'Bachelor' contestant Victoria Fuller apologizes for 'White Lives Matter' clothing scandal
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Bachelor" contestant Victoria Fuller has apologized for her participation in a “White Lives Matter” clothing controversy.
The 26-year-old reality TV contestant, currently on Peter Weber's season of the ABC dating show, wrote a message to her fans on social media Saturday.
“I would like to sincerely apologize for my involvement with We Love Marlins,” Fuller wrote. “My intention was only to support an endangered species." She was involved in a photoshoot where she modeled merchandise for a "White Lives Matter" clothing brand.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The logos also featured fish and the slogan reportedly was supposed to bring awareness to the conservation of the fish species White marlin. The phrase “Blue Lives Matter" was also used in the photoshoot.
"I want to say that I unequivocally reject the beliefs of the white lives matter movement or any propaganda that supports racism of any kind," Fuller continued. "I would like to specifically apologize to people of color that are affected by racism daily. It was never my intention to add fuel to the racial fire in this country.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Victoria Fuller (R) is one of Peter Weber's final four women on "The Bachelor." (ABC)
“This has truly been an educational moment for me and I hope to be a voice against racism moving forward. I hope I can be shown grace as I navigate through this process," the 25-year-old medical sales representative from Virginia Beach, Va. added.
Earlier this month, Fuller's participation caused Cosmopolitan’s editor-in-chief Jessica Pels to pull her photoshoot that she won after a group date with Weber in Costa Rica. The photos were supposed to run online but Pels decided the magazine couldn't publish them.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Unequivocally, the White Lives Matter movement does not reflect the values of the Cosmo brand,” Pels wrote in an open letter. “We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and any cause that fights to end injustices for people of color.”
When the photos went viral in January, Fuller was seen wearing a royal blue hat with the letters "WLM" on it, which appears to have been previously posted by the brand WLM Apparel Clothing on Instagram. Fuller also dons a matching blue flag sticking out of the back pocket of her denim shorts and a red tube top.
"ApPaReNtLy this is for white marlin conservation but I'm having a hard time believing that's the only message these clothes are sending," a user wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When one user tweeted about another show contestant named Hannah being a model, another wrote in response, "nahhh Victoria Fuller is also a model except her niche is racism" along with sharing an alleged screenshot of her photos in question.
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Even after one user claimed the brand could be about fish, others still deemed it offensive.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's clearly white supremacist. I'm glad you pointed it out," one responded.
"The Bachelor" Peter Weber and Victoria Fuller (ABC/Francisco Roman)
Another wrote: "It's definitely still problematic! Idk how to word it super intelligently but I feel like it belittles BLM [Black Lives Matter]. Also what the confederate flag have to do with fish!"
Last month, Weber defended Fuller. "Just being completely honest, I can't really speak too much on it because I don't really know too many facts about the whole situation," the airline pilot told Build Series via People. "I just recently heard about that with the cover being removed. But you know, obviously, during that moment too, I knew nothing about that. None of us did.
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"All I can speak on is the time I was able to spend with Victoria throughout this experience," he added. "And I truly enjoyed my experience with her. I really feel like she's a good person. She's got a lot of endearing qualities."
Fox News' Melissa Roberto contributed to this report.