in the work" to become a better person.
When People asked Matt whether Rachael has done the work she promised, Matt replied, "That's something you could talk to her about."
Matt and Rachael's apparent April reconciliation came about a week after Us Weekly reported the pair were "on non-speaking terms" due to The Bachelor star's alleged attempt to two-time Rachael.
Matt was accused of "trying to hook up" with a woman named Grace in Florida on April 4 and treating her like "a booty call" before reuniting with Rachael in New York only two days later, according to Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone.
"Matt felt horrible about what went down with him and Rachael recently and wanted to see her. He initiated the [Los Angeles] visit," a source recently shared with Us.
Although Rachael was initially skeptical of Matt's intentions after he was allegedly caught lying to her, the source said, "They are having a good time right now and everything feels back to normal between them."
Carbone previously reported that Matt had allegedly FaceTimed with Rachael every day after their ATFR appearance and said he still loved her and wanted to get back together.
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However, on April 4, Matt allegedly reached out to Grace, a woman he had dated before and after Matt was named The Bachelor star last year, during a trip to Miami.
A source told Us last month that Rachael thought she and Matt were on the track to getting back together but once she found out about Grace, she felt "manipulated," "played" and "devastated" by her ex-boyfriend.
Carbone claimed Matt had lied to Grace about his romantic pursuit of Rachael and also lied to Rachael about his motive for seeing Grace again.
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(Matt allegedly told Rachael that he needed one more person to fill out a table at a Miami nightclub, but Grace claimed Matt had offered to spend the evening with her alone if she wasn't up for clubbing).
Grace said on Instagram that Rachael was the real "victim" in the situation and deserves "someone better" than Matt.
"At a certain point when you start changing your character and lying and gaslighting and doing all of these things to protect your image and your fame, that's sort of when I have an issue," Grace told Carbone in a subsequent Instagram Live session.
"All power to you if you go on the show for fame, but in Matt's case, it got to a point where it was a little too much."
But Rachael has insisted since The Bachelor finale aired that Matt is the love of her life, and she also defended him against bullying and harassment following the public announcement of their split.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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