Former Love Island contestant Sharon Gaffka publicly rejected co-star Cierra Ortega’s apology for using an Asian racial slur. Gaffka appeared on TMZ Live stating Ortega knew exactly what the hateful word implied despite claiming ignorance. She argued anyone with internet access in America should understand the term’s offensive history and harm. Ortega was removed from Love Island USA after past social media posts containing the slur resurfaced. In her apology, Ortega said she’d been home 48 hours and admitted to ‘naively using an incredibly offensive term’ but maintained she didn’t understand its full impact.
Source: https://www.tmz.com/2025/07/10/love-island-sharon-gaffka-not-buying-cierra-ortega-apology/