The Bachelorette’s Hannah Brown has taken to Instagram to formally apologize for the use of the n-word two weeks after the initial incident amid nation-wide outrage. Hannah faced rightful backlash after singing a lyric that included the n-word during an Instagram live video. In the video, viewers called out the former pageant queen’s use of the racial slur, but she immediately laughed it off and denied saying it. Not only were fans unsatisfied with her initial response, they were further upset by the lackluster apology that followed.
Hannah issued a one-sentence written apology on her Instagram story the morning after the incident, which many found to be insincere and not enough. The backlash came from more than fans, as former Bachelorette star Rachel Lindsay spoke out against Brown’s shallow apology, calling for Hannah to address the issue in its entirety and show her face. Lindsay said if she was bold enough to say the n-word on camera, Brown should be brave enough to apologize on camera. Fellow former Bachelor nation stars followed suit, including Hannah’s ex Tyler Cameron, Mike Johnson, Bekah Martinez, and more, addressing the severity of Hannah’s actions. While tensions rose over the subsequent weeks, and the nation has been calling for action in response to the killing of George Floyd, the need for Hannah Brown to break her silence and fully address her use of the slur intensified.
In an 18-minute Instagram video, Hannah Brown has finally used her platform to own up to her actions and address the deeper issue at hand, stating, “What I did was something extremely serious, and I did not want to continue repeating this long history of white people not taking accountability and responsibility for their actions when people of color, black people, call them out on their behavior.” The Alabama native also addressed her two-week hiatus from social media after the incident, stating she needed to take the time to get “educated,” and that she was “not trying to drudge up old things that [she] did when there is so much going on in the world,” referencing the protests for George Floyd.
Brown’s apology was speckled with a shaky voice and acknowledgment that there was no “right time” but only a “right thing,” which led her to take accountability for actions, saying, “I don’t want to be an ignorant white girl who uses the n-word, but I also don’t want to be someone who goes onto a platform intoxicated and engages in their platform that way.” Hannah goes on to say she hired an educator to help her understand the history of using the n-word, and she has “just scratched the surface” in her journey of educating herself on black history and anti racism.
Although Hannah faced backlash from many of her followers, there were plenty of fans that took to Instagram to defend her, to which the starlet said, “If you want to support me, do not defend me. What I did, what I said was indefensible.” She then called for fans to support her by holding her accountable, saying, “what I did was wrong…but what I didn’t know even before is the worst part of it, and it’s the ignorance. I’m no longer ignorant and I’m no longer going to be part of the problem.”
Having a large platform comes with immense responsibility, and Hannah’s apology comes at a time when America is grappling with racial injustices and calling for complete accountability. Although Brown has the means to hire an educator to help her learn racial history, many of her 2.8 million fans don’t and look up to her as a role model, which is why it is especially important that the she holds up her promise to “be a part of the solution.”
Source: Hannah Brown
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