Dubai Airport Officials Detained Gigi Gorgeous Because She's Trans

Photo: Instagram (@gigigorgeous)

Last night, vlogger and model Gigi Gorgeous was held at Dubai International Airport by immigration officers. Why? Because they denied that her gender is legitimate, saying that, despite Gigi’s insistence that this is not at all the case, the gender on her passport doesn’t agree with how she presents. According to reports from TMZ (if you click over, TW for transphobic language), the “imitation of women by men” is illegal in Dubai, and violators face up to a year in jail.

Nothing about this is okay.

On Monday, she posted about her excitement for the trip on Instagram.

Where's somewhere you dream of traveling? I'll be on a plane somewhere DOPE soon
A photo posted by GIGI GORGEOUS (@gigigorgeous) on Aug 8, 2016 at 2:26pm PDT

Set to soon star in her own documentary, the vlogger has been extremely open about her transition, and it’s horrifying to see yet another trans woman dealing with huge structural injustices like this one. It’s very concerning that Gigi is saying her passport has been updated to reflect her gender, and not what she was assigned at birth, and yet she’s being detained. So what, then, is the reason for her detainment?

Trending Stories

Joe Biden has tied the record for most LGBTQ+ judges confirmed in federal courts

Donald Trump's anti-LGBTQ+ cabinet: An in-depth look

500,000 Children at Risk: PEPFAR Funding Crisis

Reneé Rapp delivers showstopping sapphic performance at the 2025 AMAs

Jennifer Lopez kissed a female dancer at the 2025 AMAs—here's what she said about it

How climate disasters hurt mental health in young people

Rising star LAVERN says LGBTQ+ ravers 'bring the fire' ahead of EDC performance

Halsey fan brought onstage says 'Badlands' was her 'lesbian awakening'

From small town charm to big city Pride: exploring LGBTQ+ Ontario

Utah Republicans ignore study supporting gender-affirming care for trans youth. It's research they demanded

Two right-wing Supreme Court justices signal they may uphold access to PrEP and more

Elon Musk uses burner accounts on X, doesn’t fact-check: report

'Sports Illustrated' cover star Lauren Chan credits Reneé Rapp for her lesbian pride

Rachel Levine fought HIV & STIs at HHS. Now she’s speaking out because that progress is being undone

Grindr is reminding us why jockstraps are so sexy and iconic

More than a stay: Airbnb’s latest release is built for the way we travel today

We are Veterans Affairs clinicians. Our leadership is failing veterans

Lesbian Pride: Here's every Dyke March in the U.S. in 2025

The Tryst Puerto Vallarta is the perfect destination for gays to embrace their worst behavior

France becomes world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in constitution

Pedro Pascal says he's a 'lazy 50-year-old bougie b*tch'—and that's a mood

HRC holds 'die-in' to protest Trump health care cuts

Massachusetts federal judge orders gay asylum-seeker deported under Trump returned to U.S.

All 6 rogue Mississippi cops got long prison sentences in 'Goon Squad' torture of 2 Black men

Why experts say Trump's budget bill strips health care from nearly all transgender people

Fans are pissed, and terrified.

\u201cGigi Gorgeous has been detained in Dubai for being trans. Her passport has been taken. It's 2016 and this is happening #JusticeForGigi\u201d
— no nation like mon\u00e9tion (@no nation like mon\u00e9tion) 1470796451

— (@)

\u201cthey detained Gigi Gorgeous in Dubai for being transgender...\n\ni hate this world sometimes.\u201d
— carlos (@carlos) 1470795138

But this isn’t only an issue abroad.

Before we turn this into an issue that happens "out there," we have to recognize the ways our own country fails trans travelers. Shadi Petosky, an American trans woman, opened up about how she was forced to miss a flight when an Orlando airport decided something about her body seemed “strange.” Too, the TSA in general has been criticized for policies that mark trans bodies as anomalies and cause everything from missed flights to embarrassment to trauma.

Luckily, Gigi was released.

After being detained and held at the Dubai airport for over 5 hours, this was the moment my baby came to rescue me. 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. This further proves the need for CHANGE. I am now on my way to somewhere much more accepting. Safe and sound and happy. I love you guys
A photo posted by GIGI GORGEOUS (@gigigorgeous) on Aug 9, 2016 at 9:28pm PDT