NikkieTutorials: YouTuber gives blackmailers the finger as she comes out as transgender
"I'm not scared. And this one's for you."
By Will Stroude
YouTube star NikkieTutorials has come out publicly as transgender in her latest video.
The 25-year-old Dutch vlogger and make-up artist, real name Nikkie de Jager, revealed she was sharing her story with her millions of followers after being “blackmailed”, but that she finally felt “truly ree”.
“Filming this video is scary, but it feels so liberating and freeing”, she said. “I’ve been wanting to share this side of myself with you all for so long, but I could never figure out the timing.
“When I was younger I was born in the wrong body, which means I am transgender.”
Nikkie first start sharing make-up turotials and reviews on YouTube 11 years ago an now boasts almost 13 millions subscribers, making her one of the platform’s most-followed stars.
Declaring she wanted to reclaim her “power” after having the opportunity to share her story on her own terms “taken away”, she said: “I have been blackmailed by people who wanted to ‘leak’ my story to the press.
“At first it was frightening to know that there are people out there who are so evil that they can’t respect someone’s true identity.
“It is vile and it is gross, and I know that you are watching this.”
Giving the middle finger to camera, Nikkie declared: “I’m not scared. And so to the people who tried to blackmail me, this one’s for you.”
She added: “Today I am free, and I get to be me, finally.”