PHOTOS‘RHONY’ Stars Sonja Morgan & Dorinda Medley Apologize For Insensitive Remarks About Trans Models At NYFW
Sep. 11 2019, Published 6:45 p.m. ET
Sonja Morgan and Dorinda Medley are apologizing for their insensitive comments made on September 10. The Real Housewives of New York cast attended the Garo Sparo fashion show during New York Fashion Week to support castmate Tinsley Mortimer. However, a video surfaced on social media of the pair making transphobic comments about trans model Yasmine Petty.
“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,” the reality stars said in a statement sent to People on September 11.
Sonja, 55, and Dorinda, 54, sat front row at the Garo Sparo fashion show along with Luann Lesseps and Ramona Singer to watch Tinsley, 44, hit the catwalk. Though they were overflowing with support for their castmate, they made some insensitive remarks about other models on the runway.
Garo, 42, curated a diverse lineup of models for his catwalk. They included Madeline Stuart, who is known for being the world’s first “super model with Down syndrome,” along with MiMi Tao, the first transgender model to be featured on Project Runway, Amanda Lepore, a transgender model, plus many others.
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Despite the inclusivity of Garo’s models, Sonja and Dorinda failed to keep their opinions to themselves at the Project Runway alum’s show. “Who is that?” Sonja asked in a video posted to her Instagram story, as the drag queen Miz Cracker strutted on the runway. “Oh, that’s a guy, right?” But the commentary didn’t stop there.
“Well, with a body like that, it’s a guy,” Dorinda commented as transgender model Yasmine Petty walked the catwalk in a now-deleted video. “That’s a guy.” “Yeah, with a body like that it’s a guy, you’re absolutely right,” Sonja chided.
Yasmine, 31, later spoke to Page Six Style after the show about the RHONY stars’ commentary. “It’s pretty disheartening and disappointing, especially this day in age and being in New York City," she said.
She added, “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.”
