Matt James returned to Instagram after deactivating his account, but deleted almost all license content from his grid following a racist scandal that covered his season.
Now, when fans visit Matt’s Instagram page, they are greeted primarily by photos of the star’s skateboard, spending time with friends and working with his charity, ABC Food Tours.
James, 29, became the first black graduate in the franchise’s 19-year history, but his time in the series ended in controversy after the woman he came to select, Rachael Kirkconnell, was featured in a plantation-themed party in 2018.
Deleted! Matt James returned to Instagram after deactivating his account, but deleted almost all of his bachelor’s content from his grid, amid a racist scandal that covered his season.
Shortly after her bash images appeared, host Chris Harrison defended her – but this led to a major reaction, and the host long ago gave up hosting the After The Final Rose special. Later, Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams were brought in to replace him in the next season of The Bachelorette.
Despite deleting all licensed content, he left his statement addressing the controversy surrounding Rachael and Chris, in addition to a photo of himself skateboarding next to his license panel.
Matt broke up with his last rose choice, Rachael, after the racism controversy broke out earlier this year.
The two never got engaged and ended up leaving the show in a relationship, and Matt was blinded when they started circulating news about her controversial past.
Split: the woman James gave the final rose to, Rachael Kirkconnell, was photographed attending a plantation-themed party in 2018
“You want to believe that you know your person better than anyone else knows your person. This controversy revolves around who Rachael is and the events she could have attended, images she liked and people she is associated with, ”he said after After The Final Rose.
“I try to be there for her and I rejected them as rumors, because they were like that for me. You hear heartbreaking things and pray that they are not true. And then, when you find out that they are, it only makes you question everything “, he added.
Talking about the “weight” of seeing Rachael for the first time in the special, he told her Good Morning America: I felt the weight of everything I was carrying throughout the season and what I was dealing with as a country and having to explain this – why I think it is problematic for me and our relationship – which was extremely difficult. ‘
“It hit me like a ton of bricks”: James described the “weight” of seeing Rachael for the first time on AFTR
Rachael repeatedly apologized for his actions.
In an Instagram video last month, Rachael responded to the controversy, which included photos of her attending the pre-war themed university party, plus she would have liked and shared posts on social media with the Confederate flag and Qanon conspiracies.
She previously posted a written statement.
At the beginning of the seven-and-a-half-minute video, Rachael said, “The first big step in all of this is for white people to step up and take responsibility. Things will never change if we do not all work together to work for this racial progress and this unity that we want. ”
Alone again: Matt broke up with his last rose pick, Rachael, after the racism controversy erupted earlier this year
Rachael went on to stress the importance of having awkward conversations and working to “unleash” racism.
“I did not recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that does not excuse them. My age or when it happened doesn’t excuse anything. They are not acceptable or good in any way. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist.
“Learning never stops. We must all continue to educate ourselves, ‘she said, showing viewers the anti-racist resources in her Instagram story and biography. It included articles entitled “How I Confronted the Truth About the Racist History of My Brotherhood” and “Why Your Native-Inspired Halloween Costume Devalues Our Indigenous Cultures.”
Aside: Chris Harrison has been replaced by Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams for the next season of The Bachelorette