A second contestant has been removed from Love Island USA amid growing backlash over the use of racial slurs—this time, for a word many viewers disturbingly claimed they didn’t even realize was racist.
Cierra Ortega, who had recently gained traction among fans of the hit Peacock reality show, was abruptly dropped after social media sleuths uncovered multiple posts in which she used a derogatory slur to describe her eyes. The term, rooted in anti-Asian racism, is often directed at East and Southeast Asian communities and has long been condemned for dehumanizing people based on physical appearance.
The removal comes shortly after fellow contestant Yulissa Escobar was expelled from the villa when resurfaced podcast clips revealed her repeated use of the N-word. The dual controversies have sent shockwaves through the Love Island fandom—and sparked an urgent conversation about racial slurs that continue to fly under the radar for many Americans.
One of Ortega’s now-viral posts, captured from her Instagram, showed her casually referencing her “slanted eyes” with a slur. Fans were outraged—but equally troubling were the comments from followers of the Love Island USA Instagram account, many of whom claimed they had never heard of the term being offensive.
“I didn’t even know that was a slur,” one commenter wrote. Another said, “She didn’t mean it like that. It’s not the same as what Yulissa said.”
Asian American communities online weren’t having it. In the r/AsianAmerican subreddit, hundreds of users expressed frustration—not just at Ortega, but at the persistent minimization of anti-Asian slurs in mainstream culture.
“It’s always ‘they didn’t know,’” one user posted. “But somehow they always seem to learn right after they go viral for it.”
“We’re exhausted,” wrote another. “It’s 2025. If you don’t know that mocking Asian eyes is racist, then you’ve chosen not to know.”
The posts highlighted a larger issue: while some racial slurs are universally condemned, anti-Asian slurs often remain under-discussed, even as hate crimes and prejudice against Asian Americans continue to rise.
Following her removal from the show, Ortega posted an apology video online, stating:
“In that moment, I was embarrassed. I was apologetic and I educated not only myself on the true meaning and history of the word, but also anyone around me.”
She claimed the post had been made in 2024, and after a friend alerted her to its offensive nature, she immediately deleted it.
But for many, the apology felt hollow—especially given that her removal only came after sustained public outcry. Love Island producers had reportedly been aware of the situation for days before taking action.
The show now finds itself under fire for not establishing clearer vetting processes—and for what critics say is a reactive, rather than proactive, approach to racism within the franchise.
As Love Island USA scrambles to salvage its public image, one thing is clear: the incident has exposed a deep ignorance still lingering in popular culture—and a painful reminder that some slurs only get taken seriously when the backlash goes viral.
“We shouldn’t have to keep explaining our pain,” one Reddit user wrote.
“But apparently, we still do.”