The Dubai International Airport denied Gigi Gorgeous entrance into the country simply because she is a transgender woman.
Gigi is a YouTube star who has over 2 million subscribers. She started YouTube in 2008, and documented her transition over the years. She was born male with the name Gregory, but legally changed her name to Gigi.
According to TMZ, an immigration officer said to her, “I was told you are transgender. You cannot come into the country.”
The Dubai airport police then insisted that her passport still listed her as a male, but she denied it. The authorities kept her passport and prevented Gigi from leaving the country. Unfortunately, in their country, a person can spend up to a year in jail simply for being transgender.
A few hours after TMZ reported the news, Gigi posted an emotional response to her detainment. She shared a picture of her and her friend, Nats Getty, in a tight embrace. She says that after five hours at the airport, Nats came to rescue her.
Gigi describes her day as being “one of the scariest moments” of her life. She states, “How you can be denied entry somewhere just because of who you are is seriously disgusting and also very scary. This further proves the need for CHANGE.” She confirms that she is leaving the airport to “somewhere much more accepting.” Gigi then reassures her fans that she is safe and sound.
Gigi Gorgeous with friend, Nats Getty
Unfortunately, discrimination towards people who identify as transgender still exists in our world. People need to learn to understand that one’s sex does not determine one’s gender identity. We also need to stop treating gender as binary when there is an entire spectrum of genders. Respecting the gender identities of everyone is crucial. Like Gigi says, we need CHANGE. The transgender community continues to fight a battle everyday and we need to be there to support them.
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