Chris Harrison has a history of misogyny and racist behavior and racist-sympathizing behavior. 

Extra interview

On February 9, 2021 in an interview with Rachel Lindsay (the first Black Bachelorette) on Extra, Chris Harrison defended a white female contestant (Rachael Kirkconnell) on the Bachelor for dressing up as a Plantation Mistress at an “Old South” party that took place on a plantation in Georgia in 2018. Chris made statements empathizing with Rachael K., claiming that in 2018, people did not know that was wrong or racist. He repeatedly dismissed Rachel Lindsay’s counterpoints regarding what role she would have played at such a party as a Black woman and that racism has always been wrong. It didn’t start becoming wrong in 2020. Chris went in to equate people labeling others as racist to be just as bad as those who commit racist acts. He also exclaimed that the “woke police” are asking people to live up to impossible standards. He repeatedly victimizes Rachael K. and calls her a “poor girl” who just didn’t know better. He also makes exaggerations to minimize the impact by saying she was only 18 (she was at least 21), it was 5 years ago (it was less than 3 years ago), and that 50 million people went to events like this in 2018. He also implies that she doesn’t owe anybody an apology because “who the hell are you?” This is one stark example of many of Chris H’s problematic and blatantly bigoted comments made as an interviewee.

Speaking of 2018, Chris Harrison, when confronted with the question of when they would cast a Black Bachelor, said “Sure, if someone really amazing comes along. We won’t pick one just to pick one. But if someone is phenomenal and just happens to be Black, sure!”

In a podcast interview: “When you walk into the room as a man, you’re always in the wrong. Especially these days.” And, “men are always the a-hole in a situation, even when they have the higher moral ground — women are always in the right, men are always wrong, and we are supposed to just deal with that.”

We must demand accountability from those in power. We start by getting this racist, misogynistic host/exec off of our television screens. All this casting for diversity is completely meaningless unless you are willing to take out the consistently problematic person on this show, the face of the show, who will never take accountability for his actions. Remove Chris Harrison from the Bachelor Franchise, or we boycott the Bachelor for good. 

Update: This is not a petition for an apology. It’s a petition for a new host.