Love Island USA’s Austin Shepard Addresses Racism Allegations

Austin Shepard is not entertaining baseless accusations.

Upon coming back from season seven of “Love Island USA,” the reality television personality addressed a fan’s accusation of racism and bigotry during an Instagram Stories Q&A session at his home.

Austin stated in a video on the 4th of July, “I’ll only focus on this once because it’s absurd,” he said. “Are you genuinely unintelligent? I have to ask, aren’t you?

Actually, the 26-year-old asserted that one of his tattoos served as evidence disproving the allegations.

He added, pointing out his tattoo to the camera, “There’s a woman with dark skin and tattoos on my side.” Then he said, “Use your imagination.

After Austin and Andreina Santos, TJ Palma, Gracyn Blackmore, and Jaden Duggar were all eliminated from the villa together, his fellow original islander Yulissa Escober was subsequently removed from the Peacock reality series just two episodes in, following a wave of online criticism for using the N-word in previously recorded podcasts.

She wrote on Instagram two days later, “I’m truly sorry for using a term I didn’t have the right to use in the clips from my episodes that recently aired. The word I used was a racial slur, and I had no idea of its heavy history or the pain it causes. I didn’t intend to be offensive or hurtful, but I now understand that good intentions don’t erase the harm caused.

She went on to say, ‘I’ve undergone significant changes since that time, not only in my speaking style but also in how I present myself, my demeanor, and how I respect the experiences of others.’ Growth, she explained, involves acknowledging past mistakes, even if it’s awkward, and making a conscious effort to progress with humility and responsibility.

Furthermore, viewers assumed that she left the villa secretly when everyone else was sleeping, but the 27-year-old has later clarified the truth about the circumstances surrounding her departure.

Surprise! Contrary to what you might think, I didn’t go out in the dark. Instead, I confidently stepped out under the bright sun with my eyelashes perfectly applied.

Yulissa mentioned in the video that her day, much like any ordinary one, began with her co-star Ace Greene preparing her breakfast, as she was finding herself more at ease and emerging from her shell.

She said, “I’m unable to tell you the time since we’re not connected to the actual world.” Later, she was summoned upfront, where she encountered one of the producers who requested her to turn off her microphone.

To be completely honest, my heart skipped a beat. I thought maybe there’d been some trouble with one of my loved ones, but they were vague about it all. All they said was that an old video of mine had popped up online, and it didn’t sound promising. I was at a loss, unsure of the context or what exactly I was supposed to have done.

If you’re curious about the islanders seeking romance during season seven of Love Island USA, continue scrolling.