90 Day Fiance star Alina Kozhevnikova has apologized for her racist social-media posts that have recently resurfaced, saying she's definitely "at fault" and is "genuinely sorry."
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However, TLC announced in late January the network had fired Alina and is going to drop her storyline from the series this month. TLC said Alina will not appear on the Season 5 Tell-All or any future spinoffs of the franchise due to several social-media posts she had made in 2014 and 2015.
Fans were shocked and disappointed to see the Russia native had used the "N" word in a couple of her posts -- including one 2014 post that featured the racial slur a whopping seven times -- and also appeared to slam Asian women as well as Muslim women in other posts.
In a lengthy YouTube video Alina posted on Tuesday, Alina said, "I've been meaning to make this post, this video, for a while, but I needed time to find the right words. Also, I was told not to say anything. But I feel the need that I need to address this out of fairness to everyone who was affected by my words."
"I said something racist. I said the 'N-word,'" she continued. "I said things that affected and hurt a lot of people. Because of my ignorance and my actions, I caused a lot of pain to a lot of people. But I really promise to work on my ignorance and educate myself."
Alina insisted that she "never meant to hurt anybody at all."
"I am extremely sorry that I did. I will never use any of those derogatory words ever again. I acknowledge my fault, and again, I am sincerely and genuinely sorry," she said in the video.
Alina claimed she's not looking for empathy or making any excuses, but she proceeded to provide some "context" behind every single one of her racist social-media posts that have resurfaced online.
Alina attempted to prove that all of her racist posts were from five years ago or more and her heart was innocent at the time.
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"Everybody used the 'N-word' so casually back then and I just didn't have the context that I have now," the Russia native claimed, adding, "Alina knows in 2022 that this word should never be used -- and she never uses it."
RELATED LINK: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOWAlina said she didn't know how "powerful" and "highly inappropriate" the N-word is until she read some coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement, when she was beginning to "understand the awful history and the impact that the word has."
Alina admitted she initially denied posting racist material on her Instagram page because she wanted to "distance" herself from the posts that do not represent her "ideals and values."
"Alina in 2022 knows that discrimination and any words like that should not be used," Alina said. "[Denying my posts] was extremely dumb... Unfortunately, what was said was said, and I can't take my words back. And I feel bad about it; I regret it a lot."
Alina reiterated how she feels "terrible" about having used a racial slur and her second big mistake was lying about it.
"I apologize for both instances. I've learned my lesson and all I can say now is just how truly sorry I am," Alina said.
Alina went on to explain, however, how the N-word is used in music and films and so "for a foreign person" like herself, it was "confusing" for her whether or not she could say it.
"The idea of race in Russia is very different from what it is in the U.S... I really don't have hate in my heart for anyone," Alina insisted.
"But it doesn't remove me from racist systems that we unfortunately have in our society. I have to do better, and I am doing my best to limit my negative affects in these systems."
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Alina first apologized for her offenses in a since-expired Instagram Story post that was reposted by 90 Day Fiance blogger Mommy Says Bad Words on January 14, according to In Touch Weekly.
"I am sure some of you have seen the screenshot of one of my past posts. I sincerely want to apologize to those whose feelings have been hurt. I never intended to offend anyone. I am and always will be against any form of discrimination," 90 Day Fiance's first-ever little person reportedly wrote at the time.
"My English is okay but I am Russian and there's still a lot of nuances that you learn over time. I didn't know the impact of the word that I used in that post all those years ago. I saw a lot of people on social media using it, so I thought it was like 'bro' or 'fella.'"
But Alina acknowledged she was "wrong" and offered her "deepest apologies" to those who had been hurt and offended.
On January 24, Alina reportedly proceeded to write in a cryptic Instagram Stories post, "Despite what's being said about me, my friends, family and those who met me in person know who I really am [and] who I am not. And I know it too. The answers are coming."
Arguably the most offensive of Alina's old posts was when she discussed the Facebook invitation for a "[N]-party" she had been invited to.
Alina poked fun at the invitation that allegedly read, "Become invisible in the night," and she cracked up about the "black music" that would be played, the "hood" atmosphere, and the "gangsta costumes" people would be wearing to the event.
"HAHAHHAHAAH I'm sorry everyone for writing these words. But this is one of the funniest things I've seen and I am SO going!!" Alina wrote at the time.
Alina also posted a photo of herself dressed like a man for a gender-bender party and wrote many years ago, "Yo [N-word] gotta do sum gold diggin'."
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In another resurfaced post from 2015, Alina shared how her celebrity crush at the time was actor Hugh Grant.
While Alina gushed about Hugh's attractive looks, she criticized him for being too old and wrote, "and his wife is Asian, so all the kids would be kinda Asian," according to a screenshot TMZ published late last month.
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Caleb recently told TMZ that he knows Alina's heart and she is not a racist person, despite her obvious mistakes.
Alina -- who was born with diastrophic dysplasia, a rare form of dwarfism that affects one's joints and stature -- previously said racism is "not okay" during a December interview with Entertainment Tonight.
"I was thinking recently [how] I don't really see a lot of homophobic and racist comments any more because people really know that it's not okay... But for some reason, there is not much talk about ableism... We forget about ableism!" Alina said at the time.
"Ableism" is discrimination in favor of able-bodied people, and Alina suggested people are still saying degrading things about those who have disabilities.
Alina continued, "I just want to see, you know, maybe something could change for the show. Because more people would know that it's not okay to shame someone for their height or for using a wheelchair or something."
Alina added how there are "so many people with disabilities" and so discussing ableism is "no less important" than any other cultural or societal issue.
Caleb and Alina had met on social media about 13 years ago -- when Caleb was only 15 years old -- but they were only dating for a year-and-a-half by the time 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days' new season filmed.
Caleb and Alina started out with an online friendship and became best friends over a decade ago, but then they lost touch with each other.
Suddenly, when Caleb, a well-traveled adventurer, planned a trip to Russia, he hopped on a Russian dating app to see whom he could meet -- and he ironically matched with Alina, which resulted in the former friends reconnecting.
After getting to know each other, the pair decided to meet in Turkey since the borders in Russia were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Caleb explained how his "deep emotional connection" with Alina helped him to look past their glaring height difference at first, but Caleb was shown breaking up with Alina in the latest 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days episode because he wasn't sure he could be the man she needed -- someone who could constantly help her and take care of her.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
