In case you missed it, on Thursday September 22nd Gigi Hadid was leaving a show during Milan Fashion Week when she was grabbed and picked up from behind by a man. Hadid threw her elbow into his eye as her sister and model, Bella, helped pull his hands off of her. After he let go, the man immediately began to run in the opposite direction but, was caught on camera.
The man who did this is Vitalii Sediuk, a Ukranian TV personality who has been caught invading the space of celebrities such as America Ferrera, Anna Wintour, Will Smith, Kim Kardashian, and Brad Pitt.
When the tabloids got hold of the story, some were balanced while others proved misogynistic. Hadid was labeled as having “attacked a fan” and a woman who “couldn’t take a joke”.
Except, there’s one problem with that. Invading a complete stranger’s space (yes she is a celebrity, and yes, unless you know her personally, she is a stranger) is NOT a joke. Hadid was not responding to a practical joke. Hadid was not at home messing around with her siblings. She was not in a swing dance class. She was not being embraced by an old friend. Hadid was ON THE STREET WALKING WHEN A STRANGER MANHANDLED HER. She responded in a way that all women would, with speed and fear and, rightly, anger. Hadid did not stay silent for long. She tweeted:
Vitalii Sediuk, labeled the “Red Carpet Menace” has been placed on the no-fly list into the U.S. because of his frequent inappropriate harassment against celebrities. Yet, there are still tabloids reporting in favor of him.and had EVERY RIGHT to defend myself. How dare that idiot thinks he has the right to man-handle a complete stranger. He ran quick tho 👊🏼😏🐱
— Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) September">https://twitter.com/GiGiHadid/status/7789296375439... 22, 2016
Sediuk harassed a woman on the street to launch a publicity stunt, as he has now confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter that he grabbed Hadid to “prove a point about cute instagram girls taking over the fashion industry.” Grabbing a woman (again, a STRANGER) on the street is not how you make a social commentary. She is not a piece of art. She is not a store you boycott. Sediuk ran away because he knew he would face trouble if he stuck around.
Celebrities are not public property. While their careers may put them in the public eye, they are private citizens with a right to private space. Invasions of this space happens frequently to women. Que Amy Schumer refusing to take selfies after a man accosted her on the street for a picture. Que Sophia Bush’s open letter to the “airplane passenger from Hell.” These women are not yours to talk to, touch, or in any way disturb. They are PRIVATE citizens with the same entitlement to privacy while they are living their lives outside of work.
