Controversial Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell is really going through it right now — reportedly left “heartbroken and devastated” after those antebellum plantation-style fraternity formal photos infamously came out earlier this year.
And now, her mother Kim Kirkconnell is opening up in a new interview with The Sun to talk all about the aftermath of this whole controversy.
Related: Rachael Says She’s ‘Done Hiding’ Amid Racism Controversy
Say what you will about Rachael — and she certainly deserves criticism! — but it also sounds like she’s been dealing with hell, too.
For one, Kim immediately and passionately jumped in to defend her daughter, saying (below):
“No one should have to go through what she has been through … [This has been] devastating and heartbreaking, to put it bluntly.”
The 54-year-old IT professional had words for leading man Matt James and whatever happens with his eventual final decision on the show, too.
She explained:
“We will never be able to understand how he feels about this situation as a black man. We respect his stance on the situation. We have seen the devastation and heartbreak this has caused for Rachael. She wants to be able to prove to him that she has changed and work with him to fight against injustice. This isn’t about winning a show. This was about finding love with Matt. If he chooses Rachael, and stands by her, then you know Matt does truly love her. If he chooses Rachael, and then leaves her, then it was not meant to be, and there is someone else out there for her. Rachael has felt hopeless and frustrated about not being able to address the issue and speak her side. We feel that the situation has gotten even more out of hand due to this. She has been suffering the consequences. We hope her time will come soon where she will be able to address everything.”
Wow…
The central issue, though, appears to be TikTok user Maddy Bierster, who was the first person to accuse Rachael of picking on her in high school “for liking black guys,” and for spreading the earliest alleged racism receipts against the Bachelor star.
Related: ‘Bachelor’ Frontrunner Speaks Out About Her Past Controversies!
There’s just one apparent problem with Maddy’s accusations: Kim says she and Rachael didn’t even go to the same school! The family claims they are even considering legal action against Maddy, alleging libel and slander. That should be interesting to follow…
Kim said:
“Rachael did not bully Maddy Bierster in high school. Maddy has committed slander and libel and was served a cease and desist with which she chose not to comply. Rachael knew of Maddy Bierster but did not know her on any sort of personal level. Maddy’s TikTok implied that she went to Rachael’s high school but she didn’t. Maddy provides no details of where and when this bullying took place even though we have repeatedly asked her to do so and that is because it never happened. I am not saying that Maddy was never bullied in high school, she may have been. However, it wasn’t Rachael who did the bullying. We are considering taking legal action.”
Wow!
That would be quite the twist, wouldn’t it?!
What do y’all think, Perezcious readers??
Sound OFF with your reaction to Kim’s interview down in the comments (below)…
[Image via Rachael Kirkconnell/Instagram]