‘Love Island USA’ scandal highlights how prevalent racist language is among Latinos

On Sunday night, “Love Island USA” fans heard series narrator Iain Stirling said the words many online warriors were clamoring to hear: “Cierra has left the villa due to a personal situation.”

The Cierra in question is Cierra Ortega, a 25-year-old content creator from Arizona who was a contestant on the massively popular Peacock reality dating show in which single “islanders” live in a Fijian villa cut off from the world and find love among one another. Or at least enough of a “connection” to win a $100,000 prize and all the fame and brand deals that come with doing well on the show. The “personal situation” that sent her home early from the villa was resurfaced Instagram posts in which she used a derogatory term used against Asians to describe her eyes.

Ortega is the second person to be cut from the show this season for racism uncovered by fans. The first was Yulissa Escobar, a 27-year-old who runs a mobile bar company in her hometown of Miami. Videos of Escobar surfaced from a podcast, in which she casually used the N-word while discussing boy drama with the hosts; they then went viral online, and even landed on TMZ. Two days into her time on Season 7 of “Love Island USA,” she was removed with a similar voice-over noting her departure. Fans wondered on social media what happened and promptly found the answer.

This scandal is another disappointing reminder of the racism, be it casual or overt, that permeates Latino culture. Perhaps given our minority status in the U.S., Latinos often think using slurs is totally normal, and not a big deal; but it’s not, and it is.

Disciplining a contestant or star on a reality TV show with swift removal hasn’t always been the norm. The racial reckoning that emerged following the murder of George Floyd highlighted for many who we should be platforming on these series, with reality shows like “Vanderpump Rules” and “Real Housewives of New York” making cast changes in response to instances of racism from its stars.

Ortega and Escobar aren’t the first or even second contestants to be kicked off “Love Island USA.” Season 2’s Noah Purvis was removed after producers discovered he had appeared in porn, and Season 3’s Leslie Golden was sent home for bringing a cannabis vape into the villa. They are, however, the first to leave on the grounds of racism, a noteworthy precedent on a show that casts people of different social and political backgrounds. That it was two Latinas who broke this unfortunate ground is embarrassing, upsetting, and if I’m being honest, a total face-palm moment.

Both Escobar and Ortega slipped so easily into using slurs that it was jarring to see, especially since both instances occurred in recent years, ostensibly when they should know better. But according to both of them, that’s not the case.

“The truth is, I didn’t know better then, but I do now,” Escobar explained via a statement on Instagram. “I’ve taken the time to reflect, to learn, and to grow from that moment,” she wrote.

She provided further context and apologies on TikTok. Meanwhile, Ortega’s parents issued their own statement on her Instagram stories, acknowledging the offensive nature of the posts and asking for compassion from rabid fans who are flooding their daughter’s social pages. “We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters,” they wrote. “But what’s happening online right now has gone far beyond that.”

On Wednesday night, Ortega finally addressed her removal from “Love Island USA,” calling it “not an apology video. This is an accountability video.”

“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,” she says, while wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with the word “empathy.” “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.”

Ortega also shares a screenshot of a direct message from January of last year, in which she responds apologetically and appreciatively to a follower who explained to her why her post was harmful to Asian people to dispel online rumors that she continued to use the term after being educated. In all, both Escobar and Ortega have expressed regret, have promised to prove their growth through their actions, and have also asked virulent fans to stop harassing them and their families.

That racism exists in Latino culture across nationalities is not a surprise. It reared its ugly head in such a flagrantly unassuming way that is sadly common within our communities. I’m not surprised that they were ignorant of the severity of the terms they used, if we are to believe they actually were unaware. I, personally, am inclined to believe them.

How often are we confronted with a casual slur when talking to a cousin or sibling or parent? The task of teaching a family member about racist or homophobic language embedded in our way of speaking is a frustrating endeavor. It’s been an exhausting, decades-long effort for me with my own family that is still ongoing. It’s important to me to take the time to push them and our culture at large to evolve. We can’t be better if we don’t hold ourselves and each other accountable. Ortega herself agrees with the network’s decision to remove her from the show. “I think that this is something that deserved punishment,” she says.

It may be easy to pin this on Escobar and Ortega being from deep red states, or their backgrounds; Escobar is a white Cuban from Miami while Ortega is Mexican and Puerto Rican from Arizona, though now lives in Los Angeles. But anti-Blackness and white supremacy is sadly part of the fabric of our culture across Latino communities in all parts of the U.S.

Sure, this sort of racism is more prevalent among those who lean right on the political spectrum. Plenty has been said of the racism in Arizona or among Miami Cubans, but it’s certainly not exclusive to the red hat consort. Liberal types aren’t impervious to racism, even when under a more well-intentioned guise. Your Democratic-voting nephew might still think dropping an Asian slur is no big deal because he’s got Filipino friends.

As the country delves deeper into authoritarianism and Latinos are being targeted by the Trump administration, literally being kidnapped off the street by ICE agents regardless of their criminal record or citizenship status, learning is especially imperative. When we are collectively viewed as racists against other marginalized communities because of the actions of some, it only serves to isolate us when we are being harmed.

We need to be unified. We need others to fight to protect us, and for us to do the same, which we’ve already seen across L.A. That means respecting each other, and for God’s sake not using stupid, harmful words. We do not get a pass. Punishing two Latinas who are platformed on reality TV for their actions sends a message that will hopefully broaden understanding within our culture as to why certain language is harmful and won’t be tolerated.

That said, I don’t want either Escobar or Ortega to be hurt in a serious way — and bloodthirsty fans calling for their heads and harassing them and their families should also ask themselves about the objective of their ruthless attacks. Are they genuinely concerned about racism? Or are they trying to take out the competition for their faves?

Death threats are never OK, and neither is racism. If there was nothing to find, Escobar and Ortega wouldn’t be in this predicament. We can and should do better in taking care of each other. That means unlearning the language that perpetuates harm and stereotypes, and being more compassionate and humane across the board.

Learning is a necessary part of growth. It’s not always easy or without pain, but ideally it should be safe.