Nikkie de Jager, publicly known as NikkieTutorials, is perhaps YouTube’s most prolific makeup artist and beauty influencer. She’s been creating content on the site for over 11 years, much to the amusement of her over 13 million subscribers. Her channel is solely dedicated to her makeup artistry and love of beauty products. That is, until Jan. 13. Last Monday, Jager uploaded a 17-minute video with some news that would completely shake the beauty world: she was transgender.
While this news was completely new to her fans, Jager explained that her identity had been a normal part of her life for a long time. She had been born in a male body, but always knew that she identified as a woman. By the time she was 14, she had completely socially transitioned alongside the acceptance of her loving mother and teachers. By the time she was 19, she had completed her physical transition and was living her life at her fullest potential.
Many fans expressed their shock at the news, alongside their acceptance and pride for Jager’s openness and transparency. Many celebrities have come out in celebration of Jager’s announcement, including artists like Kesha, who tweets:
“@NikkieTutorials You are such a motherf**kin strong amazing inspiring gorgeous woman… you are a queen… this video made me cry and also so so happy for you. YOU are seen, accepted, loved and admired. By myself and many many others. Keep glowing, ur a f**kin rainbow” – via @KeshaRose on Twitter
While Jager’s announcement generally does seem like a thing to be celebrating, apparently the news did not come on her own terms. In her announcement video posted to YouTube, the influencer explains that she was blackmailed to tell her fans the “truth” about her identity. She did not reveal who was behind the threat or what they hoped to gain from it, but she did explain that she always intended on telling her fans on her own time.
Courtesy: Jamie McCarthy
Following this news, another comment from the sister of the owner of Too Faced Cosmetics, Jerrod Blandino, caused another brief rift in the beauty sphere. The affiliate in question, Dani California, changed her Instagram bio directly after Jager’s video to read: “Transgender huh? That’s not the only thing she’s been LYING about” -via @sebas_williams on Twitter
The Instagram bio was quickly changed, and Blandino expressed his sincerest apologies regarding the incident via his Instagram story and assured fans that he had fired his sister from the company. He writes: “Let it be known that I am truly shocked and disgusted to my core at [California’s] recent actions. I do not tolerate this behavior and she is no longer an employee of Too Faced.” – via @jerrodblandino on Instagram
Courtesy: Stellar
Coming out is an impressive feat, no matter how old you are or how long you’ve known about your identity. As Jager stated in her video: “The reason why the trans part of me never got to the light was because I wanted my channel to be about my art. I wanted my art to do the speaking for me.” Fans around the world have praised Nikkie for pursuing her happiness over all else, and know that nothing has changed aside from her increased vulnerability with the subscribers who love her the most.
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