
Last month, the US Bachelor franchise became engulfed in a racism scandal that saw longtime host Chris Harrison announce he would step aside for an indefinite period.
This season of The Bachelor featured their first ever male Black lead in Matt James, who had 32 women vying for his heart - 25 of whom identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour). Among the contestants is Rachael Kirkconnell, who has a history of engaging in racist activities.
Here's what you need to know about how the racism scandal has unfolded.
How did the Bachelor controversy start?
The controversy centres around the allegedly racist past of Rachael Kirkconnell, who is one of the front-runners on Matt James' season of The Bachelor.
TikTok user @maddyybierster first raised the alarm, saying Rachael had previously bullied her in high-school for "liking black guys".
The video went viral, attracting millions of views, and prompted other people to allege Rachael of racist behaviour.
One video from @feministmama accused Rachael of having a history of "liking" racially-insensitive photos on social media and also wearing racist costumes.
Further, a photo surfaced of Kirkconnell attending an Antebellum-themed party in 2018.
Photos have now emerged of Rachael Kirkconnell at an antebellum plantation-themed fraternity formal in 2018 #TheBachelor #BachelorNation pic.twitter.com/TEqmofRPKN
— Rosé (@TeaAndRoses21) February 4, 2021
What did Chris Harrison say?
Chris Harrison, who has been the host of the franchise since it began in 2002, discussed the controversy during an interview with Rachel Lindsay, a former bachelorette who was also the franchise's first Black female lead in 2017.
"We all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion," Harrison told Lindsay when asked about the controversy. "Because I have seen some stuff online — this judge jury, executioner thing — where people are just tearing this girl's life apart and diving into, like, her parents, her parents' voting record. It's unbelievably alarming to watch this. I haven't heard Rachael speak on this yet. And until I actually hear this woman have a chance to speak, who am I to say any of this?"
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