Rachel Lindsay Is ‘Offended’ That Hannah Brown Didn’t Take Her Advice On How to Apologize Following Her Saying a Racial Slur
Hannah Brown was a Bachelor Nation darling for her genuine demeanor while on The Bachelorette. Fans have been very supportive of her and her personal life ever since her heartbreaking end. But now she’s under fire for using the N-word during an Instagram Live. And when fellow Bachelorette alum Rachel Lindsay shared advice on the word’s meaning and how to properly apologize, Brown didn’t follow her advice.
‘The Bachelorette’ alum Hannah Brown sang the N-word on her Instagram Live
On Instagram Live while hanging out with family while quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brown started singing the song “Rockstar” by DaBaby while trying to learn a dance to it. As she sang along to the song without music, Brown proceeded to say the part of the song that had the N-word without hesitation.
Fans quickly commented on her use of that word, and she was shocked but also very adamant that she didn’t say it. Then she apologized, and said laughing, “I did? I’m so sorry… I was singing a song, I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t think I said that word, but now I’m like… Oh god. I’ve never used that word,” Brown said. “I’ve never called anybody that… You can think I’m something that I’m not, but I’m not that.”
Since then, Brown posted an apology on her Instagram story that read, “There is no excuse and I will not justify what I said… I am terribly sorry… I promise to do better.”
Rachel Lindsay called out Brown for not taking her advice on apologizing properly
Another former bachelorette, Lindsay, posted her own Instagram Live and talked about what transpired. Lindsay also stated that she went to Brown in private before speaking on anything publicly.
“I thought, ‘Let me challenge this person to use their platform,’ because last night it was used in a different way, so let me challenge them to use it in a better way, right?” Lindsay said. “Maybe it was a mistake, maybe they didn’t realize the intention behind it, so let me give them the opportunity to now correct that mistake.”
Lindsay said she wasn’t planning on calling Brown out, but wanted to explain a bit more to Brown and enlighten her. However, the reason Lindsay made a more public statement is that Brown ignored her efforts.
“I am personally hurt and offended that I gave somebody the opportunity to do that and it wasn’t done,” Lindsay said in the Live, which is now an IGTV video on her account. “I understand that an apology was made but when I know what could have been done, when I know what I challenged someone to do, they refused to do it. Or they did not do it. I should put it that way: they did not do it.”
The problem with Brown’s apology was the venue she did it in
Yes, Brown made an apology on her Live and on her story, but Lindsay said that that’s the easy way out. Her suggestion was for Brown to get on camera and be more sincere and not take the “easy” way out.
“It’s easy to make a statement, it’s easy to hide behind words, but when you’re bold enough to say the N-word on camera, on your platform … then you need to be bold enough to use your face on camera and apologize in the same way that you said the word,” Lindsay said
Lindsay also noted that she’s not taking away the apology Brown already shared, but that it’s important to call out instances like this. “I’m just saying we can’t give people a pass for this,” Lindsay said. “You have to hold people accountable for what they’re doing.”
At the end of the day, Lindsay wants to educate people on why using that word is harmful, even if it’s a song lyric
If you watched Lindsay’s Live or even go on her Instagram, you’ll notice a lot of backlash from users saying it’s just a song. Saying that it’s not a big deal because Brown wasn’t calling anyone the N-word. But this brings Lindsay back to why she’s speaking in the first place: to educate why that’s still harmful.
Lindsay said that those telling her to calm down about the situation don’t understand the impact that word has. Rappers and other Black artists can use it as a way to reclaim the hatred associated with the word, but Lindsay notes that when non-Black people use it, even to sing along, it gives that negative power back to that hateful word.
“You should feel disgusted when you say that word,” Lindsay said. “You should feel uncomfortable.”
