Members of The Real Housewives of New York are under fire after making transphobic comments at New York Fashion Week. Which is to be expected after cast member Sonja Morgan shared a video to her Instagram story where she can literally be heard dragging a transgender model.
The video, taken during a runway show, features Morgan’s voice as she asks the fellow housewives “who is that?” which is followed by “Oh, that’s a guy, right?” The questions were in regards to well-known drag queen, Miz Cracker, as she walked down the runway.
In another video that’s since been deleted, Dorinda Medley and Morgan are heard discussing transgender model, Yasmine Petty.
“Well, with a body like that, it’s a guy,” Medley said. “That’s a guy.”
Morgan responded: “Yeah, with a body like that it’s a guy, you’re absolutely right.”
credit: giphy
These comments are concerning for two reasons: the first being that one woman describes the trans woman as “it” and the second is that the other woman demonstrates the belief that she has the right to define someone else’s gender.
Ignorance can’t be the case here – it’s 2019, it’s fair to assume we’ve all learnt about what is and isn’t a respectful way to address a transgender person. However, model Carissa Pinkston pretending to be transgender did make me question every assumption I have about where we’re at as a society.
Even if these ladies have never had any sort of relationship with a trans man or woman, they would surely know of Caitlyn Jenner.
When Caitlyn came out as a trans woman she partook in one thousand discussions with the media, many of which involved her stating that she would like to be recognised, and addressed, as a woman.
There is really no excuse for the way these ladies have spoken about a trans person. However, it won’t be surprising if, in RHONY’s next season, they express sentiments other than remorse.
There is, however, a somewhat positive development that has emerged from the scenario. Petty, the transgender model subjected to the women’s transphobic comments, served up her opinion on the whole scenario to Page Six Style:
“It’s pretty disheartening and disappointing, especially this day in age and being in New York City.”
It’s not right that Petty had to call-out these women in the first place, but by doing so she models an admirable quality for women everywhere – when someone bullies you, speak up.
Petty also said that she saw the women laughing while she was walking down the runway in another Instagram video. Which, honestly, is peak high-school-mean-girl behaviour.
The model’s eloquent commentary honestly has us moved:
“My philosophy is that people can’t choose their sexual orientation. They can’t choose their gender identity. They can’t choose or not choose to have a disability or a mental illness or even their race, but things people can choose to do is not to be rude and cruel to people over things they have no control over.”
