Love Island USA star Cierra Ortega leaves the villa after racism scandal

Cierra Ortega has made her exit from theLove Island USA villa amidst a racism row. It emerged that producers were locked in emergency discussions after an old social media post by Cierra came to light, and during the July 6 episode, narratorIain Stirling announced that "Cierra had left due to a personal reason".

The exact date of Cierra's departure remains unclear, but her removal was demanded by viewers once the contentious social media post was spotted. The Instagram Story that sparked the controversy featured Cierra talking about her use of Botox.

She shared that Botox prevents her from frowning when she's deep in thought or concentration, saying: "Botox isn't for everyone but I love it for me!!! I am incredibly expressive with my face and I catch myself frowning for no reason throughout the day when I'm focusing on something or thinking too hard lol."

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However, the situation escalated when she used a racial slur while referring to her smile, which is derogatory towards people of East Asian descent, reports the Mirror US.

Her post read: "I can also be a little ch**ky when I laugh/smile so I love getting a mini brow lift to open up my eyes and get that snatched look. This is not me encouraging but more so sharing."

After the revelation of the "crisis meeting," there was a strong public outcry for Cierra's ousting. As the July 6 episode aired, audiences immediately took to social media to express their reactions as they witnessed Cierra's actual departure from the show.

One viewer exclaimed: "oh wow they actually booted cierra." While another commented: "Cierra's a** finally out the villa." A third fan shared their shock: "CIERRA HAS LEFT THE VILLA OH MY JAW DROPPED AND I HOWLEDDDDD YESSSSSSSS," and a fourth simply stated, "Omg Cierra is gone."

Another individual couldn't hide their surprise, saying, "I can't freaking believe it. Cierra is out of the villa ! ! ! ! !" Meanwhile, someone else found humour in the situation: "Cierra getting kicked out immediately before a recoupling is hilarious as f--k, I'm sorry #LoveIslandUSA."

Following Cierra's unexpected exit, her partner Nic was left feeling adrift, confessing he felt "lost" without her. Reflecting on the turn of events, Nic said, "Well, I think now that my strongest connection is gone, I'll just figure it out from here. I was not expecting this".

Cierra's parents have also released a statement, asking viewers for "compassion". The lengthy post shared began, "As Cierra's parents, this has been one of the most painful weeks of our lives. We've seen the posts, the headlines, the hurt and the hate. And while Cierra hasn't seen any of it yet, we have. And so have the people who love her."

They continued: "We're not here to justify or ignore what's surfaced. We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what's happening online right now has gone far beyond that.

"The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it's heartbreaking. It's uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they've made.

"While Cierra is not in the villa anymore, she is still away. She hasn't had the chance to process any of this or speak for herself. But we know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she'll face this with honesty, growth, and grace."

Her parents then added: "While she'll always be our little girl, she's also a woman, one who will take responsibility in her own time and her own voice. Until then, we're simply asking for compassion. For patience. For basic human decency. Not just for her, but for everyone caught in the middle of this."

They ended the statement by saying: "Thank you to those who've continued to show love, even when it's not easy. With love, Her family."

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