Rachel Lindsay says she received death threats from the 'Bachelor Klan' after her controversial interview with Chris Harrison

• Rachel Lindsay said she received death threats after her interview with Chris Harrison.
• "There is a Bachelor Nation, and there is a Bachelor Klan," Lindsay wrote in a recent article.
• She added, "Bachelor Klan is hateful, racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, and homophobic."

Rachel Lindsay said she received death threats and "personal attacks" after her controversial interview with Chris Harrison earlier this year, during which Harrison defended "Bachelor" contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who'd been accused of racist behavior.

"The fandom had always had a complicated relationship with me. But it really started to turn against me after that interview," Lindsay wrote in a new article for New York Magazine.

In the article, Lindsay (who made history as the franchise's first Black Bachelorette) said that she and her "Higher Learning" podcast cohost Van Lathan had "divided" the fan base into two factions.

"There is a Bachelor Nation, and there is a Bachelor Klan," the reality star and lawyer said. "Bachelor Klan is hateful, racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, and homophobic. They are afraid of change. They are afraid to be uncomfortable. They are afraid when they get called out."

After the interview caused a wave of backlash against Harrison - culminating in the longtime host later stepping down from his role in the franchise - Lindsay said that she herself became the target of online attacks from "fans."

"I received death threats and personal attacks. I had to hire people to protect me. I couldn't even pretend to want to be involved anymore," she wrote.

As she mentioned in the article, Lindsay eventually decided to limit her interactions with the franchise, following the attacks and a growing frustration with the way the show handled race and racism.

The controversy surrounding Harrison and Kirkconnell (who was the eventual winner of Matt James' season of "The Bachelor") began after photos emerged of Kirkconnell wearing an antebellum-style plantation dress while she was a student at Georgia College & State University in 2018.

And in January, a TikTok user accused Kirkconnell of bullying her for dating Black men. Another TikTok user also accused the contestant of liking racist photos.

When it became apparent that Kirkconnell was going to make it far on James' season, Harrison appeared on an "Extra" segment with Lindsay in February to discuss the controversy.

During his interview, Harrison called for people to give Kirkconnell "a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion," and also implied that Kirkconnell's antebellum costume wouldn't have been considered racist in 2018.

Following an intense wave of backlash from fans and former "Bachelor" stars alike, Harrison permanently stepped down as host after apologizing - and reportedly striking an eight-figure deal with the network.

While Kirkconnell and James initially split after she was chosen as his winner amid the backlash against her, they ended up reconciling after the show finished airing.