Youtube star and makeup artist Gigi Gorgeous, also known as Giselle Loren Lazzarato, was allegedly detained at the Dubai Airport because she is transgender.
The 24-year-old Canadian model posted a photo on Instagram of her hugging her friend Nats Getty saying, “After being detained and held at the Dubai airport for over 5 hours, this was the moment my baby came to rescue me.”
The L.A. resident continued, “Yesterday was one of the scariest moments of my entire life and I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. How you can be denied entry somewhere just because of who you are is seriously disgusting and also very scary.”
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The internet personality went on to say that the troubling incident has made it more apparent to her that there needs to be more acceptance for the LGBTQ community around the world.
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“This further proves the need for CHANGE. I am now on my way to somewhere much more accepting,” she concluded. “Safe and sound and happy. I love you guys💋.”
TMZ reports that the airport police claimed that the beauty vlogger’s passport and passport photo represented her as a male. “I was told, ‘You are transgender. You cannot come into the country,'” she told the website on Tuesday.
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Lazzarato insisted to TMZ that her passport photo is current and the name listed on the travel document includes her updated name.
Dubai reportedly punishes the “imitation of women by men” under the “indecent acts” law; contravening it can result in fines, deportation or jail time.
Back in 2014, two Brazilian women were detained at the same airport as Lazzarato and had their passports confiscated for the crime of “imitating the opposite sex.”
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Gigi Gorgeous was formerly known as Gregory Gorgeous and began her male-to-female transition in 2013 and officially changed her name in 2014.
She launched her lifestyle YouTube channel in 2008 before transitioning. It now has almost 290 million views and more than 2.3 million subscribers.
In September 2015, the beauty vlogger was featured on Kylie Jenner’s app where they filmed many videos together offering makeup tips.
Gorgeous was also a presenter at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards and was on Project Runway All Stars in 2013.
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