YouTuber Trisha Paytas faces backlash for coming out as transgender despite identifying with her 'natural born gender'
Paytas says she is 'one thousand per cent' transgender
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Your support makes all the difference.YouTuber Trisha Paytas has revealed she identifies as transgender and feels like she is a “gay man” in a new video uploaded to her channel.
But followers of the influencer, who is infamous for creating clickbait content on topics ranging from her plastic surgery to her personal relationships, are concerned Paytas does not understand what it means to be transgender, and may inadvertently be making light of the struggles trans individuals often face.
The 31-year-old discussed her feelings regarding gender and said she feels more masculine than feminine during a 15-minute YouTube video titled: “I AM TRANSGENDER (FEMALE TO MALE).”
In the video, Paytas said: “I identify with men better. People always think there’s something wrong with me because I don’t have that many girlfriends. Like, I love girls, I do love girls and I love their sensitivity. But that’s why I identify more as a gay man because I like guys but I also identify as a guy.”
“In my head I feel like I’m a transgender female to male but also a drag queen,” she added, explaining that she likes “glam” and dressing up but also likes to be “low-key”.
According to Paytas, in addition to identifying as a gay man and also a drag queen, she feels she is transgender because she has experienced “penis envy” and has thought her life would “be easier if I had that part”.
“If I asserted myself, I wouldn’t be a b**ch, I would be a man,” she said.
During the video, Paytas also discussed the transgender and LGBTQ community, and explained that she doesn’t believe people should have to identify as one gender or another.
The YouTuber concluded the video: “So do I think I’m transgender? Yes, one thousand per cent. Do I identify with my natural born gender? A thousand per cent. So that’s where I’m at and I feel really free and liberated.”
In response to the monologue, which has been viewed more than 856,000 times, people have accused Paytas of coming out as trans for "clicks" and criticised her for being “insensitive” and “degrading” to both transgender people and the struggles they experience.
“As a trans man, I can’t even begin to explain how insulting this is,” one person wrote on Twitter. “You aren’t trans because you’re attracted to gay men. You aren’t trans because you don’t wear makeup all the time or you relate to your male friends more."
Another said: “This is just too much. It’s so disrespectful to the people who truly are transgender and risk their lives everyday just to express who they are publicly and not just for views.”
Others said they hope Paytas takes the opportunity to learn more about the transgender community, with many people pointing out that being trans means not identifying with the gender you were born.
“I really hope you do some research on what being transgender is and realise how problematic and hurtful this video is for so many trans people,” someone else said, while another tweeted: “Trisha Paytas is a living example of why people need to be more educated about being transgender.”
The video also prompted drag queen Vicky Vox to tell her followers to report Paytas.
“Using gender identity as click bait is a privileged act of violence,” she said. "I'm not gonna stand for it. I don’t care what it’s actually about. The headline and photo used cannot be serious.
“Trans people are murdered for quietly trying to live their life. Big nope.”
In response to criticism and the accusations that she used the video and the admission to gain more followers, Paytas has denied that she made the video to “be funny”.
Responding on Twitter, she said: “It’s not meant to be funny. Because I don’t look like a traditional male on the outside, I’m a joke? Men can wear dresses, heels and makeup you know. Close-minded and ignorant.”
On Instagram, Paytas reiterated her belief that she is transgender. Sharing screenshots to her story in which she apologised for offending anyone with the video, she explained that this is “my truth and my reality that I have been facing”.
She also asked her followers to explain their issues with her "coming out video", adding: "Just know your judgements hurt me a lot. This isn't something I would joke about or take lightly."
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