Real Housewives of New York City stars Sonja Morgan and Dorinda Medley are apologizing for the comments they were caught on camera making about transgender model, Yasmine Petty and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum, Miz Cracker during a fashion show at New York Fashion Week.
Following the backlash to the Morgan’s Instagram Story, in which the women can be heard making transphobic comments about the trans woman and beloved drag queen, the RHONY stars told Us Weekly, “We have a history as long-standing supporters of the LGBTQ community in many ways and apologize for our offensive comments at the fashion show.”
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During the video, which has since been deleted, Morgan is heard asking her co-star of drag queen Miz Cracker, “Who is that? Oh, that’s a guy, right?”
“Well, with a body like that, it’s a guy,” Medley responded. “That’s a guy.”
“Yeah, with a body like that it’s a guy, you’re absolutely right,” Morgan added.
To Us Weekly, Petty explained why the comments were so hurtful as she walked the runway: “As a transgender woman, I’ve never thought of myself as a model. But I have always tried to fully embrace who I am in whatever I do. Sometimes that requires being vulnerable and brave.”
She continued, “During that show, as I walked down the catwalk with my head held high in who I am, a few women in the front row (who we’ve all seen on television) spoke hurtful, damaging comments, saying, ‘With a body like that, it’s a guy.’ In fact, that very moment was captured on social media and shared with the world.”
“People don’t get to choose their sexual orientation or gender identity,” she said. “What people do get to choose though is projecting rude and cruel behavior toward other people over for things they have no control over. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. But we as a society, must do better. People in positions of influence and power must do better. And to any trans woman out there feeling inadequate as a woman, keep strutting honey.”
Photo credit: Yuchen Liao/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows
