Canadian model and social media star Gigi Gorgeous says she was detained in a Dubai airport and questioned by officials for more than five hours earlier this week because she is transgender.
Immigration officials denied Gorgeous entry into the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, she says, forcing her to leave the country.
“I was denied entry into Dubai because I am transgender and it absolutely disgusts me that this kind of discrimination still goes on,” she said in a YouTube video recorded in the airport departures lounge and posted Thursday.
“It’s so not fair and it’s so sad, to be honest, because I knew this kind of discrimination existed.”
The model, who was born and raised in Canada and later moved to the U.S., said she was excited to visit Dubai despite knowing about discriminatory laws against LGBT people in the United Arab Emirates.
“I wanted to see Dubai, I’ve heard great things amongst the negative,” she said.
After a 12-hour flight, an immigration officer refused to stamp her passport and instead asked her and her body guard to step into a separate room. According to celebrity news website TMZ, her passport has been updated since she transitioned and reads “Gigi Loren.”
Gorgeous said she broke down into tears when she learned that her vacation was being cut short.
“I full on started bawling, sobbing my eyes out,” she said. “I couldn’t breathe.”
She later flew from Dubai to Stockholm, where she filmed an update to thank fans for their support and warn other transgender people against travels to the U.A.E.
Homosexuality is outlawed in the U.A.E. and can lead to criminal charges or jail time.
Gorgeous, who also goes by the surname Lazzarato, became an online star as she publically documented her transition in a series of vlogs. She has appeared on several TV shows and movies, and is known for being close friends with Kylie Jenner.
