Taylor Nolan addressed where her head was at when she penned the offensive tweets that resurfaced last month.
In case you don’t know, the Bachelor alum found herself in the middle of a social media controversy when the hateful posts from her past came to light. In several tweets spanning over several years, Nolan mocked members of various racial and ethnic groups, including the Asian, Indian, and Jewish communities. Other remarks also contained disgusting usage of homophobic, fatphobic, and ableist language.
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After the news broke, the 27-year-old posted a video in which she explained and defended herself, citing her social justice work over the years. However, many fans considered Nolan’s first statement to have been more of an excuse than an apology. The licensed mental health counselor then deleted the video and subsequently posted two more apology messages on Instagram. Even more so, the reality star faces some consequences as the Washington Department of Health announced they opened an investigation into her license.
The intense criticism she received from Bachelor Nation prompted Nolan to step away from the public eye for a bit. However, the Bachelor in Paradise alum recently opened up to Page Six about how the hateful messages were caused by the bullying and racism she experienced as a biracial woman.
“I was completely lost. I was essentially raised as if I was white, even though I clearly am not. So, I was really never actually prepared as to how the world was going to perceive me, growing up with exclusively my white family.”
Nolan went on to explain how moving from Seattle to South Carolina with her mother and stepfather in the sixth grade felt like a “cultural shock” to her.
“At the time, I think was the first time I was really made aware of the fact that I was black. That I was really made aware of the fact that that wasn’t OK. That was what made me ugly, that was what made me worthless.”
And it was in middle school when she “experienced the most amount of trauma around my race,” explaining:
“[It] was where I really actually kind of learned that I didn’t belong anywhere. Like, no matter what I did, no matter how I tried to look, I just didn’t belong. Just who I was at my core of who I am, was just wrong.”
She continued:
“And I didn’t clearly unpack that until many years later until I was in grad school, and I think a lot of that was sitting with me, and a lot that was coming out in the tweets, in undergrad, just trying so hard to be something that someone that people will just accept. So that meant going along with things even though they weren’t right. That meant laughing at the jokes even when I’m the butt of them.”
Well, it still doesn’t excuse you from being s****y to almost every single community on the planet. Just saying…
Now, Nolan hopes to continue educating others about racial justice. As you may know, the advocate, who appeared on Nick Viall’s season of The Bachelor, has been outspoken about social justice issues within and outside the franchise.
“If at one point you were this way, with actual dedication, with a commitment to the work, with education, with support, you can change, you can grow, that’s absolutely in the cards. Growth is possible, and hopefully encouraging that [is possible]. When people do grow, we let them in. We let them be a part of doing that work.”
What are your thoughts on Taylor’s recent explanation, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below)!
[Image via Taylor Nolan/Instagram]
The post <i>Bachelor</i>'s Taylor Nolan Says She 'Was Completely Lost' When She Wrote Those Past Offensive Tweets appeared first on Perez Hilton.
