‘Love Island USA’ Star Cierra Ortega Agrees With Decision to Remove Her From the Show: ‘I Am Not the Victim’

“Love Island USA” contestant Cierra Ortega is taking accountability for her actions after she was removed from the Peacock series for her past use of a slur on social media.

In a Wednesday night Instagram video, the Season 7 Islander admitted she agreed with the producers’ decision to take her out of the villa while insisting this was not an apology, but rather a chance for her to hold herself accountable.

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“I know a lot of people have been waiting for me to speak up about the news that’s come to light recently, and now that I’ve been back in the U.S. for about 48 hours and I’ve had the chance to process, I now feel like I’m at a space where I can speak about this without being highly emotional, because I am not the victim in this situation,” she began. “While I was in the villa, there were some posts that resurfaced from my past where I was very naively using an incredibly offensive and derogatory term. Before I get into the details, I want to first start by addressing not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended, but most importantly, the entire Asian community: I am deeply, truly, honestly, so sorry.”

“I had no idea that the word held as much pain, as much harm and came with the history that it did or I never would have used it. I had no ill intention when I was using it, but that’s absolutely no excuse, because intent doesn’t excuse ignorance. It just doesn’t, and I just need you to know that I am so sorry,” Ortega continued. “But this is not an apology video, this is an accountability video. I do want to hold my hands up and say that I take accountability for using the word, but I do want it to be known that I genuinely had no idea that it was a slur. I had no idea of its meaning, and it wasn’t until I made the public story post in 2024 when a follower of mine reached out to correct me and let me know that what I was saying was incredibly hurtful, it was a derogatory term, it was a slur.”

The 25-year-old then explained that once a follower of hers explained that the word in question was indeed a slur, she removed it from her vocabulary, contrary to other viral posts that insinuate she “doubled down” on using it.

“Since that moment, I’ve done so much growing as an individual and I’ve tried my best to educate others who might be accidentally holding space for these types of words that could be offensive in their vocabulary,” Ortega said. “I completely agree with the network’s decision to remove me from the villa. I think that this is something that deserved punishment, and the punishment has absolutely been received, for sure. I think the backlash has obviously been very hard to deal with, but I understand that people are kind of confused on why I would have even said it or why I would have been ‘doubling down’ and continuing to use it, so I understand where the hate is coming from.”

“I can do my best to drown out the noise and pay attention to the truth, but what’s been extremely, extremely difficult is the way people are approaching my family and my loved ones,” she shared. “They have had ICE called on them. My family doesn’t feel safe in their own home. I’m receiving death threats, like, there’s no need to fight hate with hate. I don’t think that that’s justice. And if you want to know that you are heard and that I’m sorry and that I will move differently, I promise you, that’s what will happen.”

“I know that no apology could ever be enough for the harm that I’ve caused and the offense has taken place. I know that moving forward, my actions and how I decide to live my life from here on out, is going to speak louder than any apology ever could, but I do need it to be known that I am sorry and I did mean no harm, and hopefully there are people out there that can use my mistake as a learning moment and to just be better, because that’s what I’m going to do,” Ortega concluded her message. “I’m going to take today and tomorrow, and I’m going to take strides to be better, and all I can ask for is, even if you won’t give me forgiveness, if you can just allow me to grow with grace. And hopefully, instead of sitting here and trying to convince you that I am this amazing person who spreads light in the world and celebrates cultures and dynamics and backgrounds, one day you can see that from me. I’m deeply sorry again, and I thank anyone who’s listening.”

Ortega’s removal marked the second“Love Island USA” Season 7contestant to exit the show this summer due to racial slurs. At the start of June, Yulissa Escobar waskicked off the showafter just two episodes once podcast clips resurfaced showing her using racial slurs.

The “Love Island USA” season finale airs Sunday on Peacock.

The post ‘Love Island USA’ Star Cierra Ortega Agrees With Decision to Remove Her From the Show: ‘I Am Not the Victim’ appeared first on TheWrap.