Reality star Dorothy Wang: Don't call me oriental

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Dorothy WangImage source, Instagram/@dorothywang

Reality TV star Dorothy Wang has posted a rant on Instagram about being described as oriental.

The post shows the 29-year-old grimace while on a date with model David McIntosh during the show Famously Single.

Dorothy says this was the second time in which she's dealt with the "outdated" and "offensive" term.

"Ignorance is real," she says. "It makes me sad this is still our reality today".

The billionaire heiress made her name on the E! network's show The Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and is currently starring in the second series of Famously Single, made by the same network.

She posted the rant on Instagram, accompanied by a gif of her on the date., external

Dorothy says in the caption she thinks using the word oriental shows "racial insensitivity" and has even been "referred to as the 'Japanese friend' when they know I'm Chinese."

"While I understand it is reality TV and both the good and bad is meant to be shown, it makes me sad that this is still our reality today and the behaviour that we are putting out there on television.

"My culture and my race is something I've always been proud of and I'm tired of it being used as a 'joke' or as a tool to belittle or diminish me".

Dorothy's father is billionaire business man Roger Wang., external

In America, to use the word oriental to describe someone is considered offensive.

In 2016, President Barack Obama banned the word from being used in federal laws.

And back in 2009, Jeff Yang, from the San Francisco Chronicle, told NPR, external why it was not considered appropriate.

"When you think about it, the term Oriental itself kind of feels freighted with luggage.

"You know, it's a term which you can't think of without having that sort of the smell of incense and the sound of a gong kind of in your head," he said.

"That's just sort of like the cultural baggage that comes with it.

"I mean obviously there are political issues. It's something which has been associated with racist campaigns, with stereotypical imagery. And you know, frankly, it's just not a very precise term."

Dorothy is very proud of heritage, as she spends a lot of time in China., external

Famously Single is a show that puts eight single celebrities in a house together and shows them attempting to find love.

Dorothy is a member of the second season's cast, along with Tiffany Pollard, Malika Haqq and Calum Best.

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