Bachelorette contestant Garrett Yrigoyen is speaking out about the controversy surrounding his alleged social media likes.
On Thursday, Yrigoyen, 29, released a statement on his new Instagram account.
“To those who I have hurt and offended: This is all new to me. I went on the Bachelorette for the adventure and possibility of falling in love, not fame,” said Yrigoyen, who received the first impression rose on Monday’s premiere.
“I did not know what to expect once the show aired. I am sorry to those who I offended, and I also take full responsibility for my ‘likes’ on Instagram that were hurtful and offensive,” he continued. “garret_yrigs12 was my former Instagram handle and I decided to take it down and start fresh because I have learned an extremely valuable lesson and am taking steps to grow, become more educated, and be a better version of myself. I am not perfect, and I will never be anywhere close, but now I will always be more informed and aware of what I am liking and supporting, not just on Instagram, but in life.”
He added, “I never realized the power behind a mindless double tap on Instagram and how it bears so much weight on people’s lives. I did not mean any harm by any of it. My Instagram ‘likes’ were not a true reflection of me and my morals.”
Yrigoyen, one of Becca Kufrin‘s 28 suitors on season 14, came under fire on Tuesday after liking offensive posts on Instagram that mock the trans community, a Parkland high school shooting…
