Popular beauty vlogger comes out as transgender following blackmail threat

25-year-old beauty vlogger and YouTube content creator Nikkie de Jager, popularly known as Nikkie Tutorials, has made headlines after coming out as transgender following a threat of blackmail from people who knew about her history.

De Jager confirmed the news in a 17-minute-long video that has amassed over 14 million views in the hours since its release.

In the video, she addresses a number of topics related to her admission in order to answer the questions that fans and brands may have had, including whether or not she has fully transitioned, whether or not her boyfriend knows and why she chose to share the news.

“Today I am here to share something with you that I’ve always wanted to share with you one day, but under my own circumstances, and it looks like that chance has been taken away from me,” begins Nikkie before adding, “so today, I am taking back my own power and I have to tell you something.”

“When I was younger I was born in the wrong body, which means that I am transgender. I am NikkieTutorials, and I am Nikkie. I am me. We don’t need labels. But if we are going to put a label on it, yes, I am transgender. But at the end of the day I am me,” she said.

“I have been blackmailed by people that wanted to leak my story to the press,” she said.

According to Nikkie, she had always wanted her channel to be strictly about her art and not about her story, which is why she chose not to lead with the fact of her gender.

“The last thing I want in my life is for you to not trust me any more or to look at me with different eyes. At the end of the day, I am still Nikkie.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7RVmJhJ4lU/

She has been trending since her revelation as fans, fellow vloggers, brands and celebrities alike have come forward with their messages of support for her.

Among them are fellow transwoman Nikita Dragun, Ariana Grande, Michelle Visage and brands such as NYX Cosmetics who posted a message stating “We love you, Nikkie! You are such an inspiration!”

TRANS IS BEAUTIFUL 🌈 @NikkieTutorials i am so proud of u! i know how hard it is. to see u out and living ur truth has brought me to tears! u don’t know how many people ur inspiring and helping by sharing ur story. i am one of them! she said WOMAN. https://t.co/SoUOndNw7U

— Nikita Dragun (@NikitaDragun) January 13, 2020

Fans have also taken to social media to take the founder of Too Faced Cosmetics Jerrod Blandino to task after his sister (who goes by the handle Makupprincess) posted some unsavoury comments about Nikkie using her Instagram bio.

So the sister of #toofaced Jerrod Blandino just updated her bio ….. the nasty lowlife bitch jumped out. This is 10/10 in response most likely to #nikkietutorials coming out pic.twitter.com/nnUeOXQyyP

— cris 🦇 (COMMS OPEN 2/3) (@CrisMakesStuff) January 14, 2020

TOO FACED is currently CANCELLED because the sister of the co-owner Jerrod Blandino said this about Nikkie Tutorials when she came out as transgender today… pic.twitter.com/xt837id3Ss

— tea sesh (@TeaSeshYT) January 14, 2020

https://twitter.com/fhilmergera/status/1216925863704481793?s=20

Watch the full video below:

READ NEXT: Zim transgender woman wins compensation for illegal detention

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.