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Some of our personal first dates have definitely ended in faceplants, but not literal ones.
Rachael Kirkconnell is one of the final four contestants on this season of The Bachelor. On a skydiving date with titular bachelor Matt James, she had a bit of an accident and landed full force into the ground.
'The Bachelor' Rachel’s Skydiving Accident 2021: Skydive ends in face plant https://t.co/WIETNcLQmG https://t.co/6Onz24iaz9— JLD (@JLD) 1614048706.0
James felt sorry for her, saying she "slammed into the earth, hard," and that his feelings of distress were making him wonder whether or not he was in love with her; but that may be something he is re-evaluating altogether.
However after Rachael Kirkconnell's racist social media past was exposed, including pictures of her attending an antebellum-themed fraternity formal in 2018...
Photos have now emerged of Rachael Kirkconnell at an antebellum plantation-themed fraternity formal in 2018… https://t.co/YJdaVW69L4— Rosé (@Rosé) 1612478165.0
This @screenrant article covering these photos of Rachael notes previous allegations of racist and problematic beha… https://t.co/bpDiOGBbFO— Rosé (@Rosé) 1612556642.0
These earlier-mentioned allegations of racist and problematic behavior are referenced in an article on Rachael’s pl… https://t.co/tExNuu9XnW— Rosé (@Rosé) 1612651122.0
James said the content was "incredibly disappointing" and he would be re-evaluating how he engaged with the show, as the airing episodes of The Bachelor were taped before the revelation.
And fans of the show bore little sympathy for Kirkconnell's ground slam in retrospect.
bachelor nation watching racist rachael body slamming the ground after skydiving #TheBachelor https://t.co/knAreup6TL— key-ruh (@key-ruh) 1614044199.0
Rachael after she busted her ass skydiving #Bachelor https://t.co/169jCsnKtL— mikala (@mikala) 1614044312.0
Producers telling Rachael’s skydiving instructor to have a “rough landing” #TheBachelor https://t.co/utiW7OT8DX— petty betty (@petty betty) 1614043641.0
Nobody: Rachael skydiving: #bachelorabc https://t.co/2ZqA2K6ddD— claire dee (@claire dee) 1614046323.0
Kirkconnell appeared to be okay after the incident, with some minor bruising and back pain.
But Twitter kept coming for her.
Rachael skydiving guy after the producers told him to make sure there was a “rough fall” #TheBachelor https://t.co/BGuvyfH4qY— Sammy (@Sammy) 1614044986.0
Yo I have been skydiving and they VERY CLEARLY tell you how to land. No excuse to face plant into the ground when y… https://t.co/ooOL1m971j— Amanda Atwell (@Amanda Atwell) 1614044312.0
#BachelorNation when Rachael lands hard on her skydiving date with Matt. #Bachelor https://t.co/sVUOHKlocI— Janel Hamster (@Janel Hamster) 1614044355.0
When the ancestors intervened during the skydiving date with Rachael #TheBachelor https://t.co/IXBOSL7h2E— Patricia (@Patricia) 1614182831.0
Though Kirkconnell apologized on her social media, former Bachelorette contestant Rachel Lindsay called the attempt "vapid."
Lindsay said:
"You almost feel like you know everything you need to know about her in that picture."
"The fact that that's what she decided to do. Several people sent me that Story."
"Her apology was well-written, it was pretty, and it was sincere. I'm not going to knock anyone's apology."
"But then the next step is to take action. Taking action to me isn't showing everybody that you're reading the book."
"You have such a big platform. There's a lot of people who don't necessarily understand what Chris said in the interview or why people are so upset, so this is an opportunity for you to explain that."
The producers telling Rachael’s skydiving instructor to shake up the landing a little bit #TheBachelor https://t.co/sogUl7O1Nj— Ashley Flanagan (@Ashley Flanagan) 1614047672.0
Me watching Rachael land on the ground from skydiving #TheBachelor https://t.co/2Md8WLfYqo— levi smith (@levi smith) 1614045141.0
More video from Rachael’s skydiving accident #TheBachelor #TheBachelorABC https://t.co/bGYVYuMWAk— RyanEL_KEY (@RyanEL_KEY) 1614044569.0
Me seeing Rachael slam into the ground during that skydiving scene... #TheBachelor https://t.co/JeCd2POqS3— Katie Siewert (@Katie Siewert) 1614043711.0
Matt James when Rachael hit the ground after skydiving: “she hit the earth....hard. “ This man is so boring. Help.… https://t.co/5sHBz0BGVN— volants are somewhere (@volants are somewhere) 1614084436.0
The Bachelor has a very storied history with White supremacy and was one of the shows that came under major criticism for its lack of Black/Indigenous/People of Color season after season.
Hopefully they learn from their mistakes this go 'round.