Gigi Hadid: I had ‘every right’ to elbow guy who grabbed me
Days after being ambushed in Milan, Gigi Hadid is speaking out about the nightmare encounter.
“Honestly, I felt I was in danger, and I had every right to react the way I did,” the supermodel recalled in Lena Dunham‘s latest Lenny letter. “If anything, I want girls to see the video and know that they have the right to fight back, too, if put in a similar situation.”
As Hadid, 21, exited the MaxMara fashion show on Thursday, she was grabbed from behind by Ukrainian prankster Vitalii Sediuk. The statuesque blonde elbowed him in the face as onlookers, including younger sister Bella, 19, watched the scene unfold.
“I remember taking the time, as it all felt slo-mo, to look at him, a stranger, and my first reaction was: ‘Get me out of this situation,'” she shared. “I played volleyball, and my coaches talked about muscle memory. I started boxing two years ago and I always remembered that. Since then, I hadn’t been in a situation that forced me to fight back, but it just came out when he grabbed me — it wasn’t a choice. I do have a fighter in me.”
While Hadid defended herself on Twitter as reports from the incident emerged, she credited mom Yolanda Hadid for teaching her immediate awareness as a child.
“When my mom first saw what happened, she texted me the picture of me elbowing the guy and (among other messages of support) said, ‘Good girl,'” Hadid explained. “My mom has taught me the power of my instincts since I was a kid. She’d always be like, ‘OK. Pay attention to the people who make you feel uncomfortable. I want you to tap into that and to be aware of it.'”
Though Hadid is grateful for the support she’s received from family and fans alike, she hopes others understand the importance of self-defense.
“I know people are put in much worse situations every day and don’t have cameras around that provoke social-media support. I just want to use what happened to me to show that it’s everyone’s right, and it can be empowering, to be able to defend yourself,” she concluded.
Gigi Hadid kicks butt at the gym, too:
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