A recent photo shoot featuring Cierra Ortega, a contestant from the popular reality show “Love Island,” has created quite a stir. Ng drew sharp criticism for using a slur against the Asian American community in a 2020 social media post. Despite sharing this post a while ago, the recent resurfacing of this quote has caused immense outcry from fans that led Ortega to publicly apologize over the matter.
Then, in early 2024, an LGBTQ follower complained to Ortega for using the slur. After this exchange, Ortega quickly deleted the post and issued an apology for her actions. She proceeded to state that she had meant “no ill intention” when she used the term. She felt deeply ashamed and is determined to try to atone for what she did.
In her emotional Instagram post, Ortega acknowledged that she was unaware that the word was a slur. One of her followers alerted her to the news, and she was shocked to learn the truth! “I would never intentionally use any word, especially a slur, to tear down anyone’s culture or community,” she declared. Her recognition of the term’s explosive impact has struck a chord, while putting her surely on the receiving end of a large amount of backlash.
The fallout has resulted in Ortega’s exit from the villa as she deals with a family situation. Given all that had transpired, she understood the network’s decision to take her off the show. “We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters,” said Ortega’s parents in a statement shared on Instagram. They went on to say that this time has been the most agonizing for their family.
Ortega’s parents had shared their heartbreak with their daughter’s death, but over the online response, which they said was brutal and overwhelming. “We’ve seen the posts, the headlines, the hurt and the hate,” they noted. They acknowledged that until now, Cierra has not faced much of the ugliness directed at her. Unlike the rest of us, they’ve experienced it firsthand. They denounced the threats and ugly comments directed at her family and friends, saying, “It’s just a horrible thing.”
In her response to the crisis, Ortega offered a call for healing and transformation. “Hopefully there are people out there that can use my mistake as a learning moment and to just be better,” she stated in her Instagram post. She focused on her commitment to addressing the impact of her breaches. Her mission is to share love, joy, and acceptance while embracing the beauty of all cultures.
Ortega is coming under fire in her response to that backlash. In fact, she publicly acknowledged that the fallout from those responses has been “difficult to manage.” Regardless, she is optimistic about redemption from those she hurt. “I know no apology could ever be enough for the harm that I’ve caused and the offense that has taken place,” she admitted.
Ortega is producing an “accountability video” to respond to the rediscovered posts. In this video, she will take you along on her journey toward greater awareness and progress. She proactively tweeted an image of her direct messages with the Twitter user who called her out. This is proof of her willingness to learn even from her own mistakes.
