Matt Jamesis opening up about how he is navigating his relationship withRachael Kirkconnell.In a recent interview withWSJ. Magazine, the formerBachelorsaid he and Kirkconnell are trying to make things work after theybroke upearlier this year when racially insensitive photos of her surfaced online.“I think the best way to put it is that we can have critical conversations about being in this relationship and what I need in a partner — especially if that woman isn’t Black — to understand what comes with me and my life and being Black,” he told the outlet.“It’s on people who care about being allies to do the work to be truly antiracist,” continued James, who was the franchise’s first Black Bachelor. “And I think it’s unfair to leave people without the ability to unlearn and be better."(Kirkconnell toldWSJthat she and James are back together, noting that it’s been helpful to have privacy in this stage of their relationship.)CLIFFORD PRINCE KING for WSJ. MagazineCLIFFORD PRINCE KING for WSJ. MagazineJames, 29, and Kirkconnell, 24,left season 25 ofThe Bacheloras a coupleand remained together for a period of time after the cameras stopped rolling. However, their romantic relationshipcame to an endafter photos of Kirkconnell attending an antebellum plantation-themed party in 2018 surfaced on social media. She laterapologizedand said that she is “learning and will continue to learn how to be antiracist.“When the couple wasspotted together in Los AngelesandNew York City, though, fans began speculating that they had reunited — and James recently confirmed as much to PEOPLE.“I’ve seen Rachael a handful of times,” he said last week. “I’m not pursuing any relationships right now outside of that. I said I was going to focus on my relationship with her and that means focusing on it.“Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell.Craig Sjodin/ABC via GettyAs for whether James, who’s currently training for a marathon, feels Kirkconnell has been doing the work she promised in regard to educating herself about racism, “that’s something you could talk to her about,” he said. “A lot of what I’m focused on right now is the work that I’m doing in the community and with the [marathon] training.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.In hisWSJ. Magazineinterview, James also referenced histweet about finding a therapistfollowing the conclusion of his whirlwindBachelorseason.“I have spoken to therapists — I wouldn’t say I have a specific therapist,” he said. “As you talk about things, that’s when the healing can start.”
Matt Jamesis opening up about how he is navigating his relationship withRachael Kirkconnell.
In a recent interview withWSJ. Magazine, the formerBachelorsaid he and Kirkconnell are trying to make things work after theybroke upearlier this year when racially insensitive photos of her surfaced online.
“I think the best way to put it is that we can have critical conversations about being in this relationship and what I need in a partner — especially if that woman isn’t Black — to understand what comes with me and my life and being Black,” he told the outlet.
“It’s on people who care about being allies to do the work to be truly antiracist,” continued James, who was the franchise’s first Black Bachelor. “And I think it’s unfair to leave people without the ability to unlearn and be better.”
(Kirkconnell toldWSJthat she and James are back together, noting that it’s been helpful to have privacy in this stage of their relationship.)
CLIFFORD PRINCE KING for WSJ. Magazine
James, 29, and Kirkconnell, 24,left season 25 ofThe Bacheloras a coupleand remained together for a period of time after the cameras stopped rolling. However, their romantic relationshipcame to an endafter photos of Kirkconnell attending an antebellum plantation-themed party in 2018 surfaced on social media. She laterapologizedand said that she is “learning and will continue to learn how to be antiracist.”
When the couple wasspotted together in Los AngelesandNew York City, though, fans began speculating that they had reunited — and James recently confirmed as much to PEOPLE.
“I’ve seen Rachael a handful of times,” he said last week. “I’m not pursuing any relationships right now outside of that. I said I was going to focus on my relationship with her and that means focusing on it.”
Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell.Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty
As for whether James, who’s currently training for a marathon, feels Kirkconnell has been doing the work she promised in regard to educating herself about racism, “that’s something you could talk to her about,” he said. “A lot of what I’m focused on right now is the work that I’m doing in the community and with the [marathon] training.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In hisWSJ. Magazineinterview, James also referenced histweet about finding a therapistfollowing the conclusion of his whirlwindBachelorseason.
“I have spoken to therapists — I wouldn’t say I have a specific therapist,” he said. “As you talk about things, that’s when the healing can start.”
source: people.com
