'Bachelorette' suitor Garrett Yrigoyen apologizes for offensive social media 'likes'

We’re just one episode into the new season of The Bachelorette and one of the contestants is already apologizing for his off-camera behavior.

Garrett Yrigoyen, a medical sales rep from Nevada, was called out on social media ahead of the show’s Monday premiere by former Bachelor contestant Ashley Spivey. She cited a series of social media memes that Yrigoyen had liked that criticized feminists, mocked transgender people, joked about throwing immigrant children over the planned border wall, and suggested high school student and antigun advocate David Hogg is an actor.

Spivey’s critique obviously didn’t affect this season’s Bachelorette star, Becca Kufrin, who gave Yrigoyen the all-important First Impression Rose. But the call-out obviously got Yrigoyen’s attention. He posted a lengthy apology on Instagram on Thursday.

In his statement, Yrigoyen explained that he “never realized the power behind a mindless double tap on Instagram and how it bears so much weight on people’s lives.” He insisted his “likes” were not a true portrait of him.

Yrigoyen also explained that he’s taken down his old account and started a new one. So far, he’s only posted a photo of himself promoting the show and the apology. He will, he said, “take better care moving forward to support all walks of life.”

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: