‘Real Housewives’ Sonja Morgan and Dorinda Medley Overheard Making Transphobic Comments
Real Housewives of New York stars Sonja Morgan and Dorinda Medley were overheard at fashion week making transphobic comments about model Yasmine Petty. Morgan and Medley were seated with co-stars Luann de Lesseps and Ramona Singer at the Garo Sparo spring show on Tuesday, in which fellow Real Housewife Tinsley Mortimer was walking. Medley posted a video of the show to her Instagram, in which you could hear her and Morgan insulting Petty as she walked down the runway.
“Well with a body like that, it’s a guy,” said Medley. “That’s a guy.”
“With a body like that it’s a guy, you’re absolutely right,” Morgan replied. “Oh lord.”
Morgan made similar comments about RuPaul’s Drag Race Star Miz Cracker, who also walked in the show. “Who is that?” she asked Medley. “Oh, that’s a guy, right?”
Petty spoke with Page Six immediately after the show, saying that she could hear Morgan and Medley talking as she walked.
“I was really excited to do the fashion show for Garo Sparo for New York Fashion Week because he was using models of diversity,” said Petty. “And I knew they were filming the Housewives of New York and I knew they were front row and literally, as I was walking down the runway, I heard them making these statements.”
“It’s pretty disheartening and disappointing, especially this day in age and being in New York City,” Petty continued. “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.”
Morgan and Medley issued a statement to Page Six, saying that “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 Real Housewives franchise boasts a large LGBTQ+ fandom, making their comments doubly hurtful. Both Morgan and Medley have made appearances at Pride events and presented themselves as allies. Fans are, rightfully, pissed.
