Sonja Morgan and Dorinda Medley Apologize for Making Offensive Comments About Trans Models at NYFW
Sonja Morgan and Dorinda Medley are apologizing for some insensitive remarks they made about LGBTQ models who hit the catwalk at New York Fashion Week.
In a statement to PEOPLE, a rep for Morgan and Medley said, “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 of New York City sparked some drama on Tuesday at the Garo Sparo show, where their castmate Tinsley Mortimer was walking. While the two, who were sitting front row with Ramona Singer and Luann de Lesseps, were supportive of Mortimer, they were less supportive of the other models on the runway.
Sparo, who was a season 17 Project Runway finalist, had a wide range of diverse models in his lineup, including Madeline Stuart, who’s known as the world’s first “super model with down syndrome,” MiMi Tao, the first transgender model on Project Runway, transgender model Amanda Lepore along with many other queer and transgender models.
According to Page Six Style, Morgan shared a now-deleted Instagram video of drag queen Miz Cracker walking down the runway where she was heard asking, “Who is that? Oh, that’s a guy, right?”
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When transgender model Yasmine Petty took the limelight, Medley remarked, “With a body like that, that’s a guy.”
Morgan chimed in, “Yeah, with a body like that it’s a guy, you’re absolutely right.”
After Petty posed for cameras at the top of the catwalk, she was seen giving a look towards Medley and Morgan’s direction as she walked back down the runway. She later talked to Page Six Style about the incident.
“I was really excited to do the fashion show for Garo Sparo for New York Fashion Week because he was using models of diversity,” Petty told Page Six Style. “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.”
She continued: “It’s pretty disheartening and disappointing, especially this day in age and being in New York City,” Petty said. “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.”
In the background of the now-deleted videos, de Lesseps could be heard saying that she loves “how diverse the show is.” They were all on-hand filming the upcoming season to watch Mortimer, who closed the show in a princess-style tulle dress with crown.
The RHONY crew also made an appearance at the Pamella Roland show on Tuesday.
