Rachel Lindsay 'personally hurt' by Hannah Brown's apology for using the N-Word
"We can't give people a pass for this."
Rachel Lindsay isn't buying Hannah Brown's apology for singing the N-word while jamming to DaBaby's "Rockstar" in a since-deleted Instagram Live.
The attorney, 35, went live on the social media site on Sunday to speak out how the "Dancing With the Stars" winner, 25, attempted to make amends for the incident that went viral on Saturday.
Lindsay said she had spoken to her fellow "Bachelorette" star privately to discuss the issue and felt the need to publicly address it after seeing Brown's apology.
"I owe you all a major apology. There is no excuse and I will not justify what I said," Brown wrote via Instagram Stories, having initially downplayed the incident. "I have read your messages and seen the hurt I have caused. I own it all. I am terribly sorry and know that whether in public or private, this language is unacceptable. I promise to do better."
Lindsay told her followers she didn't want to talk about the situation but felt the need to after she had challenged Brown to use her platform in a "better way."
"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 you said the word," Lindsay said. "We can't give people a pass for this. We have to hold people accountable for what they're doing."
Lindsay added that she was "personally hurt and offended" with Brown after seeing her post -- especially since she had given her the "opportunity" to do more.
"You should feel disgusted when you say that word. You should feel uncomfortable," she continued, urging those listening to "do yourself a favor and educate yourself on that word" because it has "so much weight and history behind it."
"That word was used to make black people feel less than ... and every time you use that word and you're not black, you give that word power, and that is why it is wrong," Lindsay explained.
Lindsay -- the first and only black lead in the history of the "Bachelor" franchise -- concluded her video reminding us it shouldn't be left up to her to be the face of this matter and she was "saddened" it had to be done.
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