Rachel Lindsay is shutting down the "angry Black female" label once again.
The former lead of The Bachelorette appeared on the June 4 episode of The View, in which she weighed in on the situation surrounding Real Housewives of New York's Eboni K. Williams. In an episode that aired earlier this week, Eboni, the first Black cast member on RHONY, accused Luann de Lesseps of labeling her an angry Black woman during an argument over a previous conversation about sex. Following the discussion, Eboni announced on Instagram that she would be taking a short break from social media.
Rachel said she relates to Eboni's feelings about being called angry.
"In my season finale of The Bachelorette when I was sitting on stage with my runner up, my runner up told me that I was going to live a mediocre life if I didn't choose him and my response to him was, 'Actually I'm living my best life,'" Rachel said of her conversation with Peter Kraus. "When I came back from commercial break, the host [Chris Harrison] said to me, ‘Rachel, you seem angry.' I looked and I said, ‘That's a strong word.' And he said, ‘Well, you seem upset.' I hadn't raised my voice, I hadn't yelled, I hadn't said any type of curse word."
When he was asked for an explanation as to why he felt attacked by Rachel, Peter couldn't offer one.
"I have been labeled an angry Black female in Bachelor Nation," Rachel continued. "It follows me around to this day."
The attorney added, "If in 2020 we're supposed to be having these type of conversations, then we need to address micro-aggressions that are placed on Black women. We need to address these racial stereotypes. I think it's important that we continue to do that."
Rachel, who was the first Black lead of The Bachelorette, is one of the most outspoken alum in terms of fighting for equality and representation within the franchise. Earlier this year, she and Chris engaged in a conversation about a former contestant, Rachel Kirkconnell, who was called out on social media for attending an antebellum-themed party, which many believe glorifies the institution of slavery. While Chris defended Rachael, the former Bachelorette reminded Chris of what she may have represented had she gone to the event.
Following the conversation, Rachel spoke to Extra TV's Billy Bush about the controversy.
"In 2020, it was all about people realizing things that they hadn't before. It was a level of awareness that was created that people hadn't necessarily recognized," she explained. "And out of that also came conversations that we should be having whether they're tough, uncomfortable, whatever it may be. Isn't that what this should be as well? It's bigger than just The Bachelor, it's bigger than just a reality TV show. There are a lot of issues that have come up because of this interview, and I think it's important that we continue the conversation, we continue to move forward. And I think that's the best thing that we can hope for out of all of this."