Overview
- Cierra Ortega was formally removed in the July 6 episode after resurfaced Instagram posts showed her using an anti-Asian slur in past captions.
- She becomes the second Season 7 contestant ousted for racist language following Yulissa Escobar’s early June dismissal over an n-word slur.
- Outcry over Ortega’s posts led to a loss of nearly 200,000 Instagram followers and prompted friends Johnnie Oliva and MJ Hedderman to step back from managing her social media.
- Producers convened emergency crisis meetings to assess Ortega’s future in the Fiji villa and decide on her removal.
- Fans and advocacy groups are demanding clearer background checks and more transparent misconduct policies as the show continues phone-free filming in Fiji.