The Bachelor star Rachael Kirkconnell is making headlines once again.
This time, Rachael is making headlines because she’s supposedly been caught up in a photo scandal that has many Bachelor fans wonder if she is racist.
Back in 2018, Rachael attended a plantation-themed party and smiled in photos with other women.
She hasn’t addressed these photos, but Bachelor Nation stars are furious that producers didn’t do a good job in vetting her before putting her on the show.
Plus, it doesn’t help that she’s supposedly the final woman on Matt James’ season – and he’s African American.
The Bachelor star Rachael Kirkconnell hasn’t issued a statement yet
So, why hasn’t she issued a statement yet?
Why hasn’t ABC encouraged her to speak out? There are plenty of fan theories, including that producers aren’t letting her talk.
Rachael’s sister is supposedly defending her, as shared in a screenshot on a Bachelor Nation Instagram fanpage. Rachael’s sister revealed that she wasn’t allowed to defend herself and that the show is advising her not to speak out now.
That’s interesting considering Chris doesn’t see the need for The Bachelor production to speak out before Rachael does – and then Rachael’s sister writing that the show is advising her against speaking out.
Reality Steve also chimed in on the issue, revealing that he’s still waiting for Rachael to speak out. He added that she hasn’t been allowed by production to speak out.
The Bachelor star Rachael Kirkconnell was featured in controversial photos
It was last weekend that photos surfaced of Rachael at a plantation-themed party back in 2018.
Rachael was smiling and posed in photos. While she may not have understood the significance of the event at the time, the fact that they are surfacing now after the recent Presidential Election and everything that came with social issues and the discussions over the Confederate flag, it only makes sense to speak out on it.
It would make sense for someone to issue a statement, whether it’d be ABC or Rachael herself.
Chris Harrison has revealed that he will get a chance to speak to Rachael on The Bachelor. She wasn’t on the Women Tell All special but he hopes to talk to her on After The Final Rose, as she’s a finalist on the show.
It was mid-January that Rachael’s mother spoke out against accusations that her daughter was racist.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.