Team Rachel. Becca Kufrin, Nick Viall and more Bachelor alums spoke out after Rachel Lindsay deactivated her Instagram account due to harassment.
The former Bachelorette, 35, received backlash from fans after her interview with Chris Harrison on February 9, during which the longtime host, 49, defended season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell following racism allegations. Lindsay’s “Higher Learning” podcast cohost, Van Lathan, reacted on Friday, February 26, after she left Instagram.
“Leave Rachel the f—k alone. This harassment is going too far,” he wrote via Instagram. “My co host has zero today with the words of a grown ass man who still doesn’t get it. @chrisbharrison are you okay with people getting at Rachel to the point she can’t even exist on IG. Is anyone from the entire ‘Bachelor Nation’ going to stand up and condemn this harassment of a Black woman? Yo it’s just a f—king TV SHOW, y’all need to relax for real. I love you RACH. F—k these people.”
Harrison made headlines earlier this month when he asked for “compassion” for Kirkconnell in an Extra sit-down with Lindsay. The 24-year-old graphic designer — who is still in the running for Matt James’ final rose — has since apologized for “offensive and racist” past actions.
The former Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host, for his part, shared a public apology for his statements on February 10. Days later, he revealed that he would “be stepping aside for a period of time and will not join for the After the Final Rose special.”
Lindsay noted on Extra after the news that it was “never my intention to see Chris Harrison step aside.” However, she pointed out that it was “important to further and highlight these discussions” by having “uncomfortable conversations so we can understand the underlying issues and implicit racism that exists within our society.”
Us Weekly exclusively revealed on Monday, February 22, that the attorney is considering hosting After the Final Rose in Harrison’s absence. “ABC and Warner Bros. have spoken to Rachel about the possibility of hosting the After the Final Rose special and they would like her to take on the role,” a source told Us. “She is still weighing the options and is pushing for After the Final Rose to include a bigger conversation about race overall in the franchise. No final decision has been made yet.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see reactions to the treatment Lindsay has received on social media.
Lindsay’s “Bachelor Happy Hour” cohost responded to a fan about the harassment via Instagram. “I hear you, I see the similar posts/concerns,” she commented. “The harassment, cruelty and racism is a major issue and is not okay. You’re right, Rachel and I are friends in real life and unfortunately the world can’t see our personal interactions on a daily basis, and details aren’t anyone’s business. Just know I have her back and support her through whatever time or breaks she needs right now. Appreciate the concern.”
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Viall, whose season of The Bachelor Lindsay competed on, defended his “friend” from “the onslaught of hateful messages” she received. “It’s sad that this even needs to be said, but Chris Harrison is in the position he is in because of what he said, not because of anything Rachel did,” he noted via his Instagram Story. “If you want to support Chris while he is down, you should be able to do that without showing hate to anyone else. I realize this is obvious to most people reading this, but if you are one of the people who have sent hateful or racist comments to Rachel please take a serious look at what’s in your heart. Your priorities are seriously out of whack.”
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Abasolo showed support for his wife, sharing a photo of the couple via Instagram. “I love you, I appreciate you, I believe in you and I just wanted to let you know how proud of you I am,” he captioned the pic. “Keep going and never stop being you and fighting for what’s right.”
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“Its [sic] honestly so sad that I’m even having to type this message, but unfortunately it’s not a new topic of concern,” the former Bachelorette wrote via her Instagram Story. “If you are following me, and think it’s OK to send hateful, vile and harassing comments, please take a moment of deep self reflection and understand what that says about you. Hearing that Rachel Lindsay had to deactivate her account bc of the horrible bullying taking place is awful and unacceptable. We need to come together, and be kinder to one another. Please- if you have ever been on the wrong side of this, do better. Be better.”
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Bristowe told fans that she “will not stand for” harassment of Lindsay. “I will happily lose so many followers — if anyone on here that follows me is sending any sort of negative message to Rachel Lindsay to have her hit a wall and deactivate her account, unfollow me,” she said in a series of Instagram Story videos. “Promise — no offense taken. Don’t care about the numbers going down. If you have in any way sent Rachel a message of hate or racism or anything that would contribute to her feeling so uncomfortable to deactivate her Instagram account, please unfollow me. Totally fine with that.”
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Johnson wrote via his Instagram Story: “@therachlindsay we stan you!”
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“Stop harassing people and get a life,” the Bachelor in Paradise alum captioned an Instagram Story post of Lathan’s video. “Sending hateful messages to someone you don’t know is actually INSANE!”
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The Bachelor alum called out those who came after Lindsay. “The fact that we are in a place where people feel so comfortable being so hateful that someone’s best option is to deactivate their Instagram account is appalling,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “Rachel Lindsay and other BIPOC have spoken out and against racism, calling for people to be held accountable, and asking for the Bachelor franchise to do better and the response that they receive on a daily basis is just more hate. People are so quick to use their time and energy to perpetuate the hate and fuel the fire instead of simply listening and being open to learning and growing. If you get mad about people being mad about racism, I would start there and ask yourself why.”
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Waters tweeted: “Bro @TheRachLindsay did not get Chris Harrison fired… if you don’t like her or her opinions, KEEP F—KING SCROLLING …. BULLYING SOMEONE IS NOT THE ANSWER.”
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The season 25 Bachelor contestant applauded Lindsay via her Instagram Story. “I stand with Rachel Lindsay in everything that she is,” she wrote. “I aspire to be as smart as she is. As fierce as she is. As entertaining as she is. As caring as she is. We’d all be lucky to have a Rachel Lindsay in our lives. While many of us do not know her personally, she has allowed us all to follow her. She has invited us into her life. Many have disrespected her. She has now deleted her IG account. I want my stance to be known. I will always be a Rachel Lindsay supporter. And if you are part of the hate she is experiencing, then unfollow me now. In the meantime, if you love and support her as much as I do, visit her website to learn about the various projects this talented woman is part of.”
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